How To Remove A Rusted Hose From A Faucet

Outdoor spigots and water faucets make chores like watering your garden or setting up the sprinkler on your lawn considerably easier. Instead of dragging a hose to your house, hooking it up inside, and dragging the end back out to where you need it, you can get it all done from a single outdoor spigot. 

However, sometimes it doesn’t go as smoothly as we hope. Perhaps the hose was hooked up to the faucet for weeks or months on end and was exposed to the weather. Now, rust has developed on the hose, freezing it in place. So, now what? If you find yourself in a similar predicament, continue reading, because we’re here to tackle this issue. 

How To Remove A Stuck Garden Hose

Removing a faucet attachment that is stuck in place can be tricky. Although a stuck garden hose is highly inconvenient, it can also lead to significant damage. For instance, if you’re winterizing your property and are unable to remove the hose during freezing weather, the water inside may split the hose. 

Even worse, it might cause the plumbing pipes to freeze and burst. That’s a headache none of us want to deal with. So, to avoid the potential list of problems, here are a few tips and tricks for removing a stuck or tight hose. 

Remove The Corrosion

White vinegar and a wire brush are great for removing corrosion. Before you try the following methods, soak the connection in undiluted white vinegar, then scrub the corroded areas with a wire brush. 

Then, rinse the rusty pieces and residue away with clean water. The vinegar may have broken the bond entirely, so you may be able to remove the hose easily. Turn counterclockwise to remove it. If it doesn’t give, move on to the following methods. 

Use Your Hands

Okay, there’s a high chance you already tried this, but hear us out. Put on rubber or leather gloves to protect your hands and for added grip. Grasp the hose collar and turn to the left or counterclockwise. 

If you’re not sure which way to turn the hose to remove it from the spigot, remember the saying ‘lefty loosey, righty tighty.” Or, turning counterclockwise loosens the connection, while clockwise tightens it. 

If you accidentally turned the hose to the right, you may have tightened it, further aggravating the problem. However, if the hose is rusted, any movement can be good. Moving the collar in either direction may help break the bond of rust, freeing the collar for normal movement.

So, work the hose back and forth, then side to side. Then, try to turn the collar counterclockwise. If the hose collar still doesn’t give, try the following method. 

Use A Lubricant

In some cases, the hose collar may need a little help. Use a lubricant, like WD-40, to help loosen things up. Here’s what you’ll need for this method:

• Hammer or screwdriver
• WD-40
• Locking pliers
• Pipe wrench (optional)

Using the hammer, lightly tap around the sides of the spigot, near the bottom where the hose connects. Be careful not to hit too hard that you damage the spigot or hose. Sometimes, a few light taps can help break a rusted bond between the hose and faucet. 

Next, spray the joint liberally with WD-40. Try to aim it up into the threads. Allow the lubricant to sit for about ten minutes, then try to loosen the collar. With a set of locking pliers adjusted to the proper width, grasp the hose collar and try to loosen the hose. Make sure you turn the collar counterclockwise. 

If you don’t have locking pliers, you can also use a pipe wrench.

Use Heat

If WD-40 didn’t do the trick, try using heat. Adding heat to the mix will cause the metal to expand, loosening the hose. If you used a flammable lubricant, be careful with your heat source. 

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Hairdryer or heat gun
• Locking pliers

The first step is to heat the metal of the joint. Using a heat gun or a hairdryer, heat the spigot joint. Once it’s hot, use the locking pliers to clamp the connection. Attempt to unscrew the hose using the pliers. The metal is hot, so be careful not to burn yourself. 

How To Prevent A Hose Nozzle From Getting Stuck

Since removing a stuck or rusted hose nozzle can be a lengthy process, we doubt you’re too keen on repeating the process next year at about this time. So, there are a few things you can do to prevent the hose from getting stuck.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• For aluminum fittings: If your garden hose connector features aluminum fittings, ensure you regularly remove it from the spigot. You should take it off at least 3 to 4 times per season to avoid issues and never leave it on in the cold months. 

• For brass fittings: Brass fittings are a great way to avoid this problem altogether. Aluminum is susceptible to rust, but since brass contains a minuscule amount of iron, it withstands rust exceptionally well. So, always buy garden hoses with brass fittings, and this problem will be a thing of the past. 

If you have the option, install brass spigots as well. This will also help mitigate this type of issue. 

• Use silicone grease: You should apply silicone grease to the threads regardless of whether you have brass or aluminum fittings. This is an excellent preventative method, and all you need to do is coat the outside threads of the spigot’s hose bib and the inside threads of the hose collar with silicone grease.