How To: Remove & Clean an Aerator

If water begins to spurt erratically from your faucet, it’s time to clean the aerator. Lucky for you, it’s easy and takes no longer than 30 minutes! Get your sink flowing smoothly again by removing mineral deposits and other debris from your faucet’s aerator by following these simple steps:

To begin, you’ll need these tools:

• Pliers (or adjustable wrench)
• Old Rag
• Small Bowl
• Vinegar
• Old Toothbrush

Step 1: Plug Sink

By plugging the sink, you reduce the risk of losing any of the aerator’s smaller parts (screen, casing, and rubber washer) down the drain.

Step 2: Fill Small Bowl with Vinegar

You don’t need a ton, just enough to submerge the aerator after it is removed from the faucet. The vinegar will help loosen mineral deposits, so they can later be scrubbed off with a toothbrush.

Step 3: Remove Aerator from Faucet

Aerators twist off faucet spouts and are generally easy to remove. Sometimes mineral deposits build and make this process more difficult. If your aerator feels stuck and does not twist off easily, wrap it in an old rag for protection and use a pair of pliers or an adjustable wrench to twist it off.

Step 4: Disassemble Aerator

Separate the aerator’s three parts- the metal casing, screen, and rubber washer, in preparation for soaking.

Step 5: Soak Aerator in Vinegar

Soak each part of the aerator in vinegar for several hours. If the mineral deposits don’t appear to have loosened, continue soaking until they do.

Step 6: Scrub Each Part

After soaking, scrub each part with an old toothbrush. Make them spotless!

Step 7: Rinse & Reassemble Aerator

Rinse each part of the aerator with water and reassemble the unit.

Step 8: Reattach Aerator to Faucet

Twist the aerator back in place on the faucet. It doesn’t have to be extremely tight, finger tight is ideal. If tools are being used, be sure to protect your faucet from damages with a cloth.

If cleaning your aerator did not help your situation, call Rapid-Rooter for a free estimate at 877-202-6874.