Home : Beauty tips : Jewelry : Stuck ring on finger : Getting a stuck ring off of your finger

Getting a stuck ring off of your finger

Submitted by Juliaaaa

OK... the string method didn't work for me. I'm fat.. not pregnant.. and my finger had swollen terribly. The string was painful... besides.. this ring was soooo tight that could barely get dental floss (used instead of string) underneath it. But I didn't want to give in. OK so this is what I did..Â

I first put tape around my finger just past the ring. As the fluid is squeezed out.. your ring actually will be slightly tighter at first. Don't panic! Then after a half hour of having the tape on... ice your hand and taped finger while holding it above your heart. In 15 minutes.. remove the tape and *quickly* saturate your finger with window cleaner.Â

Start to twist your ring around your finger while you are pulling it off. If it gets stuck and your finger starts turning color.. apply more ice and keep your hand above your heart. Apply more window cleaner to your ring and dry the fingers your pulling with. Pull one side then the other.. back and forth.. if it is moving slightly it will come off.. so don't panic about your finger's color.Â

Keep working until it comes off. This is a painful procedure... so ice your finger when your done. If at anytime during this procedure your ring wont budge at all... then spray more windex push it back on and go to a jeweler... they will have to cut it off. Good Luck!!!

Visitors comments

The RING!! IT CAME OFF! Comments By: Cheryl on 2005-02-10

My daughter is pregnant and could NOT get her rings off no matter what we did. We were heading to the jewellers today but I did a search and found this method. What can I say other then BRILLIANT!! yes, it hurt (but pain is over now) and the rings are totally off intact. WOW

Take the ring off today! Comments By: Tracey on 2005-01-30

The ring has been there long enough, today is the last day you are putting up with it. 2 Man job - one to spray the window cleaner, wipe, dry, wet, respray etc. Pull and twist and suffer - 15 minutes cold pack, 5 minutes twisting and pulling and putting up with pain - FREEDOM! Happy finger, released after 2 years of suffering and stress.
THNAK YOU SO MUCH.

THIS REALLY WORKS!!!! Comments By: Maleika on 2005-02-20

I also tried soap, cold water, and lotion, oil, etc...nothing. I was scared I'd have to go into the emergency room to get my ring cut off. After finding this, I tried for 30 minutes and it came off...of course it hurt, but at least it came off! I'm glad I found this article and tried it!!!!

i want to give this woman a big fat kiss Comments By: vique martin on 2005-02-02

i had tried every lubricant i could think of and the string trick. i had a callous and a bulge from weight gain and just wearing a ring that was too small for me in the first place. i hadn't been able to remove it for a couple of years. but who wants to cut off their grandparents wedding ring? that would be so sad. my sister got involved and found your comment on this website [it wasn't there when i searched for answers about 6 months ago]. and it worked! the windex worked! it hurt a lot and my finger was very red, but it worked! i am SO happy. so.... thank you! vique

I'm in shock - the ring came OFF!!!!! First try, too! Comments By: Dottie on 2005-04-30

A ring I normally wear on my ring finger felt loose yesterday, so I slipped it on my index finger amazed it went on so easily. I went to bed forgetting to remove it, and when I woke up it my finger was pink and swollen on the fleshy pad below the knuckle.

The ring would not budge! It felt very uncomfortable. I went online for tips and tried the string method. No luck. I mean, this finger was SWOLLEN! I saw this tip and thought what the heck, I'll try it. Instead of tape I used saran wrap and wrapped it as tight as I could. I wrapped from the base of the ring all the way to the tip of my finger, using strips of saran wrap about 4" wide.

I could see my finger turning purpley pink through the saran wrap. But I held my finger above my head for fifteen minutes (after using the cold water soak before wrapping)and then immediately after unwrapping blasted it with Windex, using a twist motion moved the ring over the swollen buldge of flesh. It worked almost instantly! I was amazed!!!

I'm so happy and relieved. It wasn't all that painful in my opinion. I had visions of big bills for a jeweler to cut it off and then more bills to repair my poor ring.

Now... the RING is FINE, my FINGER is FINE, and all is well in my world! Woo hoo!

Stuck for 12 years!! Comments By: Rena on 2005-05-12

My husbands ring has been stuck for the past 12 years without seeing daylight. We tried everything to get it off. I can't believe this actually works. Don't go cut them off anymore, this one is a proven truth! Good luck everyone!

FINALLY...... THE RING IS OFF!!! Comments By: Amy in WI. on 2005-06-06

OMG!! This really works! I put my wedding bands on for the first time after having my baby and I was so excited that they actually fit.. After sitting in the sun all day they didn't want to come off. WE tried everything that we could think of and finally went to bed..(sleepless night!!!) After dealing with a very crabby wife my husband went up to the computer and found this advise. I used suran wrap insted of tape and soaked my finger in a cup of ice water for 5 min then wraped my finger from the top down as tight as I could. I put my finger above my head for 10 min and then with the suran wrap still on my finger I soaked it again for 5 min. Took the suran wrap off and used windex as was suggested.. POOF the rings slid right off!! And it was painless!! THANKS SOOO MUCH!!!!

Thank GOD!!!!!!!! and YOU!!!!!! Comments By: Kelley on 2005-10-08

Wow, I was getting nervous! I too am FAT, post baby but none the less, so fat my diamond ring was stuck, not to mention swollen fingers due to my blood pressure. After trying all day I went online and found a few tips. Having tried them all (and boy does the dental floss hurt an already swollen finger)I decided to search again and WOW~ thank GOD I did. My husband would have killed me if I had to get my ring cut off. Any way, I took the Tylenol and wrapped my finger in Cling Wrap. I held my arm over my head with my son's frozen teething ring also wrapped around my finger. I kept it up until it turned blue, about 7-8 minutes then quickly unwrapped my finger and covered it in Windex. It took about a minute of wiggling, spinning and rocking and some major pain but off it came. Not a moment too soon, I was about to give up. Thank God! Oh but you should see my finger now, OUCH, it is so RED, but feels soooooo much better! By the way my diamond has never looked as sparkling as after the Windex!

I was NOT telling hubby ring was stuck! Comments By: Monique on 2006-01-29

Yesterday hubby decided to have his jewelry cleaned."I should have brought mine" I commented. He said he would take it for me tomorrow. Well, I realize I cannot remove my wedding ring. Although the increase in fat mass is quite apparent, I was NOT going to give him that kind of satisfaction! Your trick worked immediately. Thank you for letting me keep my pride.

Good technique! Comments By: Steph on 2006-02-08

I also found that as I was working the ring off, applying pressure to the underside of the finger to give it a little more "give" on top, and then gradually wiggling the top part of the ring over the knuckle worked really well. The top part of a knuckle doesn't bulge like underneath, so it works pretty well. Ring's off!

What a life saver! Comments By: Karen on 2006-03-13

I stupidly put my wedding ring on at 3 weeks post partum. It's been stuck for 7 months. I just found out that I need an MRI, so I had to get it off. I tried this last night. My ring was off in a second. Thank you so much for sharing this!

Absolutely Fantastic!!!! Comments By: Alicia on 2006-06-04

Six weeks after having my daughter, I too was so excited that my wedding ring finally fit. Normally a very intelligent woman, I didn't even consider that the summer heat would cause my fingers to swell and, after one day of wear, my finger was so swollen that I knew I would have to cut my beautiful engagement ring and wedding band off. I couldn't sleep because my wedding ring was too tight and I felt like my circulation was being cut off. I woke my husband at about 3:00 in the morning to help me with this process. It's now 4:47 am and I had to write to say that this worked. Both rings have been removed and now I can sleep! Just one tip: take a very strong pain reliever before proceeding. I did and it still hurt but I can only imagine what it would have felt like without it. Good luck!

Saved my life! Comments By: Debbie on 2006-10-09

Thanks SO much. It worked a treat and I've still got my ring intact!

Thank You ... Thank You ...Thank You Comments By: Sarah Jane on 2006-10-14

This really does work! My finger was swollen and killing me - I was going to go to urgent care because I was scared of the pain, but Saturday night I couldn't take it anymore. I took 2 advil and We used medical tape and wrapped my finger very tightly I elevated it for 15 minutes - it was grey by then - then put ice on it and kept it elevated for another 15. My finger was the scariest color but we unwrapped it and my fiance pulled and windexed for me while I kept it elevated - It hurt like hell but after 6 minutes it was off and my antique ring was saved! I highly suggest you have someone else to help with the pulling - I couldn't have done it myself!

THE RING IS OFF!!!! Comments By: Kimberly Stovall on 2006-11-12

I used the advice and also kept running finger under cold water while pulling. It worked, ring is off and intact. It hurts while doing it but don't give up. THANK YOU!!!!!

ty ty ty ty ty ty ty ty ty ty Comments By: Jay and Jana on 2006-12-07

I get off of work at 4am and come home to a crying wife. It seems that she took off her anniversary band and instead of putting it in her jewelry box - she slid it on another finger. Fell asleep. Yep you guessed it - whamo slammo - swolen finger. Well we tried cold water baby oil dawn detergent - nothing.

Then I found this site - zomg! After 5 minutes in an ice wrap - then saran wrap and ice water for 5 minutes and then windex/coldwater tugging - PRESTO!

Thank you so much - and oh yeah - definetly take the Tylenol!

Thank you sooooo much! Comments By: Amy on 2007-03-03

My fourteen year old daughter was wearing a cheap $1.00 ring I bought her at Target. Well, her finger swelled and she could not get the ring off. She has tried everything ( and she is not heavy at all). I read your comment and tried the ice then the windex. Wa-La! the ring came off after the 2nd application.

It worked!!! Wonder why the Windex helps? Comments By: aloha from hawaii on 2007-04-13

My son tried on my daughter's ring (probably thinking it was a man's ring since it is rather chunky)and couldn't get it off his finger. We tried everything - detergent, oil, butter - but nothing could get it off. His sister came home and was absolutely livid that he had tried the ring on in the first place, and adamantly said that it was not to be cut off ("Cut off his finger, Mom!" were her exact words.)I found this Windex suggestion on-line and made a trip to the store to buy a bottle. It took a lot of tugging and twisting (my son twisting his finger one way, while I twisted the other)but other than a swollen, abraded finger, he and the ring or none the worse for wear. Thank you very much for this suggestion.

what a relief!! Comments By: lesley on 2007-06-07

being 7 months pregnant my hands were fine until a hot weather swelled my fingers beyond belief until my beloved wedding and engagement ring were stuck and my fingers was going blue by the hour!!
i logged on and found this tip after reading the other positive reviews i gave it a go otherwise i was on my way to a.e as the pain was unbearable. oh y god it was amazing i followed everything precisely and in 2 tugs they were off, so so so so grateful -thank you xxxx

i can't believe it worked! Comments By: chickory on 2007-07-14

I had tried everything. Having hand surgery in 2 days. Wrapped finger and iced, waited 10 mins, used thick hand lotion and twisted like a screw. took 2 mins. Amazing, thanks!

GO TO THE JEWELER Comments By: Anon on 2007-08-24

Go to the jeweler - they'll cut it off for free and they can always repair them. I tried all these methods, windex, string, tape, ice, all just brought me pain - I was in and out of the jewlers in 2 minutes!! RELIEF!!!!!!!

Boy was I dubious - but it sure worked! Comments By: Chet on 2007-11-22

My wife is halfway through her pregnancy and it sure looked like we were going to have to go to the jewelers to get her rings cut off. But this worked! Follow the directions carefully and when it comes to working the ring off, just persevere and have patience (and use a lot of Windex). Little by little, micron by micron, they came off. Sure, it hurt, and her knuckle is kinda red-purple, but she sure feels better overall. And sure glad we didn't have to cut the rings. Hallelujah!

WOW IT WORKS!!!!!! Comments By: Carlie on 2008-06-23

I don't usually post comments, but I must tell this story. My engagement and wedding ring got stuck on my finger about six months ago. After 1 week, my husband pulled it off. Oh it hurt, but he kept pulling and off they came. Well my hsband is on a business trip and I rationalized that I probably could just wear one ring, but not both w/o getting stuck!!! WRONG!!!!

My engagement ring was stuck on my finger until I found this advice. I didn't keep the tape on but for 10 minutes , due the fact my finger was turning purple. I had to keep icing and holding abovee my head. It did turn purple, but it was moving. I think the most pain was lettin the ring stay at thepoint it was while I iced it more. But what a relief. I'll sleep better tonight. I am on a MISSION to lose weight NOW!!! Thanks again!!!

How To Get A Stuck Ring Off Your Finger Comments By: kathy on 2009-01-14

cut a old credit card into a thin strip and slide it under your finger...take a file (not a fingernail file) and file the ring until it breaks. Then bend the metal until your finger is free. No pain, home-free in less than 10 minutes.

OMG it works! Comments By: Ruth Burrus on 2009-02-03

I just tried this and it worked first time! That is amazing because I have gained almost 100# since putting this ring on 20 years ago. If I could get it off first try, you can too! Thank you so very much for helping.I'm so glad I didn't have to cut it off

Thank you! Thank you! This method works! Comments By: Ravii on 2009-02-15

Got the engagement ring off with window cleaner. Tried the dental floss first and the wedding band wouldn't budge. Wrapped the finger with tape, iced and then window cleaner and was able to move the ring to right below the knuckle. Rewrapped the finger with tape above the new ring location, iced and then window cleaner - and it finally came off. Yes, it's painful and the end of my finger turned purple, but the ring is intact. And my finger is recovering.

did not have windex but i used cooking oil...and the process worked. Thank you Comments By: Anon on 2009-02-21

I only had my wedding ring on for about 8 hours and i was happy when i got it on because i have not been able to ware it with all this extra weight. but when i tried to get it off it would not bidge I tried the cooking oil at first and it di not work, then i tried soap and cream and it still did not work.

I went to a couple sites before i came on this one and nothing they had worked then i used this suggestion but i did not have nay windex in the house so i was freaiing out but i used the cooking oil again. from the moment i took off the plastic wrap i poured on cooking oil alot of it and started twisting a pulling i even used my mouth to push the ring up while i massaged my flesh underneath the ring andf then i pulled again, and it worked, it hurt alot but it worked. The finger is soar right now but alot better seeing as the ring its off... So thank you

do not use it Comments By: tete on 2009-03-23

it do not work i read it 10 times and it is not working i did it step dy step it do not work

doesnt work . . . try it tho but it didnt work for me Comments By: anon on 2009-04-03

i tried it but it hink it might have been the fact that i used bathroom cleaner instead of window cleaner

IT WORKED!!! Comments By: Andrea Todaro on 2009-09-08

My ring finger was sprained around the knuckle when I was a pup during softball practice years ago and so it always had a big swollen bulge that rings found difficult to navigate. When I stuffed a clunky ring onto my finger with a lot of pushing, I knew my "finicky fingee" was in trouble. I was working on it for about a week trying to get that darn ring off and near tears...I tried everything from windex alone to lotion, tape, soap and water, to string, to...well a lot of things...like other people pulling on the finger, to yelling and shouting when the pain grew too much! What finally worked for me was wrapping it in saran wrap for only about a minute or two and holding it above my head...then blasting it with windex and pulling and twisting on the darn bloated thing really hard. The ring prepared for battle in one side of "the ring" and I in the other. Within 15-20 seconds, voilla! presto!...it came off, the ring...not the finger, I mean:) You do need to try this approach...for me, it was a dead "ringer" :) xxoo

it worked Comments By: Ritus on 2009-10-06

My ring was too tight i never should have forced it on and after a couple of days my finger started to swell and it really hurt. I found this site last night and wrapped my finger in cling film and held it above my head for 10 mins, then soaked it in ice for 10 mins i removed the film and applied butter around my finger and twisted and pulled for about 10 mins, i wrapped and iced it and held it above my head for another 10 mins and more twisting and pulling the ring moved to the knuckle, but getting it over the knuckle was the most difficult and painfull. My finger started to turn blue, so i just pulled and pulled and it came off. My finger was swollen and sore for another 3 hours but this morning its back to normal. Thanks for the advice!!

Not even my ring!! Comments By: Heather on 2009-10-15

It worked! I am 39 and never married, at a girlfriends house last night she thought it would be cute to let me try on her wedding set! Beautiful. Then she brings out the hand drawn pictures of the ring, that her and her husband did because it was hand made for her! After some wine I crashed on her couch, rings still on! You guessed it, stuck the next morning. I ran out of her house telling her I would bring them back later needed to get to work. Well did not go to work, spent all morning freaking out! Tried everything! THIS WORKED like a charm! I am happy I could cry. How could I let my girlfriends handmade ring from her highschool sweetheart be cut off! Thank you Thank you!

Thank you!!! Comments By: Roni on 2009-11-17

A few years and a few too many pounds made getting my wedding set off impossible. Then yesterday I discovered my diamond was missing. Since we had just moved into a home in the middle of remodeling it (ie Quite the mess!), I was barely holding it together as I searched and my husband quickly gave up hope of ever seeing it again. But after a frantic 20 minutes our 18-year-old son spotted it! Yeah! But now I had the empty and extremely sharp setting stuck on my finger. In desperation I found this site. I am still in disbelief that it worked the first time! (Not to mention that we found the diamond!) I am so grateful!
Thank you.

It worked Comments By: mary on 2010-04-13

It worked very well. Make sure you tape al the finger past the ring. I used olive oil in stead of windows cleaner.

Unbeliveable Comments By: Randi on 2010-06-01

Thank you. I was on my way to have cut off. Came off with less than a minute of pain!

Great! Comments By: Scott on 2010-06-25

I didn't have windex spray, but windex wipes worked! My ring was so tight I am amazed I got it off.

Big Tug Comments By: Fat Finger on 2010-08-22

We had tried everything! The string, the ice, soap and hand above head. The combination of the tape with the ice and lots and lots of window cleaner eventually did the trick. Would advise that you have a good distraction while somebody is tugging your finger.

Was about to give up Comments By: Jo on 2010-10-24

I was about to give up and was so scared of going to the jeweler to cut my ring off.I tried for three days to get it off of my very swollen finger.I even wore arthritis gloves over night which usually take the swelling out of my fingers and held my finger in a glass of ice water but neither worked.It kept swelling even more and the ring was cutting into my skin.I came across this tip and tried it.I wrapped a bandage around my finger as tight as I could and held my arm up for ten minutes and then ran cold water on my finger and peeled the bandage off and sprayed the Windex twice and twisted as I pulled with my hand held up and it finally came off.Thank you so much for having this tip here that has helped me and many others and even more to come searching for help. It really works.

OMG!!!! This REALLY does work! Comments By: Cindy on 2010-11-18

I just now about 2 minutes ago tried this and was able to take my ring off. My suggestion, do NOT look at your finger while prying ring off it looks quite grotesc. Thank you so much having this hint on line!

THIS WORKED! Comments By: Laurin on 2011-01-12

I have a large knuckle on my middle finger. I knew I shouldn't have but I forced a ring on it anyway. I tried everything including just windex. Nothing worked. I came accross this idea and it worked! I soaked my finger in cold ice water for 5 min. Then wrapped finger from bottom to top as tight as I could with saran wrap. Then held my hand above my head for 10 min. After that I unwrapped finger and wet it in a bowl of windex. Then proceeded to twist and pull and twist more. Just kept twisting back and forth. After just a few min the ring came off! It hurt but nothing I couldn't handle. Worst part was getting over the widest part of knuckle. Thank you so much for posting this very helpful tip!

Works! Comments By: Ferg on 2011-02-11

The author's method worked after nothing else would. Thanks for the help!

so scared but think it will work Comments By: George m. on 2011-04-05

im only 11 and i fell asleep with my ring i tried butter soap but nada. i found this and i am trying. so far its working u might save my life gracias

Yeeeeoowwww!! Comments By: Lowell on 2011-04-10

Bought my wife a pretty ring, she forgot to take it off for the evening, her finger swelled overnight and the ring was cutting into her finger, she iced it for a while, elevated it and pulled, no luck. An Internet search by me found this site, I tightly wrapped the finger with plastic wrap, and after 20 minutes, windexed the finger and pulled... ring is off! (Darn it, I could have bought a new cutting tool for me)...Thanks!

Thanks! Comments By: Anon on 2011-04-30

I had to take my ring off to play softball. It still fit around my finger fine, but I could't get it over the bubble of fat and the knuckle. I tried tape first, but couldn't get it off quickly so then I used the saran wrap and got the ring about half way off and then used a band aid and it came off with minimal pain. The most painful part was soaking it in the ice water for 5 minute. Thank you so much!

Slipped right off! Comments By: Surgical Tech Chick on 2011-06-01

I had a ring that had to come off because I am returning to work in the OR and cant wear any jewelry. My finger was so swollen it wouldnt budge. I taped my finger with some electrical tape, held my hand up over my head for 15 minutes, sprayed the finger with the tape on with window cleaner (any kind), and sprayed again when the tape was off and with a little budging and prying...it was off. Thank you guys so much for the great advise!

Relief!!! Comments By: B on 2011-08-08

Thank you, thank you...I had bub no 2 6 mths ago and had a lot of swelling in my fingers. I got my wedding ring off in time during pregnancy and 2 mths after the birth thought the swelling had gone so put my ring back on. Bad idea. The pain and redness under ring was unbearable for the past 4 mths & drs couldnt get it off. I was told to have it cut. You are a lifesaver cause your method is the only thing that has worked. Thanks, your a legend.

How to get a ring off Comments By: Jackie Hart on 2011-10-20

All I do is use warm water and soap and it works every time