You only notice the plumbing when it lets you down: a tap drips all night, the shower barely trickles, the aerator is furred up with limescale. With the hard water found in many towns, these small problems come round regularly.
Most of them can be fixed yourself in half an hour with a spanner, a screwdriver, vinegar and a couple of WD-40 products, without waiting for a plumber. Here are the most common situations and what to do.
What you will need
- WD-40 Specialist Silicone for seals and O-rings
- WD-40 Specialist Penetrant for seized aerators and nuts
- An adjustable spanner, a screwdriver, an Allen key
- New washers and O-rings to fit your mixer tap
- White vinegar, an old toothbrush
- A plastic bag and a rubber band
Important: Before dismantling a tap, turn off the water at the isolation valves under the sink or at the mains, then open the tap to drain what is left. After treating any parts that touch drinking water, rinse them thoroughly under running water.
Step 1
Stop a dripping tap
Turn off the water and open the tap. Remove the decorative cap on the handle, undo the fixing screw with an Allen key or screwdriver and lift off the handle. If the screw is seized, apply a drop of WD-40 Specialist Penetrant and wait a few minutes.
Under the handle is the cartridge or valve that controls the flow. Inspect the washers and O-rings: replace any worn, cracked or flattened ones with identical parts, taking the old one to the shop as a sample. Before reassembly, coat the new rings with WD-40 Specialist Silicone: it is safe on rubber, helps the parts seat and extends the life of the seals.
Step 2
Find the cause of low pressure
Check every tap in the house, hot and cold. If the pressure is low everywhere, the cause is in the supply or the inlet filter, so contact your water company or a plumber. If only one tap or the shower is weak, the aerator or shower head is most likely blocked.
Step 3
Clean the aerator
The aerator screws onto the end of the spout and usually comes off by hand. If it is old and stuck, spray it with WD-40 Specialist Penetrant, wait a few minutes and unscrew it, wrapping it in a cloth so the pliers do not scratch the chrome.
Soak the screens in vinegar for an hour to dissolve the limescale and scrub them with a toothbrush. Refit the aerator and run the water for a few minutes to flush away any residue.
Step 4
Restore the shower pressure
Pour diluted vinegar into a bag, slip it over the shower head so it is fully submerged and secure it with a rubber band. Leave for one to two hours, then run the water hard.
If the head is badly blocked, unscrew it, take it apart, soak the parts in vinegar and scrub them with a brush. Before reassembly, lightly coat the rubber rings and thread with silicone so the head unscrews easily next time.
Step 5
Check the connections under the sink
Inspect the hose nuts and connections under the sink for drips and rust. Tighten a leaking nut by a quarter turn without overtightening. Spray metal nuts and clips, which rust over time in a damp cupboard, with WD-40 Multi-Use: it displaces moisture and protects against corrosion.
Tip: If you have hard water, clean aerators and the shower head as routine every 2-3 months. The deposits will not have time to harden, and the parts will come off by hand.
What next
Inspect mixer taps, hoses and traps under the sinks every six months. If a tap still drips after new washers, the cartridge itself is probably worn and should be replaced. See our separate guide on freeing a blocked sink trap.
These uses come from the experience of WD-40 users in many countries. Always follow the instructions and warnings on the product label.
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