How To Remove a Stuck Ring Without Damaging It

Oh man- this is a blog you’re gonna wanna bookmark for future reference. It’s wildly frustrating to get a ring stuck on your finger, especially when it’s supposed to be your perfect size. Nothing is more anxiety-inducing than the instant panic you get when you can’t remove a ring from your chubby little finger. This is something I said to myself not too long ago...

Citrine ring stuck on woman's finger. The ring is slightly too small for the model's finger. Background of the image is a marble tile with luxury makeup for decoration. This picture is meant to show the process of removing a ring that's stuck on your finger.

I got this citrine ring stuck on my finger while shooting content for another blog here. It's supposed to be my size but the weather and the heat from our lightbox caused my fingers to swell. Other reasons your ring (even though it's supposed to be your size) might be stuck may include:

Body temperature
Stress
A medical condition like arthritis
Weight changes

Also Read: How To Find Your Ring Size At Home

There’s no need to call the fire department just yet, there are lots of ways to remove your ring without damaging it. In this scenario, I just needed to lower my body temperature a bit and the ring came right off! It's important that you remove your ring safely and that you don't damage anything in the process. If you ever have a ring stuck on your finger, here’s what you need to do.

Step One: Calm Down

As mentioned, there’s no need to panic just yet. You got the ring on so chances are you’ll likely find a way to get it off without a dramatic hospital visit.

Your body is likely stressed because of your unfortunate situation. Swollen fingers are often the result of high body temperatures. Do you know what can drastically increase your body temperature? That’s right: stress. Take a minute to calm down and remember not to panic, you will get the ring off.

Step Two: Lower Your Body Temperature

Now that we’ve taken five minutes to breathe, let’s try to lower our body temperature. Keep your body temperature cool by putting an ice pack on your fingers. The coolness should help with your swollen fingers.

If you don’t have an ice pack, some ice water works perfectly fine. Submerge your hand into an ice water bath for five to ten minutes. Once you remove your hand, gently compress the area above the stuck ring. Try to slowly and calmly remove the ring. Repeat this process three to four times if unsuccessful.

Step Three: Find Some Lubricant

Many people will say to use various oils and butters to help remove your ring. However, some of the recommended methods, such as Windex, can damage your jewellery. We first recommend trying a mild dish soap as a lubricant. If the dish soap doesn't work, try petroleum jelly.

Step Four: Remove Ring With String

If your ring still won’t come off, you can try the string method. You'll need a long piece of string, dental floss, or ribbon.

Note: In this example, I used gift wrap ribbon because that's what we had on hand. I recommend instead using something softer like cotton string so the ring can slip right through!

Yellow ribbon is threaded through the stuck ring. The model's right hand is holding side B.

With your chosen string, thread it under your ring; let’s refer to this end as side A. In the example above, I'm holding side B.

Ribbon is tight wound around the finger with the stuck ring. You can clearly see the finger thinning out thanks to the ribbon, this will allow the ring to slip off.

Next, wrap the string around your finger with side B starting from above your knuckle.

Using side A, the model pulls the stuck ring off her finger and over her knuckle.

Continue to tightly wound the string until you reach the ring. With side A, begin to slowly push the ring over your finger.

Model holding the ring that is now off successfully taken off with no damage to her finger or the ring

Jewellery featured in this blog includes this Orca Citrine Ring by Hollie Bartlett and Dew Drop bracelet by Joy Annette

Step Five: Visit Your Local Jeweler

If you live near an Artina's Jewellery, you can stop by one of our stores to help you with your situation. If we can’t help you remove your ring, we can recommend a trusted jewellery repair store that can cut and repair your ring with minimal damage.

If you went through steps one through four and still couldn’t remove your ring, you may need to find a different ring size. Additionally, you may also want to call your doctor, as swollen finger can be a symptom of health issues like arthritis.

Also Read: Best Jewellery Stores in Victoria

Remember to never force rings on your fingers, even if you know they fit. For tips on styling and buying jewellery, be sure to subscribe to our monthly newsletter!