Faucet aerator

What It Means

A faucet aerator is the small cap screwed onto the tip of a faucet spout. Inside it are a screen and a flow restrictor that shape the stream and set how much water comes out. Moen and Delta explain that aerators gather debris and mineral depositsHard water stainsWhite, chalky marks left on glass, faucets, tile and toilets when hard water dries and leaves its calcium and magnesium behind. See more over time, which can cut the flow or send the spray sideways. EPA WaterSense labels bathroom sink aerators that use no more than 1.5 gallons per minute, against a standard flow of 2.2.

How It Sounds at Home

• "The kitchen faucet is spraying sideways."
• "Unscrew the tip and soak it in vinegar."
• "The water barely trickles out of the bathroom sink."

The Breakdown

Clean it, following Moen and Delta

1. Unscrew the aerator from the end of the spout, turning it counterclockwise by hand.
2. If it's stuck, wrap it in a rag soaked in white vinegar and give it a few hours to loosen the minerals.
3. Take it apart. Buhata's own suggestion: lay the pieces out in order, or take a photo, so they go back the same way.
4. Soak the parts in white vinegar and scrub off the deposits with an old toothbrush.
5. Rinse away any grit caught in the screen or flow restrictor.
6. Put the gasket back in and screw the aerator on hand tight, which makes it easier to remove next time.

Or replace it. WaterSense says twisting on a labeled aerator is one of the easiest ways to cut a bathroom sink's water use.

Short version to try today. Unscrew the aerator on the slowest faucet in the house and look at the screen.

Good to Know

White vinegar is an acid, and acids and bleachChlorine bleachHousehold bleach made with sodium hypochlorite that whitens, removes stains and disinfects, but can fade colors and damage some fibers. See more must never meet; the hard water stains page explains Poison Control's warning about the chlorine gas they give off. Rinse the parts in plain water and never add bleach to the soak. EPA WaterSense counts bathroom faucet accessories, including aerators, in its labeled products, and says labeled faucets and aerators can cut a sink's flow by 30 percent or more. Buhata's own suggestion: if cleaning the aerator doesn't bring the flow back, check whether other faucets are weak too, because a house-wide problem has other causes.

Related Terms and Categories

• Low water pressure

  Water that comes out of taps and showers weaker than it should, from a clog at one fixture or a valve, regulator, leak or supply problem affecting the whole house.

• Leaky faucet

  A faucet that keeps dripping from the spout or leaking at the handle after it's turned off, usually because a cartridge, washer or seal has worn out.

• Hard water stains

  White, chalky marks left on glass, faucets, tile and toilets when hard water dries and leaves its calcium and magnesium behind.

• Vinegar cleaning

  Using white vinegar, a mild acetic acid, to dissolve mineral buildup and lift grime. It doesn't replace a registered disinfectant.

• Descaling

  Dissolving the mineral scale that hard water leaves inside kettles, coffee makers and other appliances that heat water.

• Mixing cleaning products

  Combining two or more cleaners in one bottle, bucket or bowl. Some pairs, such as bleach with ammonia or with an acid, give off toxic gas.

Home maintenance and repairs