How to Replace a Bathroom Faucet Washer

A small drip can turn to a constant river if you don't change the washer in time

If you notice that your bathroom faucet has a leak, the noise from the drip becomes louder every night until it resembles water torture. The leak from a bathroom faucet, if not repaired immediately, changes from a simple task you fix for about a quarter to replacing the faucet. That's because the longer the leak exists, the more it wears away the faucet stem and set, the parts that control the water flow. All you need to do is replace the bathroom faucet washer to fix a small leak before it gets out of hand.

Things You'll Need

• Narrow screwdriver or utility knife
• Phillips screwdriver
• Handle puller (optional)
• Adjustable wrench
• WD-40 (optional)
• Washer
• Heat resistant faucet grease

Instructions

1. Shut off the water supply before you replace the bathroom faucet washer. There's normally a shut off valve under the sink. If you don't have one, you'll have to shut the water off at the main source.

2. Remove the cap from the center of the faucet handle. These are often plastic and sometimes have a "C" for cold or "H" for hot on them. You'll need a very narrow flathead screwdriver or tip of a utility knife for this. Normally, the cap has a small slot where you insert the screwdriver to pop off the plastic center.

3. Insert a screwdriver into the head of the screw in the center of the handle. Normally these are Phillips screws. Remove the screw and pull off the handle. If you find it difficult, there are handle pullers to help you pry it off the stem if there's too much corrosion keeping it from releasing. These are relatively inexpensive. Be careful not to break the handle, since it's almost impossible to find an exact match.

4. Loosen the bonnet nut with an adjustable wrench. These nuts hold the stem into place. If you find the stem binding, turn it as far as you can counterclockwise. Loosen the nut, if necessary with a spray of WD-40. Let it work for about 10 minutes and try again if you have difficulty.

5. Lift the stem out of the holder. On the bottom, you'll notice a seat washer held on with a screw. Use a screwdriver to remove the screw and take off the washer. If you don't have a replacement, take it to the home improvement store to find the right size. Often there's deep groove in the rubber of the washer indicating wear.

6. Put the washer onto the screw and tighten down the screw to the bottom of the stem. Use some heatproof faucet grease on top of the washer and stem threads to provide extra protection. Then, you simply need to replace the stem and tighten the bonnet back down. Once it is in place, put on the handle, secure it with the screw and snap the plastic center cap back in place. Turn on the water to test for leaks.