How to Rescue an Item From the Sink

Posted by Anonymous , 9/5/2007 Tags:RescueItemFromSink
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How to Rescue an Item From the Sink

Introduction

You gasp in dismay as your ring goes down the drain--but all's not lost. If you have a bucket and channel-type pliers or a wrench, you may be able to rescue precious jewelry or even a contact lens. A sink drain has a U-shaped pipe underneath it, called the P-trap, which captures most items that fall in.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Steps

1

Step One

Shut off the faucet immediately so the object does not flow past the P-trap.
2

Step Two

Look underneath the sink to locate the P-trap. In most cases, the P-trap is easily accessible. If it is not, you might need to call a plumber.
3

Step Three

Note that some older sinks have a drain plug at the bottom of the P-trap. If your sink has this, you will still need to remove the P-trap to retrieve your item. This drain plug, intended to aid cleaning the P-trap, is probably too small for your dropped item to fit through.
4

Step Four

Move a bucket beneath the P-trap to capture any debris that flows out after you remove it.
5

Step Five

Use the channel-type pliers or a wrench to loosen the P-trap's slip nuts (see How to Clear a Clogged Sink or Tub). Tape the ends of the pliers to prevent scratching of chromed pipes.
6

Step Six

Once you've loosened the slip nuts, unscrew them by hand.
7

Step Seven

Allow the contents of the P-trap to fall into the bucket as you remove it. Hair, dirt and slime gather in the P-trap, so expect a fair amount of icky sludge to drain out of it.
8

Step Eight

Don rubber gloves and search the dirty water in the bucket for the item you dropped.
9

Step Nine

If you can't find the item, wash out the P-trap with hot, soapy water and a scrub pad to remove buildup that might be hiding your item.
10

Step Ten

Once you have found the item, replace the P-trap and tighten the slip nuts.
11

Step Eleven

If you've dropped an item down a sink that has a garbage disposal, exercise extreme caution. If the item is visible, use a wooden spoon or tongs to retrieve the item from the garbage disposal. If the item was caught in the grinder, it's probably a goner. Contact a plumber.
12

Step Twelve

If the item you've dropped is magnetic, try dangling a magnet tied to a string down the drain to retrieve the item. While most jewelry is not magnetic, sometimes a steel clasp will provide the necessary magnetism to make this work.

Overall Tips & Warnings

  • Use a mesh drain guard to prevent future loss of valuables down the sink. And keep a ring holder near the sink if you remove your rings to wash dishes.
  • Keep in mind that periodic removal and cleaning of the P-trap can help prevent clogged or sluggish sink drains. Also, if the P-trap is leaky or corroded, you might want to replace it.

Overall Things You'll Need

  • Soap
  • Channel-type Pliers Or Wrench
  • Tape For Pliers
  • Magnet And String
  • Wooden Spoon Or Tongs
  • Scrub Pad
  • Rubber Gloves
  • Bucket
Tools: |