If your wedding band slid off your finger while you were washing dishes and went down the drain, you may be worried that you lost the symbolic piece of jewelry for good. Luckily, you can salvage the band by completing the steps below. After you recover the ring, take the time to clean the interior of the pipe that adjoins to the sink's drain to ensure that water continues to flow evenly through the plumbing while using your kitchen sink.
Supplies
Remove The Trap And Locate The Ring
Turn off the water supply. Open the cabinet doors that surround the plumbing that is under the kitchen sink. Locate the trap. This pipe is the one that is connected to the drain, and it will be bent at an angle. The reason that the pipe is shaped this way is to allow it to hold a small amount of water. Water in the bottom of the trap will form a seal and prevent sewer gases from entering your home.
Use an adjustable wrench or pair of pliers to remove hardware that is secured to each end of the trap. Pull the trap downwards and tip one end of it into an empty bucket. Your ring will fall into the bucket, along with water. After retrieving your ring, set the piece of jewelry in a safe place while you clean the trap's interior.
Dislodge Debris And Eliminate Hardened Residue
While holding the trap over the bucket, use a plumbing brush to dislodge debris from each end of the pipe. If food or dirt particles are stuck inside of the plumbing, use a wet/dry vacuum cleaner's hose to suck them up. Prepare a cleaning solution by pouring a small amount of detergent and a few drops of bleach into an empty spray bottle. Carry the bottle and the trap outdoors with you. Use a water hose to fill the rest of the spray bottle with water. Secure the bottle's top and briefly shake the bottle to mix the detergent, bleach, and water.
Spray the inside of the pipe to loosen hardened residue that is stuck to portions of it. Insert the plumbing brush in one end of the bottle and move it up and down to assist with removing the residue. Remove the brush and insert it in the opposite end of the pipe. Again, move the brush up and down until residue has been eliminated. Rinse the trap's interior with water. Go back inside and line the trap up with adjoining plumbing pieces. Secure hardware through each end of the trap. Turn on the water supply.
For more information, contact a professional in your area like those found at AAA Home Services.
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