It’s many people’s worst nightmare to knock their wedding rings, fine jewelry, or precious items in the sink or toilet. We’ve all had to fish out something that has fallen into the toilet at least once in our lives. And while it’s not exactly a pleasant experience, there’s no long-term heartache involved.
If you accidentally flushed a ring down the toilet, don’t panic—and if you’re reading this right now, that’s probably what you’re doing! There is a chance your jewelry is lingering somewhere within your toilet.
Most likely, you’ll find it at the bottom of the toilet bowl and can easily retrieve your ring before flushing. However, if you do flush accidentally, your chances of finding your expensive diamond jewelry are minimal. Still, you might get lucky and discover that your lost ring is stuck within the waste opening, in a curved pipe, or even around the toilet wax ring.
Here’s how to rescue jewelry dropped in the toilet:
Retrieve Your Wedding Ring From the Toilet
Don’t Flush (Again)!
Sorry to be the bearers of bad news, but if you dropped jewelry in the toilet, the easiest way to retrieve it is to reach in and grab it. DO NOT FLUSH first even if the toilet has recently been used. You may end up with clean water, but a single flush can send your ring down the drain opening and into another world where only plumbers go. If the bowl isn’t sanitary, wear a glove to scoop it out. Disinfect your jewelry with alcohol or hydrogen peroxide.
There are instances when we’ve dropped jewelry in the toilet and not realized it until after flushing. It’s not too late to reach in and grab it with your bare hands if you see the jewelry swirling around the bowl. DO NOT FLUSH again, as it still might be sitting right inside the toilet bowl, especially if the ring is big or heavy.
Before moving on to the next step, check to make sure your toilet was flushed completely. Older toilets don’t have the same flushing force as newer models, so you might get lucky in finding the flushed ring down the toilet. With a flashlight and drain snake, you may be able to fish it out. Otherwise, you’ll have to remove the toilet, which we’ll cover in just a bit.
Turn Off Your Toilet’s Water Supply
While you’re getting to know your toilet on a new level, it’s a good idea to turn off the water supply. This is really easy to do and can prevent another accidental flush—plus, it’s necessary if you’re going to attempt to remove the toilet.
The water supply valve is located on the pipe that connects your toilet tank to the wall or floor. Turn the valve clockwise all the way to temporarily cut off access to the water supply line.
Then, clean out the remaining water found in the toilet tank using a small plastic container or sponge. Do the same for your P-trap toilet seat.
Remove the Toilet
Can’t find your dropped jewelry in the toilet after flushing? It might be stuck in the waste opening or wax ring. If you’re comfortable performing your own plumbing work, here is how you can remove a toilet by yourself.
First, make sure all the water is drained out of the tank and bowl. Spread a towel or tarp on the floor to catch any excess water from the toilet you might have missed.
Then, use a wrench to loosen the bolts connecting your toilet to the floor. If you have bolt covers, use a putty knife to gently pry them off. Once the bolts are removed, lift the toilet and set it on the bathroom floor. Hold the toilet to the side and look for your dropped jewelry in the toilet waste opening. Use a flashlight if necessary. Also, check the wax ring in case your ring or other precious item is stuck there.
Call for Help
Did you follow all these steps and still can’t find the ring you flushed down the toilet? Then, it’s time to book a 24-hour plumbing service in Toronto for help.
We can use drain inspection cameras to look through your sewer pipes for lost rings or other jewelry. There’s no guarantee that you will be reunited with your valuables if they were completely flushed away, but it’s worth a try! We understand that nothing can replace the sentimental value behind your precious items, so we’ll do our best to retrieve them for you.
Retrieve Your Wedding Ring Down the Drain
Immediately close the tap to prevent the item from sliding further down the sink. More than likely, your ring hasn’t bobbed along the municipal water system only to be discovered by underground sewer trolls. In fact, it’s probably sitting only inches away from your face in the P-trap.
As unappealing as that sounds, the P-trap is given that moniker simply because of the way that it’s shaped. The purpose of that P-shape is to create a water seal to prevent fumes from traveling up into your bathroom. Its other function: to save the day in situations like this.
How to Loosen the P-trap:
It’s simple, really! You’ll need a bucket and a pair of tongue and groove pliers if you can’t unscrew the nuts on each end of the trap with your hands. Place the bucket underneath the trap to catch any water and debris that will inevitably be stuck there. Before unscrewing the last nut, make sure you’re positioned over the bucket. Nine times out of 10, your ring will be sitting in the pipe waiting to be rescued. Before screwing the trap back together, give it a rinse in another sink.
Disinfect your jewelry before wearing it again, and you’re done! If, however, your ring is not there, you STILL don’t need to panic. That’s what a plumber is there for. Contact Priority Plumbing, and we’ll help you find your missing items.