How to Remove Faucet Aerator That Is Stuck? – Tips and Tricks

The aerator is one of the integral parts of faucets. It maintains the flow and controls the stream. And to make sure it works optimally, you need to clean it from time to time. But what if you can’t get it out? How to remove faucet aerator that is stuck?

Faucet aerators tend to get stuck due to excessive mineral buildup. So, one of the easiest ways to make it unstuck would be to dissolve the build using vinegar. If that does not seem viable, use pliers or heat to forcefully remove it.

Now the real question is, how do you unlock a faucet aerator that’s stuck? You will find an in-depth guide below that will walk you through everything with straightforward steps.

Determining the Type of Faucet Aerator

So before you get into the process of making loosening up the aerator, you should determine the type of faucet aerator. At the core, there are mainly two types –

Normal Threaded

As the name suggests, these aerators will come with threads. And they need to be screwed into place. These are mainly the types of aerators that are prone to getting stuck.

Recessed Aerator

The recessed aerators are a little different. You will need a special tool to remove it. Wondering what tool it is? It goes by “Cached Aerator Wrench” or “Cache Key.” Although, it is possible to remove the recessed faucet aerator without that tool.

Nonetheless, the main point is that if you have a recessed aerator, you might think it is stuck when it is not. So, check whether you are working with a regular or recessed aerator before getting to a conclusion.

How to Remove a Stuck Faucet Aerator?

You might already know how much water a faucet aerator saves, so it is crucial to keep it functioning normally. So, when it is stuck and you can not remove it for cleaning, you need to take proper steps as soon as possible.

That said, you should follow a systematic approach to get the faucet aerator unstuck. Let’s walk you through the process:

1. Turn the water flow off and plug the sink

Before doing anything to the aerator, turn the shut-off valve off. This safety step will ensure you do not accidentally get the water flowing through the faucet while attempting to work with it.

In addition to that, you should plug the sink. It is another safety step to ensure you do not lose parts while working with the faucet. With these two taken care of, move to the next steps.

2. Try these methods

With the faucet turned off and the sink plugged in, you have to try out a couple of methods to get the aerator out. Here’s a brief explanation of them –

Try to remove it by hand

Do not just opt for the brute force method right away! Instead, you should first try to unscrew the aerator with your hand.

Wear some rubber gloves to get a good grip on the aerator. Remember, you will need to turn it counterclockwise to unscrew it. If you have been rotating it clockwise, you were tightening it.

Soak the aerator in vinegar

Is the aerator still stuck? You will need to get the sediments and minerals loose. Generally, to clear out these buildups, you would need to take the aerator off and soak them in vinegar.

But as that is impossible, you must get a balloon. Put as much vinegar as possible and tie it into the spout. Ensure the vinegar reaches the aerator and leave it like that.

After a few hours, remove the vinegar-filled balloon from the spout and try to unscrew the aerator. The buildups should loosen up, and you should be able to get the aerator out.

Use a pair of pliers to remove it

No luck with the vinegar-filled method? It would be time to use a little bit of brute force. First, wrap the aerator with painter’s tape to protect it from discoloring and damage. Alternatively, you can cover the spout with a rag or towel.

Then, grab yourself a pair of pliers and make the jaws grasp the aerator. Finally, try to rotate the counterclockwise. It should come out as you have cleared out the buildups in the previous step.

Use heat to make the metal expand

This step will only be applicable if you have a metal faucet aerator. If you have a plastic screw-on aerator, you just melt it with heat. And that will be more troublesome to handle.

Nonetheless, once you have confirmed that the aerator is metal, get a hairdryer and set it to level 1 or “gentle” mode. Turn it on and then hold it near the aerator. A few minutes should get the metal to expand, eventually loosening it from the threads.

When it becomes loose, you can grab it with a pair of pliers or your hands and turn it counterclockwise. If you are holding it with your hands, you should wear safety gloves as the metal will be pretty hot.

Use penetrating Oil

Does the faucet aerator still seem stuck? Your last resort would be using some penetrating oil. For example, WD-40. Spray it on the threads and let the solution sit for a few minutes.

After a while, use the pair of pliers again and rotate it counterclockwise. As you have gone through all the steps above, it should definitely come off.

How to Prevent a Faucet Aerator from Getting Stuck?

See? You need to go through a lot to handle a stuck aerator. But did you know that you could have prevented it from getting stuck in the first place? Yes, that is certainly possible! You just need to keep these factors in mind –

Clean the Faucet Aerator Regularly

No matter what, there will be some sediment buildup in the aerator after using the faucet for a while. As you know, these mineral buildups will make the aerator get stuck, preventing you from removing it.

So, the easiest way to ensure the aerator does not get stuck would be to clean the aerator regularly. There’s really not much to it. Remove it, disassemble the parts, and soak them in vinegar for a few hours.

After that, use a brush to remove the loose sediments lodged in the parts and rinse them with clean water. Put the aerator back into one piece and install it into the faucet spout.

Opt for a Water Softener

As hard water (water with too many minerals and sediments) is the main issue, why not take preventive measures regarding it? But do remember that the average price to professionally install a whole-home water softener system is around $1500.

If that seems too much for you, you can avoid it. Just clean the aerator occasionally, and you will be all good.

Avoid Over-Tightening the Faucet Aerator

When putting the aerator back into the faucet head, ensure not to over-tighten it. You will not only risk it getting stuck into the spout but also can strip the threads.

While you can get the aerator unstuck with brute force, you can not resolve a stripped thread. When that happens, the only fix is to replace the faucet, which is very taxing on the wallet.

Final Words

That’s pretty much everything there’s to it regarding how to remove faucet aerator that is stuck. All in all, it is pretty easy to avoid this issue from happening. Just remove it and clean it once after every six months.

On that note, cleaning the faucet aerator without removing it is undoubtedly possible. But that’s a different topic for a different day.