Dropping a piece of jewelry down the drain can be heartbreaking. But if you know what to do, there’s a good chance you can get it back yourself. First, you’ll want to shut the water off and leave it off. You don’t wha to push the jewelry further down the drain. If the jewelry hasn’t completely washed away it will be in the bent section of pipe called the p-trap. Every sink has one and it’s designed to hold a small amount of water and keep sewer gas odors from entering the home. It also can help trap objects dropped into the sink, like an earring or ring.

Before removing the p-trap, place a bucket underneath to collect the water inside the pipe. In most cases the slip nuts connecting the u-shaped pipe can be removed by hand without any tools. Slowly lower the trap and drain the water from the pipe. If you’re lucky the jewelry has stayed inside the trap. Before putting the p-trap back on clean out any muck inside to ensure the water drains freely. After screwing the p-trap back on fill the sink and check the connections for leaks.

If it has made it’s way past the p-trap, stop using your home’s plumbing and give Anthony’s plumbing a call, we have video camera technology that can help locate the jewelry.