Towel Bars: How To Tighten Or Remove

A demonstration of how to tighten up loose towel bars or to remove them for painting or other needs. Even that tricky towel bar with no set screws is covered!
How do you get that stupid towel bar off?? The answer is here!
Be sure and catch my related video about drywall anchors too:
• All About Drywall Anchors

[@moistman5074]

8 years later and this video just helped me. THANK YOU

[@alicelocicero7425]

Ten years after you posted this--I was waiting for the Handyman to have time to come when I thought maybe I could find instructions online. Voila! Saved some $. Many thanks.

[@enduringcharm]

Timing is everything in life!

[@sophia_429]

Thank you! You were a life saver with the turning style. I had no idea how to remover ours because it was this style!

[@karenaranas9255]

Thank you sir. I just put our toilet paper holder back by tightening the tiny "set screw" on the bottom. The anchors were still secure in the wall. I couldn't bend down enough to see the screw while tightening, so I took a tiny screw driver, fit it into the groove, and kept it there while replacing the holder onto the anchors. Then I tightened the set screw. It took me a couple of tries, but voila, it worked...I was so proud of myself and appreciative of your instruction. It was the only youtube video I found that explained it. all secure now..

[@AdamSmith-fe9jf]

Thanks! Very helpful! Not to mention the narration by Jonah Hill was a nice touch!

[@nettboy]

Well done, short and concise and very accurate and no life story like a lot of other KZbin videos

[@dastardlydianne5657]

A very clear and concise explanation of how these tricky little bars work. I'm glad you made the point about the fixture to the wall coming loose and how that may create the whole problem. Thanks.

[@nealixd.3011]

I watched about 4 or so videos a bit before yours. You are GREAT. You don't assume folks know more than they do, and you have a great teaching style where you always mention the basics, and truly cover everything that is needed to be known, while doing a great job of show and tell. Kudos. I subscribed.

[@enduringcharm]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@chrissy212e]

@@enduringcharm Hi is it possible to buy the set screws if you damage one? I have one damaged screw with a flat head and you need a mini screwdriver to attach it. It's a new rail but someone tightened it to much ( most probably a return item) so I struggled to loosen it and tighten it to use it. As their very tiny they damage real easily.

[@enduringcharm]

@chrissy 212e It is indeed possible to buy a replacement set screw, although you'll need to know the size of the old one or be able to compare it. It could be metric (most likely) or it could be SAE sizing. The head style doesn't really matter, so if you find one with an allen head instead of a flathead screw that's fine. Both Home Depot and Lowes have a small selection in a drawer, typically. Harbor Freight will sell you a small assorted box of set screws, and Amazon has assortment boxes too.

[@brinabrina77]

Thank. You. Sir!!! I just got finished cussing out two toilet paper holders and wanted to rip them out the wall. I just bought a house and most of these are loose. This includes the wall mounted toilet paper holders (that are a single arm that you slide the roll on) that had loosened and caused the roll to slide to the floor. Thank you also for not adding annoying music to your video and getting straight to the point. Thank you again.

[@enduringcharm]

Good luck on your new home!

[@katiec6191]

Thank you very much for posting this. My loose towel bar is now secured. Very helpful!

[@adshwartz]

Some of the cheap ones are not metal but plastic of some kind, painted to look like metal. If you use a plier you can scratch it or break it. Great video! Love your videos and learned a lot from you. Thanks.

[@kentatm2663]

Thank you so much! Can't believe I didn't think to look on the bottom for a set screw. Saved me from wasting money on a repair guy

[@pgow417]

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. I have the last towel bar in your video, the one with no screws showing, and have spent days trying to work out how to remove it. I am very happy that I now know how to remove it without resorting to a hacksaw blade!!

[@franciemr]

Hooray!! My towel rack came loose - fortunately not from the wall. Mine is like the last style. I was able to put it back together. Success feels sweet and saved about $75 since did not need a handyman!!

[@Keplaffintech]

Thank you. "set screw" was all I needed to hear. I was about to rip my tiles off.

[@casiopea1953]

Very Helpful with very deep understandable explanation, so easy, for me it was hard to find the Tiny Hexagonal Allen, but I did it💪🙏👌👍 Thank you for your help and support 🤗🙏

[@sledge6693]

Thanks for this, over time my towel rack had started to lower & this fixed it right up. You're an absolute legend!. Can't believe what's on KZbin :)

[@nealixd.3011]

Good word, I subscribed. He seems to be a wise, caring, and very experienced craftsman, willing to share his extensive knowledge, no doubt. I think his moniker of enduring charm is a good indicator of his SOP.

[@Coolchick207]

Thanks so much, bud! Made my day far less frustrating.

[@Tolulope.Fikemi]

The names of those tools were really helpful. Thanks for this video

[@DennisCLatham]

THANKS for this AWESOME TUTORIAL ON VIDEO that has TRULY ENLIGHTENED me on these towel racks... I usually find the STUDS and all... but I ran across many where the original installer didn't bother to find the stud... so I had to do DRYWALL SMOOTHING and then INSTALL IT PROPERLY - however... I ran across the ORIGINAL ONE with THE TURNING ANCHOR as you showed at the end.... of the bar..... so hopefully ? I'll be able to help out the people at a house just THIS AFTERNOON - with the same style towel rack... THANKS A BUNCH …. you have A NEW SUBSCRIBER as well.

[@Sakoz87]

perfect explanation of what I needed! thank you so much!!!!

[@uilanibirch5069]

Thank you! Great video, well done and very helpful!

[@triciakummer5164]

Very helpful! We have the Allen Roth and needed to get it off. Builder installed it, Thank you!

[@caligirl1028]

Dude!!! OMG thanks you so much!!! Now I can stop obsessing over the loose hand towel rack that was about to send me.

[@enduringcharm]

Glad your mental health is intact!

[@nicolelebron3471]

9yrs later and this is exactly what I needed. Ty

[@jordana6324]

Great, easy to follow directions!

[@alissacheck4194]

A renters hero, thank you.

[@Anthonyk747]

Exactly what I was looking for! Thanks!

[@skyrimnerdofficial]

This was very helpful!

[@solomon.powell]

Wow-- thanks SO much!! frustration at 5:30am averted!! SO appreciate this!!

[@susanfarina454]

Great instructions! Thank you!

[@seberila]

Worked like a charm, thanks

[@catpawson2124]

I can't thank you enough for this video!

[@kelkabot]

Thanks, very helpful and clear.

[@eriswesley]

This helped so much, thanks!!

[@weeccf]

Great info. Very helpful

[@takebyforce2]

Very helpful. Thanks!

[@gnlmaster]

Allen wrench! That's what I needed to fix mine. Thanks.

[@avoiceinthechoir5791]

Excellent video.

[@lablvr6000]

Great video , thank you

[@1972jmp]

OMG! Thanks!!!! I couldn't figure out why mine was loose! I thought it was the piece that's screwed into the wall! BUT NO!!!! It was that I just had to screw the bar around to tighten it! Just like he loosened it at 4 minutes and 20 seconds!! Thought was loosing my mind.

[@20Leopard]

Awesome, love that thing gone, thanks!

[@leomartinez8161]

Thank you so much!👍😀

[@familygrown]

Thanks for sharing!

[@hollydenman2929]

No set screws on mine..and they all fell off in both bathrooms within a day or two of each other! I'm thinking of replacing them with something I understand because I'm not sure I have the second kind either. Thank you from Oregon!

[@fentongal]

THANK YOU!

[@jyothikumar6931]

Thank you very much

[@truthseeker1954]

Thank you!

[@MKokorevaforFriends]

@enduringcharm Thanks to the author, a lot of useful, detailed information. a pleasure to watch. Yet I didn't find my towel holder among the ones you are describing. I am sure you follow the market and will be able to help. Mine doesn't have either visible screw or bar handles that I could turn to remove the bar. The handles are molded "one piece". On handle bottom in the middle there is a depression with a stud or nothing at all. Not a screw definitely. Thank you. I am sure there is something I am missing here.

[@enduringcharm]

Your question is the type which makes me wish for the ability to include pictures in youtube comments! I'm not certain I follow your description. In all cases these towel bar mounts start with some bracket which is attached to the wall, and then the post is attached to the bracket. The majority of mounts use set screws of one sort or another. A less common style is the twist mount I showed in the video. A third style, which I have never actually seen in person, has a spring loaded clip for the post. To remove that style you would put some pressure on the post toward the wall, and then push the base of the post upward to compress the spring clip and unhook the post at the top. If you don't see any set screw or any hole for a release, then you probably have either the twist off type or the spring clip type.

[@IC--mr8gi]

Thank you!!!

[@blktuscangirl6863]

Thank you

[@narelleparker2142]

thank you!! rescued me from a lot of frustration and swearing. (that stupid little underneath screw!)

[@hollyhamilton1297]

It's crazy how hard that set screw is to put back in

[@krn14242]

I have seen ceramic square shaped ones before also with a plastic square rod. You have to gently bend the plastic bar to get it out.

[@lyndseyhendrix570]

thank you!! my bar came out and mine was twist!

[@jimgaudet7442]

What size is the Moen set screw used in their towel bars? I have to replace one and don't know what to ask for. I purchased an #8-32, but it is a too coarse thread. Help?

[@187JerseyBoy]

Jim Gaudet I have the same question Jim. Did you ever get an answer?

[@Noahsoak]

Lol, I just located my set screw! No wonder it was stuck fast! ;)

[@earthling_za]

Thanks!

[@Alina-im4ts]

Kept knocking down bfs towel bar ... this time I decided to fix it myself and turns out it was upside down it’s great now tysm for this !

[@enduringcharm]

I have seen that once or twice before. Glad you got it fixed.

[@christiansison4349]

I have a question i have a towel rack with a metal piece with two 4 prong screws. Here the thing on the left of the piece there is a good about half the size of the 2 screws on the metal piece. I don't know what that is. If it is a smaller screw it what. Please i need some help.

[@enduringcharm]

I'm not really following your description. Can you describe it a different way?

[@robertoterriquez2132]

I have a towel ring that has some sort of tab or something instead of a screw. It does not have the typical allen or flat screw. Would you happen to know how to remove these kind?

[@enduringcharm]

I need a little more description I guess. Or, you can email me a picture through the address on my website.

[@denisemiller8474]

I have a double hook has no screws and difficult to figure out to remove

[@pineapplegamer6986]

Thanks

[@mrTrekirk65]

thanks

[@MrSevillano60]

thank u

[@alinamoran8583]

Our towel bar has a little square hole underneath. I wonder what tool to use to take the towel bar off.

[@enduringcharm]

Get your flashlight out! There is probably a set screw inside the hole, typically you'll need either an allen wrench or a small flat screwdriver.

[@skaizun]

After loosening set screws, I always put a piece of masking or similar tape over it to prevent it from coming out and disappearing!

[@enduringcharm]

They do have a way of disappearing. A while back I bought an assortment box of set screws and I haven't lost one since!

[@stephienotcurry]

mine doesn't have a screw but it has a little hole. the hole is round not hexagon shaped for an Allen wrench. any ideas? it's a TINY hole

[@enduringcharm]

It's highly likely that the hole in the escutcheon has a set screw buried deep inside. You may need a flashlight to see. The set screw heads are most often allen style, but I have come across a slotted head style as well. The vast majority of these towel bars and the like are installed with a set screw.

[@katherinelindsey9529]

I unscrewed the decorative caps at both ends of my towel bar, thinking that was how to remove the rack. Now I can't get the decorative caps screwed back on. I can't get the caps to catch the threads on the screw shank inside the towel bar. How can I fix this? Please help.

[@enduringcharm]

That's pretty tough to help with over the interweb. Are you certain you are turning the right way? Sometimes threads are reversed.

[@StacyMKrueger]

I am having the same issue right now, did you find a solution?

[@amyfernandez8017]

The bar on my twisting style rack won't pop out. Is there a trick to it? Or am i just not strong enough 😣

[@enduringcharm]

Sometimes it does take some wrestling. If you are trying to save the rack, you can try using adjustable pliers for leverage and covering the stanchions with a rag or rubber can opener. If you are just trying to get rid of the rack, you can hacksaw through the bar and remove it that way.

[@kenatarrell2224]

I need help removing rod that has a very small square ending at the bottom

[@enduringcharm]

I'd really have to see some pictures. You can contact me at my business email, if you like, and I'll see what I can do.

[@BosticReiva]

Sweet

[@gailkerzner5516]

Thanks you just saved me from buying a new rack!

[@stacysaenz7224]

any tips to help out when the set screw isnt catching?

[@enduringcharm]

When you say it isn't "catching" do you mean that the screw itself isn't threading at all, or do you mean that you can tighten it all the way down and yet the stanchion or stand-off just falls off the wall? One common problem is that the bracket underneath the stanchion that screws to the wall has a direction. Install it upside down and the set screw will have nothing to push against. Check to see if your model is this way--usually it is even labeled "up" on the bracket. If, instead, your problem is that the set screw is not threading properly you'll need to take a look at the threads up close. Believe me, I've seen where manufacturer's fail to cut the threads at all! Remove the set screw from the stanchion completely and look closely with a flashlight to see that the threads are clean and not cross-threaded. If they are good, then carefully install the set screw and make sure it screws in and bottoms out properly before trying it on the wall. Look at both sides to see that they match. If the threads are buggered up you'll probably have to return the item for a new one. A third possibility is that you are using the wrong size allen key. Sometimes if you use a size too small, it will turn the set screw up to a point and then stop because the friction overcomes the key, which then slips. Take a hard look at the allen key size to make sure you have the right one and that it is fitting properly in the recess.

[@stacysaenz7224]

thanks! it worked just fine upside down

[@tonymarinelli7304]

Other than hex or allen heads, are set screws standard in size?

[@enduringcharm]

Tony Marinelli No, they are all small and I'm sure many are a similar size screw but there is no standard. It could be American or Metric sized and it could be different size machine threads within those standards depending on the brand.

[@tonymarinelli7304]

enduringcharm Thanks you, the search is on. I can't even tell what brand they used in my home.

[@greenh7181]

What size Allen wrench?

[@enduringcharm]

There is no standard. Depending on your manufacturer it could be SAE (English) or metric and it could be various sizes within those systems. You need to have a full set of wrenches and find the one which fits.

[@brianschutzberger7689]

What size is the allen wrench?

[@enduringcharm]

Every manufacturer is different. Could be metric or English too! All you can do is get a set of keys and try each one.

[@hollyhamilton1297]

This is exactly what I wanted to see. I might need to fill the hole where the bracket is, or might be able to get away with a bigger, stronger toggle . Could I send you a pic somehow to get your opinion?

[@enduringcharm]

There's no way to share pictures, but if your problem is that the anchors have loosened up in the wall, you may be able to install a larger one or different type. See my video about wall anchors!

[@hollyhamilton1297]

enduringcharm Thank you very much. Thank you for the concise, well-filmed educational videos.

[@denisemiller8474]

Oh thanks o finished watching lol

[@alpappalardi7044]

In my new home I have the one at 4.40. But after I removed the bar. The spindle just turns with no Torque to remove it. I’m ready to get a sledge hammer 😂

[@enduringcharm]

Is it spinning in the wall? They may be installed with butterfly anchors, in which case you'll want to pull outward from the wall as you unscrew in order to keep the butterfly nut seated.

[@alpappalardi7044]

@@enduringcharm no the handle ( the 2 pieces that held the bar) just turns . I can’t get that piece out to use the screwdriver. Frustrating items. Thank you for responding .

[@AlmostReady504]

Naturally there's no stud on mine. I'm assuming I have to use some sort of Molly?

[@enduringcharm]

Let's leave Molly out of this. She's a good girl and she's done nothing wrong. You have a number of choices for anchors in drywall, if that's what is on your wall. See my two videos here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gojLnKWOqdWajtk and also here kzbin.info/www/bejne/pHLSd4tnp9FomJo

[@jjmomillos2759]

My towel bar didn’t get loose, I been trying for hours now and it doesn’t seem to work

[@enduringcharm]

Have you found the set screws, or is it the type with opposing twist action?

[@Pigeonee]

There’s no set screw on mine 😫 idk how to take it out

[@enduringcharm]

Did you see the twist style in the video?

[@afrabright4929]

The second one is easier to me

[@mewimi]

I thought I had a kzbin.info/www/bejne/a5aUdql6gpmKbq8m and the towel bar would not just come off, even after turning. But I got so frustrated I hit it up and it came off. It had no securing screws at the bottom... it just sat on the top of it. The issue was I think the drywall indented around it so it wasn't coming off easily when lifting up. Nice helpful video though :3

[@conordonachie8742]

You kinda sound like Jonah Hill

[@ameyjain3462]

My towel bar has no screws it just sits on the anchor but its loose

[@enduringcharm]

If there are no set screws it must be the twist on type as shown in the video. Did you see that part?

[@ameyjain3462]

My The wall brackets have 2 lips which go inside two holes. Thats how its hung but its so loose. The lip faces upwards so everytime you put a slight force upwards the ends come off

[@enduringcharm]

I'm trying to picture what you are describing and I wonder if you are just missing your set screws? The most common type of bracket is a square or rectangle of metal with the top and bottom ends angled outward. The towel bar is hung on the top angle and the set screw secures against the bottom angle. Take a look at your towel bar and see if there is a small hole or cutout at the bottom where a set screw should be. If yours are missing you can purchase replacements.

[@ameyjain3462]

I keep trying to paste a link with the picture but youtube won’t post the comment

[@enduringcharm]

Yeah, youtube doesn't allow images in comments, unfortunately. You can reach out to me via my website enduringcharm.com if you like.

[@carsongruber4858]

Thanks, just had to completely replace my rack because the builders just put in drywall and no stud so overtime the weight of my towels ripped it out the drywall and damaged the wall 🥲

[@enduringcharm]

Yeah, it's not uncommon for a towel bar to be mounted where there is no stud, actually. This older video of mine explains some options for drywall anchors: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gojLnKWOqdWajtk

[@carsongruber4858]

@@enduringcharm the drywall anchors used can’t hold up how much I used the towel rack so I had to put them in studs. Appreciate the tip though!😁

[@enduringcharm]

That was my point--there are anchors which will hold the weight, but choosing the right type is important.

[@brunerrob]

Thanks!!

[@CortneyWarren2050]

What size Allen wrench?

[@enduringcharm]

There's no standard, I'm afraid, and it could be either Metric or SAE. All you can do is keep trying until one fits. The good news is that you can buy both a metric and SAE allen wrench set for peanuts.

[@CortneyWarren2050]

@@enduringcharm Thank you 🏆