How the hell does this have 73 thumbs-down to date! Like someone else said, I used an old vacuum cleaner pipe as I didn't have a box spanner. After two attempts - voila! Thanks, Ultimate Handyman, you saved me some hassle today!

Many thanks. I had a super stubborn cartridge and this worked a treat. Subscribed and looking forward to learning more. Cheers

Thanks for this, I have been trying to fix a slow running tap for months but couldn't get the head gear off. I had used WD40, heat etc, but all I managed to do was move the tap. After watching this I got the head off in 2 minutes! Such a simple tip but it worked great. I used a metal vacuum cleaner tube on the tap spout as I don't have a big enough box spanner. Thanks again, I have found many of your videos very helpful.

Hot tap washer failed on a bank holiday. Old fashioned pillar tap, everything gammed up and hard to undo... tap head gear wouldn't budge. Thought I was facing an incredibly expensive callout fee, but decided to clean around thread meeting points with point of kitchen knife... applied WD40... waited... tried undoing head gear with wrench... no movement... applied more WD40... waited a couple of hours... WATCHED THIS VIDEO & read comments... used a metal hoover tube for leverage over tap spout (with loo roll insert) and bingo... head gear released... & 5 mins later job done!!! Phew! Thanks so much for this common sense video... is a wallet saver for sure! :)

Fantastic video, used it when we thought we'd have to take the whole tap out! Worked a treat, the cold one was intermittent. Just the hot tap refused now 😂. Have to give it some proper elbow greese

As a plumber of 42 years I used to use the box spanner method but I bought the easitapsplitter and wouldn't use anything else now. I paid £25 for mine a few years ago but I suppose it is expensive for the DIYer. However, if you are someone that fixes as many taps as I do in a year it is a brilliant bit of kit

I'm very grateful for your tip. I was worried about damaging the pipework under the sink when I changed the tap heads and your video gave me the confidence to do it without any problems.

Brilliant tip.Had this problem every time I try to service a tap. Did n't have a socket spanner but any strong pipe with a big enough bore and long enough to give you some torque resistance will do fine.I used a car chrome exhaust pipe extension. Took under 30 seconds to undo the head gear using this tip after messing about for an hour trying (unsuccessfully) not to move the tap.

After this trick I completed the whole job in about 5 minutes, having tried repeatedly before without the trick!! Bravo!

Thanks. Just undid my taps. Great toilet/cardboard roll tip. I used the top of an axel stand as the tap pipe and a 17mm ring spanner. It worked a treat. Just a note to always hold the tap pipe if it is heavy it can fall off and risk cracking the sink. I was lucky. I'm off now to buy a tap insert reviver kit.

thank you very much,had a very stubborn kitchen tap which i sorted thanks to your video. saved me a fortune thanks again.

This tip worked a treat! Thank you so much! My daughter now has a properly working bathroom tap.

Thanks for such a useful tip. Our tap head was never going to budge but its off now; a new one is on and as good as new. Drip free and sitting down with a cuppa!

Love it! Thank you so much. No box spanner to hand but used a claw hammer on its side, claw around the back of the tap and handle by the right hand side of the spout with a length of bike inner tube protecting the tap.

As MrFoodepedia mentions, I wouldn't use an adjustable wrench to remove the brass tap cartridge; it's too easy for it to slip, and you'd round off the nut you're trying to remove. The closed end of a combination wrench or a breaker bar and deep-well socket (a 6-point is preferable) would be my first choices. Bravo on the use of a toilet paper roll to protect the faucet head; I'm going to save several for use on projects around the house. Thanks much for the video; very helpful.

Great tip, I did it thanks to you. . Made me smile how video faded out for a moment on first attempt 1:56. 😉 I couldn't do it first attempt myself and had to go and get a proper ratchet spanner as the little adjustable ALSO didn't have enough leverage with its little handle. (and in the absence of a box spanner I used a vacuum cleaner pipe. A great tip from another comment, thanks to you as well)!

Top Tip - Whenever fitting any tap with washers, always remove the head and 'crack' the headger open, then do up again to a sensible tightness - BEFORE fitting the taps. Some heads are incredibly tight. Better to find this out before fitting the tap rather than struggling when it's in place.

That was a brilliant idea. Today I tried to remove a tap head gear that was very "wobbly" but could not hold the tap against the turning force of the spanner. Thinking I would have to remove the tap completely and maybe try and hold it in the vice I rummaged through the loft and found my old basin box spanner just like you used. No need to remove tap I think, tomorrow I will try your idea. Many thanks for posting.

I had tried for a week to get the headgear off,using WD40 daily/brute force. Didn't have a box spanner so used a vac cleaner pipe instead. And it worked! Thanks. :-)

The bog roll tube is a great idea for something close to hand to use; I was worried it might not be enough as the tap was really stubborn… What I used as a protective sleeve was a section of bicycle inner tube. It’s tough, grippy and takes the pinch or edge of anything metal that could dent the tap. Great idea to use the lever idea!

Hello. I can understand what you mean when you said you don't need the other tool that costs 30 pund to undo tight threaded heads and instead you are using a box spanner to hold the tap more securely. I use the other equipment to remove tight heads for two main reasons, firstly to get the pressure to undo it but the main reason is because when you use the rubber tube over the tap and the threaded bar with the eye it stops your right hand accidently putting pressure on the tap when the left hand goes easy when the thread loosens which could move the whole tap in your instance

Thank you so much, after ages of trawling the internet this is the only place that we found with this sensible technique. Saved my lovely husbands sanity, Gina

Wow, what a tip! The metal vacuum cleaner pipe worked for me. Many thanks

Thanks for the vid, Quick question. I can undo the cartridge and the threads unscrew but then it feels like its still connected inside and doesnt want to pull out easily, do i just force it up. I'm guessing just corrosion stopping it lifting out easily?

Thanks for confirming what I already suspected - a stupid amount of force was required on my bathroom taps, eventually used a 6' tree pruning pole with the right internal diameter!

Thanks for this brilliant simple trick of the trade! It worked a treat for me!

I found a chinese stainless spade that had cracked but the handle connecting tube was tapered and worked a treat. Thanks very much for the tip I was thinking I would have to cut the pipes below until I saw your video.

My tap heads have seized right on so i can't get access to the valve. So i was thinking turning the whole tap top anti-clockwise should take the head and valve off together. Your trick of holding the tap steady is a good one. Thank you.

If you'd have tried this on the crappy taps I had to repair this morning you'd be craving a tap splitter. They were fusion welded together and even with my box spanner and 12" adjustable I span all but one tap. Luckily they didn't leak. But I'm getting that £30 tool 'cos I need it.

I do the same thing with the spout, but use an impact wrench with a deep socket on the nut. with a bit of Halfords release spray it works a treat!

Brilliant thanks. Used a variation of your trick with a 3ft length of pipe replacing box spanner and socket and extender bar replacing spanner. Still took some doing as they were well and truly corroded but without your idea to work from I would be replacing the taps.

That helped, cheers buddy, though have no box spanner, used a vacuum cleaner attachment I wasn't bothered about damaging, same principle & worked a treat.

Great tip! It worked a treat! The hot tap was stuck and so I disassembled it expecting to have to replace the rubber washers. They were ok. Maybe it was old grease in there or not enough. I cleaned it and re-greased with thick silicone grease. Hope it’ll last. At what point would I be best to consider a replacement brass cartridge (like the one in your video)? Cheers!

Great video. Straight to it with the help. Many thanks David

Hey you really did helped me with that trick. I wasnt sure I was unscrewing the right part or doing the right steps, then you validated it was supposed to be hard and I used a little variation for my sink and it worked! Thanks again :)

worked a treat had been struggling for ages before trying this many thanks for sharing the wisdom!

Thanks mate. I like your solution, but it prompted another question: does it make sense to use an oil like WD40 to lube the tap a little bit?

Brilliant tip. This worked a treat.

I wish I had read all the comments especially about ring spanners first. As it was coming loose I ended up removing the tap and holding it in a workmate. The tightest were the brand new Bristan taps I wanted to liberate the head gear from. They required a stupid amount of force.

Thanks for the helpful tip - just solved my problem

Mate, honestly thanku, ur advice did the trick, much grateful to ya.

Brilliant but I can't even get the screw out to get the tap top off to begin 😂

Going to try exactly this on my stuck tap valve this morning.

i could not undo the valve on my tap. your video has helped me. Thanks

I don't have a box spanner but the tap was a bit loose after I'd wrestled with the headgear with an adjustable spanner, so I tried wrapping it in a thicker bit of corrugated cardboard (torn from an old box) and tapping it with a lumphammer while I held the headgear with the spanner - worked on the second strike, no damage to the tap! A big clawhammer might've worked I guess, and a thick cloth probably would've been as good as the cardboard.

Thank you so much for this amazing tip. Worked a treat

Insteead of using open ended spanner , try using ring spanner or if you have a deep socket set try using that .

Yes! As another person commented, a metal Hoover tube will work if you don't have a box spanner.

19mm deep socket on impact drill works a treat too

i did manage to do it , thanks for this video. but it wasn't easy. your videos are the best on D.i.y

Many thanks used this fix today worked a treat😊

Do you turn the water off first ?

thanks so much been trying to do mine for months, used this and came away in few seconds. i used hoover tube(with loo roll inside) and tube from coat rail.

If the cartridge looks very corroded, use a Socket. You are less likely to round the splines off. B&Q do a good range of these cartridges, a fraction of the price of the only builders merchant who stocks things like this In my area. You can clean them up and apply grease, but in my experience it's not worth it. Unless it's for yourself.

Thank you - great info. Saved me bursting a blood vessel or two trying to get my v.old bath tap head to move! :-)

Thanks for this information. I could not believe how easy it unscrewed. I have been struggling for ages. Just out of interest, do you know if a modern central heating boiler would fit into a one pipe system please? It would be extremely difficult to add an additional piping sytem in our home?

Thanks. Worked a treat. Only cost me £8 for the 'metal tube' - much cheaper than a plumbers bill :-)

Thank you I really learned a lot

Great tip. Do you have any tips for getting the collar off (before you access the head gear)? They also stick and mole grips chew up the chrome!

Hello, I have a question. My bath mixer cold tap is stiff as anything. I've threaded it a tiny bit so I have stopped. What size wrench would I require? Or can I use a box spanner also?

Can the rubber of the part you have replaced be changed? Bc I have a shower faucet that has two parts as shown in the video, but they stop working after some time, so can I use the same part, but just to replace the rubber?

Brilliant tip.

Worked a treat and saved me a bomb on plumber fees - proper happy

you sir, are a genius

Thanks dude helped me, I used Henry hoover metal tube.

Thanks for the reply. I've not been back yet, he's a regular customer of mine though so will eventually get back to it.

Would this trick help on the nut underneath the the sink? Everytime I try remove the bottom nut so I can take the old tap off and install a new one the tap keeps spinning around in a circle.

Happy New Year to you! Quick question; Would lack of water flow through the tap (unless really forced all the way open) indicates damaged head gear?

Main problem here is the difficult parts of process were off camera - like dealing with really tight nut and fitting the washer to the unit. This last bit is almost impossible for me.

I can't find a big enough box spanner, so: I had to change some ancient taps for Age UK clients I used a padded tube on the tap spout, molegrip locking wrench on the removable upper body and hit it once with a rubber mallet, whilst counter pulling the padded tap spout tube. It does crack the ancient seal on these old taps. Tube made from 1 1/4" waste pipe, and lined with cardboard and thick 2" insulation tape - the thick stuff. Nasty but it works every time, & cheap!

Brilliant tip, it worked a treat, thanks!

I wished my Tap Headgear was as easy as that to remove. My tap headgear won't budge using adjustable spanner and I don't want to spend 30 quid and I don't have a box spanner and I don't think that would work. The only think I can think of is I need either a heavy duty adjustable spanner or a power tool with an attachment that will be deep enough to go over the tap head gear and the bar that sticks out in the middle.

excellent tip, thanks a million !!

Well thought out video! Wish everyone covered details in this manner. ... big ask though Well done man!

Any tip to loosen stuck tap head on a kitchen mixer tap? (two lever type - hard to grip tap to get leverage)

Tie a piece of thick rag soaked in kerosine around the joint if you are unable to or don't want to use too much force. Leave it overnight and attempt to remove the valve, tap or whatever next day. You will find it opens up without much effort. I tried this with our kitchen tap and it came of real easy.

Great video.been using box spanners for years.does the job

Needed to renew the washer on a tap today, the pillar was well and truly stuck in there and I had to give up before I rounded the nut section completely, they're 20yr old taps and have never been removed, any tips or tricks to help with that?

Thanks for the explanation and all your other tips. Can you please help with this one. When I removed the bonnet/cover/shroud the spindle came out with it. So now I have a spindle bonnet subassembly. I cannot get the two apart. I can get a spanner on the bonnet hex nut but I can get no purchase on the spindle which is of brass and easily damaged. They must be jammed together by limescale or soap. How do you get them apart.

@ultimatehandyman Thanks, managed to get it off with brute force. Keep up the good work.

Top Tip! necessity is the mother of invention....

I'd only add try and use a ring spanner, adjustables have a nasty habit of slipping off when you're really piling on the force. Do it a few times and the 'nut' will start rounding:-(

Brilliant trick. I change tap washers for Age UK some are really tight and holding the tap spout is tricky, plus skinned knuckles occur with letting of blood and cursing. I envisaged a kit using a bit of pipe, but a box spanner is brilliant. Why not patent a quick self adjusting inner sleeve version (padding) quick? I'd buy it. Screwfix / Wickes/ B&Q/Homebase/Toolstation have nothing like this.

my spindle is too tight, the brass has gone dark grey, the spanner pressure is not enough. Was concealed since last 12 years. Im afraid if I use too much pressure I might hurt myself or the spindle bolt gets damaged. Will WD-30 help?

Great video, but what do you do if you don't have the tap part to but the box spanner onto? cheers Amy.

Brilliant this worked and I have very little strength I am so happy thank you :)

Excellent tip, thank you!

Thanks worked first time.

Mine spindle not opening, its seized and its upper portion got broken, help?

my taps have longer vertical end to spout so tubes don't fit, i use long 3/4 inch tube with 2 T.V aerial U clamps on tap body + i always grease or vaseline all threads so next time unscrewing is easy

Can you use something else if you don't have box spanner

If that spanner slips then thats your nuckles cut and bruised always push the spanner away from you. A piece of 40mm plastic pipe fits better over the tap.Finally the tap body does not always come undone the spanner just rounds off the top thats when you have to take the tap right out of the sink /washbasin whatever so have fun.(al the plumber.)

Excellent tip. Worked a treat. Thanks.

How much is a set of box spanners? About 29 quid? What catastrophe was edited out between 1:55 and 1:56? Thanks for the tip about using cardboard!

Class mate helped me out big time!

Hi. How about stuck handles? Can I used butane blow torch to expand the handle so it comes off?

Brilliant idea

How do you remove the collar that is over the tap head gear? There is nothing to grip and it is ceased on tight. Cant get to the head.

Brilliant, thank you.

Helpful, thanks. I wonder why you didn't just change the washer rather than sell the customer the whole new headgear unit! Would have been good to also check the tap seat. Why do plumbers seem to prefer adjustable spanners? Ring spanners are far better and don't easily slip off. Just saying.