4 Ways To Remove A Ring That's Stuck - Zillion Insurance

It’s no secret that rings are meaningful. As creatures of habit, we slide rings on and off when needed. However, sometimes the removal of a stuck ring can be a tricky process. Let’s be honest, we have all experienced – at some point in our lives – putting on a piece of jewelry or a pair of jeans that may not fit quite the way it used to. Reduce some stress by learning how to minimize damage and harm to your jewelry and finger with these four tips.

1. Elevate and Chill

Many believe that fingers only swell when it’s hot. While fingers can can swell during high temperatures, sometimes our daily activities and general “life stages” can influence the swelling of our fingers. These activities and life stages could include pregnancy, hand impact from exercising or training, or air pressure from traveling. RICE (Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate) is a common technique used for athletes trying to reduce swelling of a limb or joint. Treat your hands to a similar therapy! This “elevate and chill” hack requires minimal tools – if your hand feels too swollen to remove your stuck ring, try elevating your hand for 2-3 minutes. Once you have spent a few minutes elevated, let your hand soak in cold water or an ice bath for the same or longer amount of time.

2. Floss it Off

One of the most popular ways to remove a stuck ring is with a common household item, dental floss. The idea is to add a sliding surface over the skin for the ring to gently be pulled off. It requires a lot of floss, so if you have fancy floss or use a Water Pik, try finding some thin ribbon in your closet.

Here’s how to use ribbon or floss to remove a ring:

1. Have your palm up so that you can hold the floss or ribbon with your thumb. Get help from your partner to hold this part in place, as well as with the next steps.
2. Cut about 12 inches of floss or ribbon. Use a toothpick to push the end of the floss or ribbon underneath the ring, sliding that end so that the thumb can hold the floss or ribbon.
3. Spiral the remaining floss or ribbon from the mid knuckle down towards the fingertip.
4. Starting from the beginning of the floss or ribbon (underneath the ring), gently un-spiral all the way down the finger. Have your partner do this if it’s too difficult to do solo.
5. You’ll notice the ring starts to move further down the finger, removing your ring completely.

3. Slip Off Your Stuck Ring

Another common way to try to remove a stuck ring is by using a lubricant that slides it off the skin. Using liquids and oils can create a messy situation, so try to do this hack over a towel instead of over your sink – getting your ring stuck in a pipe is not ideal! The safest household lubricants for ring removal are olive oil and soap. Here’s how to try these out:

1. Place a kitchen towel over a safe surface, away from any sinks. Have water and soap in a dispenser nearby.
2. Use soap or olive oil to coat your finger. Rub your hands vigorously for 90 seconds.
3. Try removing the ring, but if it does not come off, move to step 4.
4. Drizzle water to remove the substance and add a generous amount of soap to hands.
5. Focus on your ring finger and try sliding the ring up and down your finger to loosen it, eventually sliding it off.

4. Wear it Elsewhere

If your ring has become harder to remove over time, consider alternative ways of wearing it. You could try a simple necklace chain or bracelet to wear your ring around your neck or wrist.

Whether your ring is an heirloom, engagement ring, or your wedding band, don’t be afraid of removing it from time to time. Arthritis and chronic conditions in the hands can cause sudden swelling making a ring too tight. If a stuck ring won’t budge and circulation is being cut off, please seek medical attention. Get your ring off, safely and securely with peace of mind and stress off your finger. Here at Zillion we proudly have you covered with exclusive jewelry insurance whether your ring is on or off your finger!