Let us start off by saying that, if you’ve come to this page due to a specific online search, we’re sorry! We hope you’ve not been panicking too much, because when a wedding ring or another item falls into the sink, it is often retrievable. If you have little expertise with the plumbing and basic tools, we recommend calling in a plumber. Otherwise, it may be possible to do a quick DIY find.
Follow our expert tips on what to try if your wedding ring falls into the drain of your kitchen or bathroom sink. Call our team if you get stuck on any step, if you don’t have the tools or expertise to do the work, or for any other plumbing need!
Turn Off the Water and Be Safe
First, shut off the water as soon as you can. Continuing to run the water fills up the P-trap, the place where the ring is likely (or hopefully) stuck. This may force the wastewater to move further down the drains, along with the ring, in which case you may be out of luck.
Still, if the water ran for a little bit after you dropped the ring, don’t panic! It may still be possible to fish out the ring, as its weight and buoyancy might have kept it weighed down in the bottom of the P-trap anyway.
Another note we’d like to make is to be careful if you reach down the garbage disposal. Even if you think it’s off, when there is even a chance it can come on, it’s important not to reach down the drain. We recommend unplugging it first.
Search Inside the P-Trap
First, we should explain that the P-trap is called that because it is the sideways P-shaped pipe underneath your sink that traps a small amount of water in it. The purpose of the P-trap is to hold enough water to prevent sewer gas from coming up through the pipes, but it also serves as a handy catch-all.
To get to the ring, you’re not going to want to use augers or any tool that goes inside of the drain. Rather, you’re going to disconnect the P-trap alone from the drain assembly. In some drains, this is harder than others, so if you feel any uncertainty, call in a plumber. Otherwise, follow these steps.
- Put down a bucket and towels underneath the sink to catch the water.
- Look for an access plug located underneath the P-trap. Chances are, you don’t have one unless your P-trap is quite new, but it’s nice to know that some newer sinks allow you to simply unscrew a clean out and access the water, and possibly a ring.
- Otherwise, locate the pipe connector on either side of the P-trap. This nut will likely require a specialized plumbing wrench. In some cases, though, P-trap nuts have been known to loosen with only a towel and bare hands!
- Unscrew the P-trap, pop it off, and empty it out. Voila!
For more help or for anything else stopping up your drains, call Evans Plumbing Inc. We offer services for lost rings and clogged drains in Shoshone, ID.
