The WPJ blog

It’s that hand in mouth moment. You’re happily washing your hands in the sink one minute…and the next? You hear a gentle clunk and that antique ring your great aunt gave you is devoured by the plughole.

It’s not necessarily gone forever though. Follow our four-step guide to retrieve your jewellery from down the sink.

STEP 1

Turn off the water as soon as you realise your jewellery is missing. This will prevent it from being washed any further down the drain.

STEP 2

You may find your jewels caught in clogs of hair just below the plughole cover, so if you’ve got a strong magnet at hand, try using it to coax your jewellery back through magnetic pull.

Alternatively, you can unravel a coat hanger, slide it into the plughole and try to hook your jewellery out using a torch to light the way.

If neither of these tips work, prepare yourself, because things are about to get messy.

STEP 3

Lost jewellery is most commonly found in the U-bend underneath the sink.

Place a bucket under the U-bend to catch the water that is about to be released, then gently unscrew the slip nuts at each end.

Tip the contents of the U-bend into your bucket and (hopefully!) you’ll be reunited with your lost treasure.

STEP 4

If you don’t hear the clunking sound of your jewels returning to you (or if you’re concerned that you may do more harm than good) it’s time to call out a local plumber who can safely disassemble your plumbing and help you locate your cherished jewellery.