tips for bathroom

Bathroom Tips —— Plumber's Grease

by LucasAlbert on Jun 24, 2021

Bathroom Tips —— Plumber's Grease

If you happen to hear an unpleasant squeaking sound while you are enjoying a nice shower moment, do not think that you must be dealing with a mouse, it is most likely the sound made by the shower faucet. This is because a shower faucet can make a terrible squeaking sound, especially when it has dirt and dust build up inside the cartridge. (The cartridge is located at the back of the faucet handle)

In fact, most manufacturers actually recommend that homeowners apply some plumber's grease to the shower faucet on a regular basis, even if they don't squeak. Doing so will remove any debris and prevent rusting. Applying grease also makes the faucet handle easier to operate and eliminates squeaking noises. This is actually a simple task that requires only some plumber's grease and a few tools.

What’s Plumber’s Grease?

The type of grease applied to shower faucets is called plumber's grease. It looks like Vaseline and is very effective for greasing faucets because it lasts longer than other oil-based compounds.

Plumber's grease is waterproof and consists of a combination of silicone oil (polydimethylsiloxane) and silicone grease. It is essentially a dielectric grease, but is relatively thicker than ordinary grease. This type of grease is mainly used to lubricate and protect plumbing fixtures. It is commonly used by plumbers when installing O-rings and faucets. It is also known as faucet grease because it is often used to repair faucets that produce noise.

How to Apply Faucet Grease

When your shower faucet squeaks, you can fix it by lubricating the faucet.

Here are some tips to help you do just that:

You only need to apply grease to the faucet component parts that regulate water flow. These components usually vary depending on the design of the shower system. Most showers designed today have cartridges for starting or stopping the water flow and regulating the water temperature.

In some faucet designs, you first remove the screw that keeps the handle in place. You can find this screw on the back of the faucet.

Once this is done, you will find a plate behind the shower faucet. Remove the screw that holds the plate in place. When you are finished, remove the plate.

Doing so will prompt the collar located around the cartridge to come out. You will easily see that there are some U-clips around the cartridge. Use pliers to remove the U-clips, thus prompting the cartridge to come out.

Clean the cartridge with a paper towel. Then apply tap grease around the cartridge. When you are done, put everything back together in place. Then now, the job is done!

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