An amazing trick! Our 1-minute video shows you how to easily retrieve anything that went down the drain…without a pipe wrench or a plumber.
Something Down The Drain?
Retrieve it Without a Wrench.
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Leo@!!E#@#
So you can’t read. As well as not see and hear. Did you miss the PANTY HOSE???
Michael SAID “put panty hose over the end of vacuum tube end” So you missed that. and now you show your ignorance. What is the old saying? “Its best to keep your mouth shut and let people think you are stupid than open your mouth and remove all doubt”
That my friend is called thinking outside the box. Nice job! A very good tip. In my past life I was a plumbing contractor and today I don’t think any plumbing shop will send a truck and a licensed plumber out to your house for at least $80 to $100.. I mean, time are tough.
Nice!
The note below the vidio says it all but I thought I would add my experience
When we first started a cleaning business I thought it more efficient
to vacuum the hair and powder etc. out of hand basins and from
around the taps etc. once the area was vacuumed we would then
wipe the sink with cream cleanser (Ajax) etc. …. great result
AND it avoided getting all that powder and hair in our cleaning rags.
HOWEVER familiarity bred contempt and on one memorable
occasion I did exactly as described in the video (minus the panty hose)
to remove long hair that was caught in the plug hole.
It worked VERY efficiently so efficient in fact that it sucked the
water from the “U” bend and before you could say “240 volts” The
water had gone straight through the paper dust bag, through the
filter and into the motor.
The change in tone of the motor was quite audible and the
subsequent smell of burning plastic seemed to indicate the death
of the motor. This fact was later confirmed by the electrical
mechanic who suggested I try not to vacuum up water in future.
I doubt the panty hose would offer much protection from the water but the moral of the story is electricity and water do not mix and a wet and dry vac is essential to the exercise
Please please please do not do this with a standard carpet vacuum cleaner ( WET TYPE ONLY) can be very dangerous and will damage your cleaner and maybe you, air is ment to pass around the electric motor not water !!!!!
stay safe Keith the fire UK
I’ve actually tried this many many years ago on my carpet to find a contact lens and it worked!!!!!!
Great Tip… remember DO NOT USE anything but a WET/DRY Vac or you could face electrical shock.
This is a great idea. I don’t have a Wet Vac but I do have a Rainbow vacuum cleaner (no bags, a water basin instead)and this would probably work very well. I can’t wait to drop something down the sink to give it a try.
Here’s the scoop on vacuum cleaners. Most household vacuum draw air through the motor. There is a filter bag and additionally a secondary filter to insure that no dirt goes through the motor upon discharge. Again, air is drawn through the motor where the carbon brushes run on the armatures electrical communtator to make it go around. Some arcing takes place due to this sliding electrical contact that takes place. A wet and dry vacuum typically is constructed so that the motor is separated and isolated from the fan. As a result the vacuum air is discharged through a separate hole (which can be used for blowing as well). The motor section has its own air intake and discharge to cool the motor. No short cuts here. Use a wet or dry.
What a fantastic resource, thanks, Michael – as in all brilliant solutions, the simplest are the best. To those who had questions/doubts about Listerine as bug repellant: only the original formula has any value (discount brands work just fine), newer stuff might even attract bugs with all the sloppy sweet flavourings. The active ingredient of value is thymol, which comes right from the herb thyme. Its use is as an astringent, antibacterial and, to lesser a degree, insect repellant (different herbs, different bug repelling uses). I use a diluted form of the essential oil in a spray bottle on my bathroom surfaces & it leaves the air smelling very clean & fresh. A few sprinkles on some of the grumpy naysayers above might give them a new perspective as well…
awesome! I wonder if it would work on a ring, seeing as different vac’s have different sucking powers, but it seems as if the vac you have REALLY sucks! good hack!
Thank heavens! A SHOP VAC!!! My lips were getting sore from all that sucking around the drain. I think I banged my head a few times too many!!
I always cover drain with wash cloth and it keeps things from dropping down the drain in the first place
leave it up to a stupid man to think he’s come up on something super—-i’ve been doing that for years !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Baditup,
Most people use it for rings, earrings or other valuables. Especially in a shower or tub where the drain goes into a concrete slab. In those situations it’s been a lifesaver.
Best,
Michael
***RISK OF ELECTROCUTION & SEWER GASES*** Hey, don’t use just any vacuum. You may get electrocuted. ONLY USE A WET & DRY VACUUM. Don’t forget to take out the dust filter in the wet & dry. Also, don’t be surprised if some of your heavy jewelry dosen’t get sucked out to the vacuum. Most large rings or necklaces are to heavy for the vacuum to lift out of the 1 1/2″ pipe. Once you suck out the water from your p-trap you need to replace the water to prevent sewer gases from entering your home.
Don’t be stupid!!! Be safe and call a pro if you value your life and your childrens lives…..
Not only good idea for retrieving stuff, but if you do the same thing WITHOUT the panty hose and WITH a wet/dry vac you can often unclog a stuck drain. Been doing that for years. CAUTION, what it pulls up ain’t going to be pretty.
Also, may have to block off the overflow to get good suction.
This also works for “stuff” that has been put down the pockets on a pool table rendering the ball trapped under the slate and the ball return usless.If you ever have to disassemble the entire top of a pool table and then lift trhe slate out to get a red plastic beer cup with a pool ball in it trapping it in place,you’ll love this shop vac method.
For those of you contemplating mosquito repellants: I heard of and tried taking 50 mgs of balanced B vitamins every day and it works. For me, my husband (who was the ultimate skeptic), and my children. We found ourselves visiting relatives in Oklahoma one summer who lived near a river. Everyone else on the front porch was swatting the bugs and complaining, but none of us got a single bite the whole time we were there (5 days). Can’t hurt to try it. My brother said that since the body doesn’t store B vitamins I am merely enriching the sewer system. I don’t care, I am allergic to mosquito bites and I have used this method for 26 years.
Sears has a wonderful small shop vac that you carry. I like it better than the larger ones that roll around. It costs $15.00. I use it for many things.
Does this also work if the is an overflow opening in the sink or tub. If not, just stuff something in the overflow opening and then the suction should work.
I’m sure I will then be in trouble with the wife for retrieving a 1 cent cap while ruining her $5.00 pair of pantyhose…..
This is not a very advisable tip to do. First of all a shop vacuum should be used that is made for sucking some water up. Secondly all plumbing is grounded pretty darn good and water and electricity do not mix very well. If this is done a proper vacuum that is able to suck up some water should be used and it should be plugged into a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter. You never mentioned ever one my friend and some people will be dong this with a regular house vacuum and with no protection for ground faults. Shame on you.
MICHAEL! YOU are ABSOLUTELY BRILLANT!!!!Lucky me…I have the top of my tootpaste stuck in my bathroom sink and I even have a pair of white stockings….he he…YEP!!!!!! You guessed right! White nurses stockings, too! I can’t thank you and “FAMILY HACK” enough for such wisdom!! I am forever grateful and can’t WAIT TO MEET YOU IN PERSON!!!!! xo hmmmmmmmmmmmm
I’m off to Homey to get a Shop Vac tomorrow. I have so many “one earrings”!! Thanks for the tip.
FYI: Using a knee hi or ankle stocking would be alot better than ruining a $7.00 pair of hose!
Good information, an added caveat would be to plug any over flow drains in the sink so as to make sure the vaccum is working in the area that you want it to… i.e. the trap.
On second thought…. what better use of a “typical” mother-in-law or (insert anyone whom might fit the description) anyone who would have no problem sucking the life blood out of just about anything!
;;)
Wonderful tip, thanks:
The shop-vac is also indispensible in winterizing unused cabins, motorhomes, campers, etc. Suck the sink, traps, and toilet bowel dry. The pipes should also be evacuated as they swell a little each time it freezes until a lump appears and the pipe splits.
Charles
Really cool!
Good idea to save disassembling the plumbing. I am sure many have noted these two issues….the sewer gas would be very unlikely to explode as the air being sucked in from the drain never comes into contact with the electrical side of the motor. That is why it is possible to suck up liquids without shorting the electric motor. However….sewer gas is deadly for humans and animals so it is absolutely necessary to run water back down the drain in order to fill the trap so that sewer gas cannot escape into your living space. Secondly, when you buy a wet/dry vacuum, many times it has been set up in the “dry” mode, meaning that there is some sort of filter in there which needs to be removed if you are going to suck out a drain full of water. Gets kind of messy if you leave the filter in it when you suck up liquids, plus it ruins the filter which gets expensive.
This works with a regular vacuum for small items on a rug or in corners, etc. The drain bit is great!
Brilliante!!
Thanks Hack!! I charge $65 to do that.. Now I will have to go on the Obama dole due to people like you that can do it yourself. hahaha
12 years ago I sucked a trap out from an old tub I was replacing and sucked out a Class of 1912 Belfast HS, ring. I cleaned it up with muriatic acid and left it with the bill. The woman I was working for dropped her Grandmother’s ring down the drain 60 years ago and never said a word. She almost flipped when she got it back, I used the shop vac method. Better than a metal detector, I’ve found diamond earings and a necklace in a house trap.
My question…..why would someone wear diamond earrings in the shower in the first place.???? Very Good Idea to retrieve items from drains!!!!!
Whoopie,
I will pass this on to those with small children and old farts like me who are not always clearheaded while putting in contacts etc.
I was loosing so many hard contact lenses that my husband made me learn how to remove the trap in our sink. Now I have this knowledge so I was able to get rid of the no longer necessary husband ( not for that reason though, he was caught getting other things stuck in
whores.)
Still smiling anyway. Ha ha
bc
Thanks for the tip!. As I was watching this I did think of one other thing that should probably be mentioned. After retrieving the object, make sure you run water back in the sink to fill the trap again. The water does provide a barrier against the sewer gasses and we don’t want that to backup into the room. Keep the good ideas coming!
I wish I had read this a few years ago – when my son tried to flush a jello cup. I had to remove the toilet to figure out what it was – it floated just enough for the water to drain slowly, and the auger just looped around and came back. Since it was clear we couldnt see it. I could easily have drained the toilet and used a vacuum!
Let me go drop something down the drain see if it works
Awesome tip! I’ll be sure to remember this if I ever lose jewelry down a drain.
Great Idea! just reading through the posts and it’s funny that you even get complaints from people who haven’t tried it. I liked the transvestive comment. Made the video even more worth watching.
I liked the transvestite comment as well as the transvestive one.
I have used a wet vac also. My jewelry was in the shower drain. I taped a piece of garden hose to the vac hose and retrieved the jewelry from the tank. It helps to have a clean tank before you fill it with water. Using panty hose to strain one the end of the garden hose is a good idea.
Use windex w/ammonia to take red kool aid or red stains out of carpet.
Am I the only person in the world who doesn’t know what a Shop Vac is ???? This e mail was sent to me by a cousin in the States. Where I live, we have many varieties of vacuum cleaner but I have never heard of a Shop Vac.
I have used the trick many times but have never stuck the hose into water!!
I am highly amused by the comments and replies,the sense of humour and the sense of the ridiculous never ceases to amaze me. Thank you all for a very pleaseant and helpful half hour…….B.
Hack, thanks to you and your ”tips,” people don’t call me anymore to remove stuff from their drains. My business has fallen off to the point that I’ve had to take a second job to support my family. So, thanks for nothing!!!
Poor Ralph had to join the unemployed father of a family club. Boo Friggin Hoo your not the only one without a job.
Great tip, thanks. I’m going to forward this to my daughter with 5 kids.
Hey Michael,
Very cool tip!
I own at least two wet-vacs for my business and never thought about using it for sucking debris out of drains, but it’s the perfect tool for such.
I’ll have to visit this website more often. Oh, I see you have free email updates… consider me the newest subscriber to your list.
Thanks again!
This is not a new idea at all. I used it eons ago when my daughter dropped her ring down the toilet. Worked like a champ.
Very Good. Great idea, however I should point out to anyone who has an English style wash hand basin or sink that these appliances have over flow holes incorporated in them thus making the use of this idea difficult to say the least. The overflow opening should be plugged with either a rubber bung or a face cloth, wadded up tightly, and forced into the ceramic sink or Wash Hand Basin prior to trying out the vaccum suction method. Unlewss these openings are plugged the vaccum idea is a no-no. IT WONT WORK, your machine will only suck air. Hugh McLernon, Retired plumber.
Wow, I wonder if I should be impressed?
Here is a similar trick that this reminded me of. Something I used to have to do in the oil change business. In this instance let’s say you have a leaky oil pan drain plug on your car and you want to change or repair it but you don’t want to drain the oil. Then you just go under the hood, remove the oil filler cap, put enough cloth over your vacuum tube and seal it off with the remaining cloth. (requires two people to do this) With one person holding the now sealed vacuum hose on the filler tube the other goes below and removes the drain plug and does the repair. The vacuum will suspend the oil for you. Not a stunt that you need very often but it surprises people that the oil will remain suspended. Just a fyi. MC
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