To take apart or remove a Kohler kitchen faucet, you only need a few simple tools. It's an easy DIY project that you can tackle in less than 10 minutes as long as you don't run into any trouble with "frozen" or rusty bolts. You can take apart a Kohler faucet in three different ways: removing the handle to replace the cartridge, removing the aerator, and removing the faucet altogether.
Turn Off the Water
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First things first: you need to turn the water off when accessing the cartridge or removing the faucet altogether. Hot and cold water shutoff valves should be located under your sink. Turn them both to the right, and then try turning on the faucet to confirm that you've successfully shut off the water. Note that sometimes the water shutoff valves "freeze" from lack of use. In that case, you may need to try to shut off the main water valve.
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Access the Cartridge
Depending on the problem, you may not need to remove your Kohler kitchen faucet. If your Kohler faucet is leaking from the spout or out of the handle, or the handles are too loose or too tight, you can remove the handle to access the cartridge. Replacing this cartridge will fix leaks and mobility issues.
Look or feel behind the handle for a small oval. Slip a flat-head screwdriver under this oval tab to pop it off and reveal the hex nut. Use an Allen wrench to remove that nut and the handle. Next, twist the neck counterclockwise to remove it from the handle. Use an adjustable wrench to remove the kitchen faucet nut holding the cartridge down. Now you'll see the cartridge. It can sometimes be pulled out by hand, otherwise you may need to use needle-nose pliers to firmly pull it up and out.
Remove the Aerator
You don't need to worry about turning the water off if all you need to do is remove the aerator. Your Kohler kitchen faucet may have a spout end that simply screws off by turning it clockwise. If it seems stuck, wrap a towel around the end before using an adjustable wrench to twist it off. Then, just push the aerator out with your thumb.
On your pull-down faucet, the aerator is surrounded by the spray face. Line up an adjustable wrench with the straight lines on the aerator and firmly pull it out.
Remove the Kohler Kitchen Faucet
To remove a Kohler kitchen faucet completely, you'll need to disconnect the supply lines (with the water off, of course). Use an adjustable wrench to unscrew these, and then reach under and behind the sink basins to feel for the screws that hold the faucet to the counter via a large washer. Use a Phillips-head screwdriver to remove these screws. You may need to spray some WD-40 if the screws seem too tight.
Once the screws are removed and the supply lines are disconnected, you can simply pull up on the faucet and pull all components through the holes to complete the faucet removal.