Here at Affordable Service, we’ve compiled some tips you can try at home to recover your jewelry. Maybe you took off your wedding ring to wash the dishes, or your stud earring fell out when you were shampooing your hair – whatever the situation, losing a piece of jewelry in your sink or shower drain is a stressful situation. If this happens to you, don’t panic!
Kitchen or Bathroom Sink
The old magnet trick: Tie a strong magnet to a string and lower it into the drain. Often, this is all that is needed, and you’ll be reunited with your accessories in no time. However, if your jewelry is silver or gold, it won’t be drawn to the magnet, and you’ll have to move on to the next step.
Dismantle the P-trap: You know that U-shaped pipe under your sink? That’s there to trap debris from the sink and prevent it from forming a clog further within the plumbing system. In a situation like this, you’ll be thankful for this feature! Turn off the water supply before you start. Place a bucket underneath the P-trap so you don’t end up with a mess on your hands, and remove the drain plug. Loosen the slip nuts that hold it in place and dump out any remaining water. You should find your lost ornament there!
Shower
If you lost your jewelry in the shower, retrieving it will require different tactics. Remove the drain cover, and likely, you’ll be able to see your ring or earring. If you can see it, remove it with a retrieval tool. You can find flexible retrieval tools at most hardware stores.
Vacuum: If you remove the drain cover and you don’t see your jewelry, you can try using a wet-dry vacuum. After vacuuming, turn the appliance off and dump the contents of its tank onto an old towel. You’ll have to sift through debris, and it could get messy, but you might find your lost treasure!
If none of these tricks work, call a professional! Affordable Service has been working on Albuquerque and Rio Rancho’s plumbing systems for over 30 years! We are always happy to help our customers recover their valuable items lost in the drain!
