Having a treasured jewelry or any other important object drop down your drain is the last thing you want to happen to you. Occasionally, you can happen to flush or rinse your earring, wedding ring, or anything then can fit through the sink all the way down to the drains. Losing an item into a sink does not mean that the object is gone forever; you can always get it back if you do a proper pursuit. Whether an item has fell down the sink in your kitchen or bathroom, or into a floor drain inside your shower, removing such items can be done with an almost the same method.
This process can help you in getting back whatever you have dropped into your drains, provided it is soon enough that it has not been washed down to the sewer line.
Shut off the water
The first thing you should do in case an item falls into your sinks to stop the water from flowing in there as soon as possible. This helps prevent the object from being washed away before you get it, which can easily be the case if the water is still flowing and flooding the drains.
Remove the drain plug
If the item can still be seen at the bottom of the sink, you should remove the drain plug to retrieve it. Start by lifting the cap and supporting it to prevent it from closing on you. Then, descent to the sink and look for the pivot arm attached to the plug. In most cases, there is a nut that you should loosen to be able to do this, although it is not so tight so that you can do this with one hand. After separating the pivot from the plug, the latter can come off quickly.
Retrieve your object correctly
The next step is about deciding the right tools to get the object from the bottom of the drain. Some materials are easily removed with a magnetic telescoping rod, for example, if they are metallic. If the object is made of gold or silver, then you may have to use a grasping tool, with attached prongs to grip the object. The best part is that these tools are readily available in almost every hardware store, and they do not cost much as well. If you do not have the proper tool to get your item from the drain, you can devise an apparatus, may be from a cloth hanger, but be careful not to push the object further and make the work harder for you.
In other instances, an item could fall into a sink with a P-trap. The P-trap is a U-shape bent pipe for preventing the awful smell from rising from the drain into your house. In such sinks, most items settle at the bottom of this curve, and getting them back may necessitate removing the P-trap. In the case of a bathroom sink, you can get it yourself; if it is still visible. However, if it was washed further and you cannot see it, you may need to call a plumber to get it for you.
To remove the P-trap, you should start by locating the drain plug. Then put a bucket beneath to trap water that may pour down, and remove it. If your P-trap has nuts, unscrew them and let it come off, but if there are not nuts, it means it should be cut, and this may call for the need of a plumber to disassemble it.
It is not a guarantee that all items will be retrieved from a sink, although quite often than not, people get them before they go far enough to be lost. However, if you are not lucky enough, you may lose it altogether. It is important to call in a plumber anyway, especially if you are still hopeful that your item is still within reach. You may not be in a position to see it, but with a professional and the necessary tools, the unexpected could happen, and you get your item back.
Quite often people lose their treasured and expensive items down the drains and sewers, but most of them are lucky to retrieve them. Remember to put everything back together as it initially was for a proper functioning of your sink.