How to Remove Moen Bathroom Faucet Handle: No More Leaks

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Leaky bathroom faucets can be very annoying. Not only is it a constant wastage of water and a contributor to your water bill, but it may also leave stains on the bathroom sink. The reason for the leakage is almost always a small one that can be handled on one’s own. You just need to know how to remove Moen bathroom faucet handle. There’s no need to call a plumber for a DIY project as simple as this one. Just follow our guide and the leak in your bathroom faucet will be gone in no time.

What you’ll need

Flathead screwdriver
Philips screwdriver

Procedure to follow

Here’s what you’ll need to do to remove a bathroom faucet handle and fix the leak.

Find the source

Most bathroom faucets are two-handled; you need to find out whether it’s the right handle that’s causing the leak or if it’s the left handle. The results will tell us which side is to be repaired.

You’ll find two water shutoff valves below the bathroom sink.

Turn the right water valve off by turning it clockwise.
Turn on the right handle of the faucet and let any water remaining in the pipes drain into the sink.
Once all the water is out, turn off the right faucet handle.

See if the faucet still leaks.
If there’s no leakage now, it’s the right handle that’s causing the problem. But if there’s still leakage from the faucet, the left handle is faulty.
Turn on the right shutoff valve.

Repeat the steps for the left handle to confirm your results.

Dismantling the faucet handle

Now that you know the source of the problem, right handle, or left handle, let’s begin dismantling the faulty handle. Here’s how to remove moen bathroom faucet:

Turn both the valves under the bathroom sink into the off position by turning clockwise and open the handles to let the water drain out.

Most faucet handles have decorative caps on top. If so is the case, you’ll need to turn it counterclockwise until it’s removed. You can also pry it off using a flathead screwdriver.
After removing the decorative cap, you’ll find the handle screw that holds the faucet handle to the base of the faucet. Turn the screw counterclockwise using a Philips screwdriver until it’s removed.

Pull out the faucet handle.

Under the handle, you will find a brass retaining nut that holds the cartridge in place. Remove this nut by turning it counterclockwise using an adjustable wrench set to the correct size.
Before removing the cartridge from the assembly, note the position it is installed in since the new one that you reinstall will need to be in the exact same position.
Use a wrench or pliers to pull out the cartridge from the faucet assembly.

Replacing the parts

So you learned how to remove moen bathroom faucet handle. Once you have dismantled the bathroom faucet, you will need to replace the faulty parts. It’s almost always the cartridge that’s causing the leak and will need to be replaced.

Instead of just replacing the O-rings on the cartridge, it’s best to replace the entire piece with a fresh one to make sure there’s no leakage once you’re done with the project. Here’s what you need to do:

Take the faulty cartridge which you removed from the bathroom faucet to the hardware store.

You can also find Moen replacement parts from one of the online stores.

Find a fresh cartridge in the exact design to replace the old one.
Also, purchase a new brass nut in the exact size as the old one that was holding the cartridge in place. If the old brass nut is in good shape, this step may be skipped.

Reattaching the faucet

Once you have the new cartridge for your bathroom faucet, you are ready to put everything back in place. Here are the steps to follow to reattach your bathroom faucet using the new cartridge:

Take some plumber’s grease in your hand and apply it to the O-rings of the new cartridge.
Now attach the new cartridge into the faucet assembly. Take care to place it in the correct position, in exactly the same way the old cartridge was positioned.

Align the tab of the new cartridge with the groove on the faucet body so that it sits securely in place.
Now apply some plumber’s grease to the brass retaining nut and reattach it onto the cartridge. You can use a new one if you’ve purchased it too from the store alongside the cartridge. If not, you can use the old one as long as it’s in good shape.
Use the adjustable wrench to tighten the retaining nut. Make sure you don’t overtighten it or else it will be difficult to remove later on if you need to.

Turn on the shutoff valve for the handle that you are fixing. If there’s no leakage from under the new cartridge, you have attached it correctly. Turn the valve back off.
Replace the faucet handle over the new cartridge and reattach the handle screw. Tighten the handle screw using a Philips screwdriver.
If there was a decorative cap over the handle, replace that too and tighten it, if necessary.

Check the results

If everything goes smoothly, which it most likely will, the results will be as expected. Here’s what you do to check the results of your project:

Turn on both the valves under the sink by turning them anticlockwise.
See if there’s any leakage now.

Turn on the handle and check if the water is coming out correctly.

Conclusion

Once you know exactly how to remove moen bathroom faucet handle, it barely takes 20 minutes to complete the project. What you get as a reward a leak-free bathroom faucet and reduced water bills. Water is a valuable resource. Don’t let is waste when a little bit of effort can fix the leakage in no time. If the problem persists, you may need to call a plumber.

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