What You Should Do If Something Falls Down the Sink Drain

If you’ve lost earrings or another small or valuable object down the sink drain, don’t panic. You can still retrieve it. Most items that fall down a drain end up caught in the p-trap between the wall and fixture. In today’s post, Handyman Connection® of Wichita East will explain the steps you need to take to get your item back.

Preliminary Steps

You’ll need to turn the water off as soon as something drops down the drain. Next, you’ll need to clear out the area beneath the fixture. You need plenty of space to move around and work underneath the sink. Now get a bucket and put it under the fixture’s piping. The P-trap that you may need to remove typically has sludge inside and you need a place for disposal. The P-trap is a section of piping that’s usually found directly under the drain fixture. It kind of looks like the letter P, hence the name. 

Removing the Drain Plug

Your item might be caught in the drain. Here’s how to remove the drain plug. Pull up on the plunger behind the sink to close the plug. Find the horizontal pivot arm connected to the plug and then unscrew the retaining nut. Detach the clip connecting the retaining rod to the sink plunger. Pull the retaining rod straight back to release the drain plug and then pull the drain plug straight out of the drain hole. If you’re lucky you can use pliers to retrieve your item from the drain.

Removing the Overflow Pipe

If your item isn’t in the drain then it’s probably in the P-trap’s overflow pipe. Put on your rubber gloves and a face mask and then loosen the slip nuts connecting the overflow pipe. Remove the overflow pipe and dump its contents into your bucket. Now check the contents that you dumped to see if your item is there. Take this opportunity to clean, wash and rinse your overflow pipe thoroughly. Re-install the overflow pipe and drain plug.

If you need help with your plumbing then give Handyman Connection of Wichita East a call. We work with some of the best and most experienced professionals in the industry. Our mission is to provide our customers with excellent workmanship and superior customer service. Call us at (316) 202-6565 to learn more about our services and products or to ask for an estimate. You can also contact us here.