Are you having issues with your kitchen faucet? Perhaps you need to remove a faulty filter within your faucet, or you just simply want to remove the handle so you can clean the inside of your faucet.
Nowadays, most kitchen faucets have no visible screws, which can make it trickier when attempting to remove the handle.
To fix any problem you’re having with your kitchen faucet, you’ll need to remove the handle.
Taking off a faucet handle without a screw can be a daunting task, especially if you’ve never done it before.
But this doesn’t need to be a job for your plumber, with some simple instructions and a few tools you should have laying around, even someone with no experience with faucets can remove a handle with no visible screws with ease.
How Do You Unscrew A Faucet Handle?
It’s worth mentioning that not all faucet handles will remove the same way, whilst we’ve outlined a simple and effective method, this may not work for every faucet.
You’ll need a few common tools for this method.
- A pair of pliers
- A flat-head screwdriver
- An allen wrench
- A standard cloth
- An adjustable wrench
- A handle puller set
- Distilled white vinegar
Once you have all these tools, you should follow these directions to successfully remove the faucet handle.
Make Sure The Water Is Turned Off
Regardless of the problem you are having with the faucet, the first thing you should do is to turn the water off.
This can be done by turning off the two shutoff valves found underneath your sink. If you don’t want to do that, then you can always shut off the main water supply to your home.
To close the shutoff valves you turn the handles clockwise until they cannot turn any further.
After you have done this, you can test to see if the water is shut off by turning the faucet handles and seeing if any water flows.
In doing this, you allow any remaining water in the faucet to be drained and this releases any pressure trapped in the line.
If water is still dripping from the faucet after closing the valves, then they could either be worn out or faulty.
In this case you’ll want to consider replacing your shutoff valves whilst you’re replacing your faucet.
Remove The Button or Cap On The Top Of Your Faucet
Most faucets aren’t really screwless, most have a button or decorative cap hiding the screws but some faucets don’t come with buttons or caps. If your faucet has a button or a cap then this step is essential.
Use a flat head screwdriver to try to pry it off, try to work it around the button or cap and slowly lift as you go, make sure you are being cautious as they are typically easy to break.
You may have to do some inspecting to find the button or cap, it is usually found on top of the faucet handle, but sometimes it can be located on the side.
After doing this you should see an invisible set screw underneath.
Remove The Hidden Screw
Make sure the drain is covered before you remove the set screw, it’s super easy to lose a small screw down the drain and even harder trying to get it back out and if you lose the screw you won’t be able to tighten your kitchen faucet.
By using the allen wrench or spanner, remove the screw.
Remove The Faucet Handle
Once the screw has been removed you can gently lift the handle of the faucet up to remove it.
You may need a faucet handle puller if you have one lying around or a pair of pliers will do.
Pliers may scratch and damage your faucets finish, so make sure to use an old cloth between the pliers to avoid scratching your faucet.
Rinse Off Any Mineral Deposits
After removing the handle you may spot mineral deposits. You should use some distilled white vinegar to remove this, as it will make removal in the future easier and protect your faucet from any leaks or damage.
Whilst doing this you should inspect your faucet for any faults, if the faucet cartridge is broken then you will need to replace it.
Replacing a faucet cartridge may sound difficult, but it is quite straightforward and cartridges can be found at most local plumbing stores, hardware stores and home centers.
If you are replacing your cartridge, then keep in mind that most faucets are different which will mean you’ll have different parts to your faucet, so take the faulty piece along with you to ensure you get a perfect match.
The process of replacing the faucet cartridge includes:
- Removing the retaining nut
- Removing the retaining clip
- Removing the O-ring
- Removing the cartridge
Once you have replaced the cartridge (if necessary), cleaned any mineral deposits and fixed any other issues with your faucet, you’ll need to do this whole procedure in reverse to ensure everything is reassembled.
Final Thoughts
Now you know how to remove a faucet handle with no screws.
If you were a novice to this, hopefully now it doesn’t seem too daunting, and with the newfound knowledge you have, you should be able to DIY many plumbing related problems you may have without having to enlist the help of a plumber.
