Stiff Clunky grating Faucet Kitchen Mixer Tap? Fix it for free.

Here I show you how to service a kitchen mixer tap.
It does require some tools and some silicone based lubricant.
But other than that it is just a straight forward repair.
Affiliate links:
Buy Food Grade Silicone Lube: amzn.to/2S0vExH
Great Adjustable Wrench amzn.to/2CW9rMV
This is the closest I could find to the adjustable wrench I used: amzn.to/3leP6Xi
Cheap Slip joint (groove/channel lock) Pliers: amzn.to/3NfCifk
Irwin Slip joint (groove/channel lock) Pliers: amzn.to/38qHgqS
Pointy Nose pliers: amzn.to/3wcR6FH
Great Base Tool kit: Yes buy yourself this so you can fix things. having Tools is a great investment: amzn.to/39RIknO
A viewer told me I needed to add a link so people could buy me a Beer or Coffee when they are so helped, especially financially by my videos, so here it is Thanks 😃: www.paypal.me/...
IF you need to replace your cartridge buy here:
Amazon Moen amzn.to/2PLIs9H
Amazon Moen Brass amzn.to/2R60Eei
Amazon Delta amzn.to/2q6y153
Faucet tool / wrench amzn.to/2ysy9Rg
Faucet tool / wrench amzn.to/2CY4Qde
Australia www.fishpond.c...

[@jennylegge238]

jensue Absolutely brilliant. I am female and 79 years of age and while my husband opted out I fixed the clunky tap thanks to you!

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

Soo Good. Well done. Enjoy your smooth tap. MRT

[@twodee5818]

Thanks. With your help I disassembled my mixer tap and having no silicon based lubricant I just cleaned the gunk off the bits and problem solved (for now)!

[@reiko838]

I wanted to extend my thanks to you for this video. We had the exact same problem and we’re on our way out the door to spend $150 on a new faucet that we liked. I asked my husband if he had looked up any videos to see if there might be a fix to the problem. He said no, so we put down our coats and sat and watched your video. All it cost us was a trip to the hardware store to get the silicone lubricant. Thank you so much from the great Pacific Northwest’s state of Washington. 👍🏼😀

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

So glad it helped.

[@jamessmillie7982]

Thanks Mark, I fixed our Oliveri tap today, saved $$$ I’m the new king in our house now! James

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

Nice work!

[@user-mw2te2us1o]

Thank you! My faucet works like a charm now. Could not have done it without this video.

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

Glad it helped!

[@kevintang420]

Still helpful after 5 years, 1 month and 13 days. Many thanks!

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

👍

[@nkm42]

Thank you for this step by step remedy for fixing a squeaky faucet. We followed your directions and used a silicone spray and it solved the problem .

[@h0lyavenger]

Great video totally helped me out today. My faucet tap is stiff and I did what you did here to open everything up. Unfortunately the old cartridge is impossible to open up so I had to use a new one. And doubly unfortunate, the new cartridges they make (Moen) has the little indent where you screw in the screw with the star wrench is now to the side rather than to the front so I am kinda force to just leave the faucet handle facing to the left rather than forward. Everything works, no leaks, turns smooth, it just looks awkward. Wish companies wouldn't change the way their parts work randomly.

[@truthmatters1950]

@3:10 "...proper tool is a decent sized shifter.." otherwise known as a Wagga Wagga micrometer! Thanks Mark - well presented, clearly narrated.Especially liked the way you keep it real and don't edit out the struggle one inevevitably encounters with fiddly bits like the pesky allen screw cover!

[@oliviastine498]

This is a great tutorial, though wish some parts weren’t out of frame (i understand it’s difficult to juggle the phone though)- thank you for posting this. Very helpful

[@brentsoper345]

Great stuff Mark. I fixed our very stiff double tap following your instructions to the letter including purchasing some silicon lubricant and it is now so easy to turn- never been this easy. My wife is delighted! I also enjoyed the Christian music drifting in as background! Brent Soper Timaru NEw Zealand

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

Brent Soper Well done. I’m so glad the video helped. MRT

[@umangu]

Great tutorial! Makes me wonder though for all the effort if it’s worth just replacing the mixer.

[@annemitchell1438]

Fantastic!...I love NOT getting a shot of water all down my front anymore when I use the kitchen tap!...Hubby couldn't see what he was doing...so that's another hat I can add to my list, thanks to your video...😀

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

So Glad it Helped well done. MRT

[@clumzy007]

I did this. The silicon based lube in the UK is called plumbers mate or plumbers grease. Normally £3 - £5.

[@Getalife...]

Plumbers grease its more for metal parts. Its more for metal parts. Get Silicone grese only. And do not put too much on ceramic plates. Just thin thin layer by whipping with finger.

[@slyfox186]

Brilliant tutorial, will get onto doing mine tomorrow. Whatever happened to a simple washer to renew in a tap, r well thats progress.

[@EvanWharton]

You gave me the courage to try and fix my Delta cartridge. Thank you, sir. It worked! Otherwise, manufacturer wants $35 for a new one. God bless you.

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

Evan Wharton So glad it helped. Well done on having a go. MRT

[@vetzkwala]

Great tutorial and well presented. Good for those needing a reference for maintenance work such as this. Nice.

[@jayong2370]

Thanks for your video. You probably saved me a couple of hundred bucks. Went to Bunnings, $18 for a new one and problem solved. 😃

[@johnbarber5589]

i had a stiff grohe cartridge - used graphit spray into top of cartridge next to cartridge handle -after taking off cover no need to take off cartridge or take it out of tap , it improved the movement about 70 percent - now smooth .

[@CatherineClissold-Jones-rf4in]

Thank you for this very informative video. I have just lubricated my bathroom mixer tap after following your example and it’s so much better 😊

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

Glad it was helpful!

[@haveyouturneditoffandonagain]

Thank you mate, super clear video & no nonsense - tap is fixed!

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

Glad it helped

[@dgriffin6074]

I always regard it as a bonus when I do those kinds of repairs and end up with extra parts. The item I am repairing may not work all that well, but I DO have spare parts that I may require at a later time.

[@gumdakji7207]

Thanks very much. Saved calling a plumber

[@timboambo1]

Thanks for all that info mate. My kitchen mixer is a pain - difficult to adjust how much or little water is coming out, so clunky. Re-filling ice cube trays either takes 10min or i get a facefull of water LOL.

[@edwardedward7974]

Hi I solved the problem by releasing the retaining nut just a little bit ,this took the pressure off the bottom seal of the cartridge .Cheers Eddie

[@ZHann-nj6zy]

Excellent for sharing this, cheers!

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

Glad it helped. 👍

[@easonreddy9406]

Awesome guide👌👌👌👌thank you , you save me . Tap is working 100% 🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦

[@benhallifax1987]

Great video, my kitchen mixer tap was starting to stick when you lifted the handle, then tried to turn it from cold to hot. Took it apart, silicon greased and now turns smoothly. Only slight issue is that the hot and cold turn positions are not fully back in the same position as it was before. I can also turn the tap further to the left without lifting the handle and the cold water comes on. I think if I can't get it to re-adjust, I'd better replace the cartridge.

[@NeverMetTheGuy]

Thanks for taking the time to make this. If this works, you'll have saved me twenty bucks; if I go this route and don't say fuggit and just replace the stupid cartridge anyhow, I owe you a beer. Also, to anyone that doesn't know, a torch is Non-American-but-most-other-English-speaking-countries for "a flashlight."

[@tigeogr]

Great video, I had the same problem today and I was ready to change all Kitchen Faucet, but fortunate I found your video and in 10 min I fixed! Thanks again!

[@jeffshu7107]

Very detailed information which is helpful for DIY. Thanks.

[@Aidan.17]

Thanks for the video in my case it wasn't my cartridge but a build up of limescale inside the base of the handle (mine sits low on the tap). Soaked it in vinegar for 20 mins and scrubbed with a toothbrush and all good. Disappointingly it seems my cartridge is non-servicable too as the top was sealed up and doesn't come off like in your video.

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

Glad it helped

[@owenobrien4942]

Thanks Mark, just sorted mine in under 20 mins 👍🏼

[@FarooqKhan-ho4ry]

Hi Mark - thanks for the video and helpful tips - I used it to repair my sink mixer tap and it worked.

[@graysinclair6572]

Thanks much! Big help.

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

Glad it helped!

[@topgunner3025]

Thanks mate your video helped me alot. Its night time so i just used ordinary grease 😅

[@ramise5932]

Excellent instruction! Thanks very much. ❤️🤗

[@guitaralfresco]

Thanks Mark, very detailed instructions and worked a treat for this first timer - cheers

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

Great effort. Well done. 👍

[@AliAli-tp8fh]

Thanks a lot.

[@tonyclayton2184]

Chaaars mate!

[@geehaf]

Great stuff and super helpful. Thanks.

[@farhadulambia848]

Thank you!!!

[@steveperry1344]

my faucet is only one year old and doing this. i'm gonna try silicone spray first and see if that helps if not i'll do what you said, thnx for the help. we don't have the best town water i think, it leaves a lot of residue.

[@davep-newengland1457]

Thanks for the video, but can I share what I did? It was an old Moen kitchen faucet, and the handle was very stiff and sticky. It felt like it was going to break. For the life of me, I could not get the handle to come off at all. Very frustrating. I tried the 7/64 hex wrench and everything. In the end, **after turning off the water to the sink**, all I did was remove the 'Moen' logo cover and blasted a little WD-40 in the hole. Then I aggressively moved the handle around and around and up and down, and it loosed up nicely. Problem solved! Thanks.

[@adriankennedy9999]

Thanks Mark for all your help - most enlightening and helpful. I'll buy some Silicone lube and do the job asab to prevent any wear to the cartridge.

[@SirGe_]

Adrian Kennedy 3

[@dipperq]

Failed at step 1, i broke the cartridge trying to open it.

[@dennisfox2344]

Very informative, just what I needed. Thanks

[@sifedinebillel6245]

Thank you so much for such a great detailed video though, you saved us alot thanks again, bless you🙌🙌🙌

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

So glad it helped. MRT

[@wonderllama4368]

Awesome Mark, I'm going to try this on the weekend! :)

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

That's great Wonder Llama. I hope it goes well for you.

[@David-st8te]

Thanks for this video. Could you tell here can I buy the grease. Greeting from Victoria.

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

Yes. There are links in the description to buy food grade silicone lube.

[@frankshewmake9753]

Fantastic, mate.

[@thegriffinwithin]

Excellent thank you.

[@timbnewman]

Great stuff, thanks!

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

So glad it Helped...

[@edzmuda6870]

I’ve done all this with a similar cartridge and it moved smoothly - better than new when I put it back together but by the following morning, it was binding again. Any idea why this is?

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

could be dirt getting into it, also could be that it is done up to tight. MRT

[@nathanschomber5719]

Great! Thanks. P.S. was that jeezis we heard in the background? 😅

[@arvindtaylor6871]

Thank Q so much . My daughter has same problem. I’ll have look. What size is the Alan key? What is the type number of the cartridge?

[@diahmangoldsmith752]

I appreciate you

[@sjtbone83]

Thank you so much! This was very helpful :)

[@somaaelsapak6361]

Very helpful thank you sir

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

Great.

[@uguryolalan6111]

I chanced new " Mixer Tab" later on , only warm water has come, cold side was without cold water. I don`t know why?

[@mohda6037]

What's the size of Allen key you used? Looked like my Moen has a screw between 2 and 2.5, not sure if a 2.25 exists

[@ms-zo3zb]

Wow perfect ,

[@Carl_Wheezy]

9:34 sick painting m8

[@taxisteve929]

Great video!!! Thanks!!!

[@JoeGunGames]

Undone the bolt with an allen key but it doesn't come off, seems stuck on there. Any advice?

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

Joe Gun Games Yes. Wet it. Spray some water up there or better wd40. Often stuff sets up there and sticks so it needs to be loosened. MRT

[@rinocerota]

😎👍Thank you

[@charmk1570]

Hi Does the Allen key needs to have a hole in it?

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

No

[@charmk1570]

Thank you Paid a plumber I didn’t have enough to open up the bottom part of tap !

[@John-gm8ty]

I think I'm going to have to call mine a loss, it's so old the chrome has worn off in places.. and it's got decades of crud built up all over it eww. but this video is what I needed.. many they need to come up with something better, a tap you need to service other than a washer? ugh!

[@John-gm8ty]

so just did my new kitchen tap and it's a bust, even lubed up and cleaned, it' still tight and icky.. grrr, time to roll over and buy a new cartridge me thinks.

[@huangyade]

Any idea what side the Allen key is ? I've tried all I got and couldn't insert to the hole on faucet handle

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

There is no standard size. You will have to discover yours

[@markgoscinski3509]

brilliant ,followed the video and all working smooth and like new again :-)

[@davidbradley6165]

LOL MOEN REPLACES THOSE CARTRIDGES FOR FREE, THE MODEL NO. IS USUALLY STAMPED ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE FAUCET HANDLE BUT THESE ARE VERY COMMON ALSO, WHEN DOING THIS, AFTER SHUTTING THE MAIN OFF, OPEN ANOTHER FAUCET SO AS TO LET THE WATER DRAIN AWAY FROM THE LOCATION YOU ARE WORKING ON. I ALSO WOULD HAVE CLEANED OFF THE BOTTOM OF THE SURFACE THAT THE CARTRIDGE FITS DOWN ONTO BUT GOOD JOB REGARDLESS!!

[@ms-zo3zb]

Would the line not mix with water

[@mets23q]

What size Allen key did you use?

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

They are not all the same size Allen key

[@Tyler-sq4lt]

I broke the tab on the cartridge while taking it apart 😥

[@henryn3850]

I haven't done this yet since the lub might get into the water.

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

Have a look at the links in the description, it links you to food grade lube. So no problem.

[@fightthedevil5815]

What tipe of grease did you use please.

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

Hi There, not grease but silicone lubricant. Hardware store or Swimming Pool supply store will have it.

[@sevh646]

HI Mark! Great video! This might sound silly but would the lubricant risk of getting into the water that is used for let's say cooking or drinking?

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

Sevag K Hi there. We put the lubricant on the touching or moving faces of the cartridge the water runs through little pipes in the cartridge. We don’t put lubricant in there. Yes some will get into the water flo that is why you run it for a little bit when you are done. After that it is minimal. If you have ever installed a new tap or cartridge they also have lube on them. Mark’s reviews and tutorials

[@sevh646]

HI Mark and thank you for the reply! Because of you I was able to replace the old cartridge with a new one and it works very well. Unfortunately the guys from the store had no clue which lubricant to provide for any future issues, hence would you have the chemical name or more detailed name of the lubricant so that I know exactly what to check? Would grease for reinforcements work? (not sure if this is the right translation :p ) BIG THANK YOU!

[@fightthedevil5815]

Mark's reviews and tutorials Thank you mark .

[@bingefeller]

what's the idea of the temperature cover thing?

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

The little cover over the access screw has a blue and red 1/2. It shows you which direction to turn the tap to get hot or cold water. Red for Hot and Blue for Cold

[@bingefeller]

Ahh thank you :)

[@bingefeller]

thank you :)

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

sus4b9 👍

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

sus4b9 👍

[@bobparker4416]

Aha - thanks for the "tutorial!"

[@katherinemacdonald9909]

Can’t see what your doing I’m afraid your looking at it n not showing us.

[@singsings464]

Can I use WD40 as a lubricant?

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

Sing Sings while I love wd40. See my fixing locks 🔒 videos You need something more substantial here that will hang around. Also we would taste pretty bad. 😜

[@DrowningInTea]

WD40 is not a lubricant.....

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

Alice Cheung Hi there. WD40 is a lubricant. On the label No1 of its five basic functions is Lubricates. It is an oil so it does lubricate. It is just very very fine. This makes it awesome to free up and unstick things but not a grease that will hang around. MRT

[@DrowningInTea]

@@Marksreviewsandtutorials I feel bad for arguing this with you, but WD40 is a penetrating oil and solvent, not lubricant. Mistaking it as a lubricant and using it on hinges and locks will attract dirt and make it even worse than before... You don't know how many bicycles chains and hinges I've seen ruined because the person thought WD40 is a lubricant.

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

I don’t mind the discussion. 😃 The No1 function of wd40 as per the label is LUBRICATES. Prevents dirt from sticking to tools. So the argument will have to be taken up with them.

[@CT2507]

I cannot tighten the big top-screw back on like you do with the wrench at 10:45! It gets as tight as i can get it and stil water is gushing out now! Obviously i got the model that was made in China! I guess i need a proper key to tighten it cause the wrench cant get a good hold. I only had my faucet like 3 months so its practically new. Fucking cheap shit. Cant use the kitchen sink now. Im so angry right now. The edges of the big screw are conical and the corners are rounded!!! So my wrench keeps slipping. Who the fuck makes conical and rounded edges where your wrench is supposed to catch it?!?

[@Jonathan2x6]

Behind every tap fixer is a nut. Find your inner nut.

[@biketheplanet1]

It's easy when it's not corroded on solid. Anyone can do it. I've had to drill out the grub screw and now, despite getting through a can of WD40 still cant get the handle off. What the @@!!## do I do now????? Please, show us how to do the difficult jobs - not the easy ones!!!

[@Marksreviewsandtutorials]

Sounds like you might need a new tap Tony B