Turn the faucet off. If this sink has a disposal, switch it off at the wall and cut power at the plug or the breaker before you reach in.
A ring, earring, bottle cap, or utensil usually stops in the curved trap under the sink. Never put a hand in a disposal that still has power. If the object is already past the trap, or the drain runs slowly after you put the trap back, book drain cleaning instead of running more water.
Object past the trap?
Check the trap first. If it is not in there, the drain stays slow, or the trap will not come apart, request drain service. A trap that drips after you put it back needs a pipe repair, not another rinse.
1What usually happens
The drain under a kitchen or bath sink is not a straight drop. Water passes through a curved pipe, the P-trap, that stays partly full so sewer gas cannot come up. That same curve is where a ring, earring, cap, or utensil almost always stops.
Running the faucet after you hear the clink pushes the object toward the trap outlet. If it clears the curve, it is in the line behind the cabinet and a bucket will not reach it. Stop the water as soon as you notice.
2How to check the trap
If the trap is plastic and the nuts turn by hand, you can take it off and look. This is a short job when the fittings are not stuck.
Do this in order:
- Turn the faucet off and leave it off.
- Clear out the cabinet. Set a bucket under the trap and a towel around the base.
- Loosen the two large slip nuts by hand, one at the sink tailpiece and one at the wall pipe. A pair of pliers is only for a nut that will not start.
- Pull the trap straight down and empty it into the bucket. Look in the trap and in the tailpiece.
- Slide the washers back into place, hand-tighten both nuts, and run a slow stream while you watch for drips.
If the object is in the bucket, you are done. Put the trap back before anyone uses the sink. A loose nut is the usual reason a trap drips afterward.
3If the sink has a disposal
A disposal will chew a utensil or jam on a ring. Power comes off before anything else.
Power off, then look:
- •Switch the disposal off at the wall. Unplug it under the sink, or turn off its breaker, so it cannot start while your hand is near the opening.
- •Shine a flashlight into the drain. Use tongs or pliers to lift out anything you can see. Do not put a hand into the disposal.
- •If you cannot see it, check the trap on the disposal's outlet the same way as a regular sink. The object often sits in that curve, not in the grinding chamber.
Leave the disposal off
Do not flip the switch to "see if it will grind through." That is how a cap or a piece of jewelry becomes a jam, and how the object gets pushed into the line.
4When not to take the trap apart
Some traps are not a homeowner job. Forcing one can crack a pipe or leave you with a leak you cannot close.
Stop and call if:
- •The trap is glued PVC with no slip nuts.
- •The metal trap is corroded, seized, or crumbling when you touch the nut.
- •The object is not in the trap, or the drain runs slowly after you reassemble it.
Also skip these:
- •Chemical drain cleaner. It will not fetch a ring, and it sits in the trap you may still open.
- •A coat hanger or a screwdriver pushed down the drain.
- •More water "to see if it comes back."
5What a plumber does
On a sink call, the work is retrieval, not a guess. The tech takes the trap off if it will come apart, looks in the tailpiece, and uses a small auger only if the object is past the curve. Then the trap goes back on and the connections are checked for leaks before the water is turned on.
If the trap drips after that reassembly, the fitting or the washer needs a pipe repair, not another flush of water. If the object went down a toilet instead of a sink, use what to do if you accidentally flushed something. A toilet trap is not a slip-nut job.
Which visit to book
Use the page that matches what you found under the sink.
- 1Drain cleaning: the object is past the trap, or the sink drains slowly after the trap is back on.
- 2Pipe repairs: the trap drips at a nut, or a glued or corroded trap should not be forced apart.
- 3Request service or call (774) 226-6062: say what went down and whether the trap is still in place. Shop hours are Monday–Friday, 7:30 AM–4:00 PM, Saturday by appointment.
Dropped something down the sink FAQs
What should I do first if I dropped something down the sink?
Turn the faucet off. If the sink has a disposal, switch it off at the wall and unplug it or turn off its breaker before you look in the drain. Do not run more water, and do not put your hand in a disposal that still has power.
Can I run the disposal to free a ring or utensil?
No. Running the disposal can jam the object, nick a blade, or send it past the trap. Cut power first, then look with a flashlight and tongs.
How do I check the trap under the sink?
Put a bucket and a towel under the curved pipe. Loosen the two slip nuts by hand, pull the trap straight down, and empty it into the bucket. Most rings, caps, and utensils stop there.
When should I stop and book drain cleaning?
Stop if the trap is glued, the metal is corroded, the object is already past the trap, or the drain runs slowly after you put the trap back. A trap that drips after reassembly needs a pipe repair, not another rinse.
If it is not in the trap
Leave the water off and leave the disposal off. Book drain cleaning when the object is past the curve or the sink is slow afterward. If the only problem is a drip at the nut you just tightened, use pipe repairs. Tell us what fell in so the tech brings the right retrieval tool.