How to Get Jewelry Out of Your Sink or Shower Drain

We’ve all had those “uh-oh” moments when it comes to plumbing. But there’s almost no worse feeling than dropping your favorite piece of jewelry down the sink or the shower drain. If this has happened to you, don’t panic! Just when you thought you lost it for good, we’re here to help you get it back. Here’s how:

The Sink

Step 1. Try a magnet: Before trying to revive it from the drain by hand, see if you can try to snatch your jewelry using a long magnet. However, if you’re not having luck with this trick or your jewelry is anything but gold or silver, move onto the next step.

Step 2. Turn off the water. If you can find the shut off valve under the sink, your next best bet is to shut off the water supply. Call your plumber if you’re unsure where yours is located.

Step 3. Take apart the P-trap. Do you see that U-shaped pipe under your sink? You’ll want to remove that, but first place a bucket underneath the pipe to save yourself a potentially big mess. Next, if your trap has a drain plug, go ahead and remove it to release the water. Then, take apart the P-trap by loosening the slip nuts on both sides. Dump out what’s left of the water and your diamond should be there.

The Shower

Step 1. Remove the drain cover. If there aren’t any screws holding down your drain cover, go ahead and pop the cover off by “wedging” a screwdriver behind it and popping it off. If the screws are there, you’ll need your screwdriver to loosen them.

Step 2. Look for the artifact. If you see your jewelry, you can retrieve it by using a flexible retrieval tool. You can buy this at your local hardware store if you don’t have one already. 

Step 3. Vacuum it up. If you can’t see your jewelry, you next plan of action is to try sucking it up with a wet-dry vacuum. First, you’ll want to turn the wet setting on and put the end of the hose into the shower drain as far down as it can go. While the vacuum is running, remove the hose and hold it straight up in the air. If your jewelry is there, great news - it will fall into the vacuum tank! Lastly, shut the vacuum off, remove the top of the tank, and dump out the gucky contents onto an old towel. You have to do a little digging to find your piece of jewelry and shine it up.

Step 4. Put the drain cover back on. Be careful putting your drain cover back on, especially if it needs to be screwed on - screws can fall down the drain too, which is a whole other problem you want to avoid!

If you need help retrieving your (almost) lost jewelry, contact Nassau County Plumbing and Sewer Rooter! We are here to assist you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Give us a call at 516.874.7937 or visit our website for more information.

Foods You Should Never Put Down the Kitchen Sink Garbage Disposal

Do you have a handy garbage disposal in your kitchen? Using these waste units can be easy, but what we may not realize is that they are easy to damage. The main problem? Food. Food has the tendency to get stuck on the way down, which can cause damage to your pipes!

Here are five foods you should never put down the kitchen sink garbage disposal:

Meat. Especially raw meat - it becomes stringy and gets caught around the blades. If you must dispose, be sure to send it down in very small pieces. 

Grease and Oil. Grease easily clogs up the garbage disposal and ruins your pipes. To be on the safe side, either wipe it off with a paper towel or run cold water when sending greasy food down the drain.

Pasta and Rice. No matter how much water you run, it’s difficult to break down the starch in rice. Cooked or uncooked, pasta and rice can easily swell and clog your pipes.

Flour. It may be soft and grainy, but once flour becomes wet, it turns into glue. It then becomes hard and thick when dry, which can cause problems for your disposal. 

Fruit Peels. The tough skin of fruit is hard to break down and can easily get caught in your garbage disposal. Rule of thumb: Never dispose half a fruit or larger all at once. Banana peels should never be put down the disposal, as they are long, slimy, and stringy.

It’s always a good idea to scrape food off your plates before washing them. Remember, your garbage disposal shouldn’t be used as a substitute for your trash bin.

Is your kitchen sink garbage disposal already clogged or worn? Don’t worry - that’s why we’re here! Nassau County Plumbing and Sewer Rooter is your solution for all sewer, drain, and pipe problems. Give us a call at 516.974.7937 or visit our website for more information.

How to Choose the Right Kitchen Sink

Designing your home is different for everyone.  Each person has their own preferences and ideas about how they want their home to look.  When it comes to designing your kitchen there is one thing that every kitchen needs, a sink and faucet.  When you are selecting your sink and faucet, style should come second.   You want to choose one that will work well and withstand years of daily use. 


It is also important to take into account what you will  be using your sink for and how often.  A few things to consider when making your decision are:

• Sink options - Sinks are typically made from stainless steel, enamel-coated cast iron, solid surfaces and composites. 
• Number of Sinks - Equally sized double bowls are typically for washing dishes.  Single and different sized doubles are also available.
• Faucets that Function - Faucets come in all shapes and sizes with different functionality.

For more advice on how to choose your kitchen sink and information on the different options please visit http://goo.gl/OB098z.

After you make your decision call New York Plumbing and Sewer Rooter at 516-874-7937, to have it installed by the professionals.