# Help me get this hose removed from my outside faucet **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 1, 2018, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-this-hose-removed-from-my-outside-faucet/813423 "2018-05-01T17:30:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-this-hose-removed-from-my-outside-faucet/813423/1 "2018-05-01T17:30:11Z")
Last fall when the weather started to get cold, I went out to the side of the house to remove the garden hose from the faucet for the winter. It would not budge. Which surprised me, because I’m sure I only screwed it on finger-tight. No big deal, I figured I’d just get a pair of pliers to help. Pliers did not help - that sucker is on good. When the weather went from cold to freezing, and I still couldn’t get the hose off, and was worried about the ice in the hose damaging the faucet or pipe, I wound up cutting through it with garden shears, leaving about six inches of hose below the faucet. Now, come springtime, I still can’t get the damned thing off. I’ve tried pliers, vise grips, liquid wrench, tapping it to loosen it up… nothing seems to work. I considered trying to cut through the hose connector with a hacksaw, but I worry about damaging the threads on the faucet. I’m wondering if I need to call a plumber? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-this-hose-removed-from-my-outside-faucet/813423/2 "2018-05-01T17:33:16Z")
Just out of curiosity, can you get water out of that faucet? Also what material(s) are the spigot and hose connector made of? ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-this-hose-removed-from-my-outside-faucet/813423/3 "2018-05-01T17:41:19Z")
Lefty loosey - righty tighty ??? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-this-hose-removed-from-my-outside-faucet/813423/4 "2018-05-01T17:46:19Z")
Try pouring a large pot of hot water over the fitting. A short blast from a blow torch might be even better but be sure not to overheat the faucet because you’ll melt the washers inside the tap. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-this-hose-removed-from-my-outside-faucet/813423/5 "2018-05-01T17:52:41Z")
You could try a different type wrench like a locking pliers (which most call Vice-Grips) or a pipe wrench. An alternative would be to simply make a new connection at that 6" point where you cut: you have to put a hose connector at the bottom part of the hose anyway (since you cut it off)–so you could also put one on your 6" top part. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-this-hose-removed-from-my-outside-faucet/813423/6 "2018-05-01T18:28:09Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Just out of curiosity, can you get water out of that faucet? > > Also what material(s) are the spigot and hose connector made of? Metal faucet, (chrome plated) metal connector. The faucet works just fine, although I’m worried about messing it up with all the twisting and banging I’ve been doing. > [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Lefty loosey - righty tighty ??? I know, right? How many times have I asked myself “You ARE turning it the right way, aren’t you?” > [@PastTense](#): > > You could try a different type wrench like a locking pliers (which most call Vice-Grips) or a pipe wrench. > > An alternative would be to simply make a new connection at that 6" point where you cut: you have to put a hose connector at the bottom part of the hose anyway (since you cut it off)–so you could also put one on your 6" top part. Tried pliers and vise grip, all I’m doing is stripping the chrome off the connector. Putting on a new pair of connectors where I cut through the hose is not a bad idea, maybe as a last resort. I’d really rather just get the darned thing off. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-this-hose-removed-from-my-outside-faucet/813423/7 "2018-05-01T18:32:27Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > Putting on a new pair of connectors where I cut through the hose is not a bad idea, maybe as a last resort. I’d really rather just get the darned thing off. if they’re two different metals, then the presence of water may have corroded them together. perhaps another bit of soaking with a penetrant followed by some heating of the fitting screwed on to the faucet with a propane torch will help. of course, being mindful of any potentially combustible material nearby; don’t aim it at the house. if you can’t use a torch, then maybe a cutting wheel and cut it to just where the threads are visible (so you don’t cut into the threads on the faucet,) then try prying it apart with a flat screwdriver. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-this-hose-removed-from-my-outside-faucet/813423/8 "2018-05-01T19:02:56Z")
I would try a pipe wrench, the bigger the better. You could also extend the wrench handle with a length of pipe of the right size. Get a handle long enough and it won’t take no for an answer. ---
**Author:** ![Seren359](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a87d85/32.png) [@Seren359](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seren359)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-this-hose-removed-from-my-outside-faucet/813423/9 "2018-05-01T19:11:36Z")
If you are going to try brute force. First turn off the supply to the tap, then when it breaks you will not have a disaster. ---
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-this-hose-removed-from-my-outside-faucet/813423/10 "2018-05-01T19:39:20Z")
Lock a pipe wrench or similar around the faucet (something with a long handle for leverage), then put a big pair of vise grips on the hose connection. You (or your assistant) hold the pipe wrench steady on the faucet so it doesn’t get torqued while you twist the vise grips lefty. Remember: there is no problem brute force and ignorance cannot solve. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-this-hose-removed-from-my-outside-faucet/813423/11 "2018-05-01T20:00:24Z")
The female connector on a garden hose tends to be pretty soft. Your vise-grips may well be locking the hose connector to the spigot. The harder you squeeze, the **less** likely they are to separate. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-this-hose-removed-from-my-outside-faucet/813423/12 "2018-05-01T20:14:33Z")
> [@Seren359](#): > > If you are going to try brute force. > First turn off the supply to the tap, then when it breaks you will not have a disaster. I like how you say “when” and not “if” 🙂 (been there done that) ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-this-hose-removed-from-my-outside-faucet/813423/13 "2018-05-01T20:27:00Z")
> [@Seren359](#): > > If you are going to try brute force. > First turn off the supply to the tap, then when it breaks you will not have a disaster. > [@Slash1972](#): > > I like how you say “when” and not “if” 🙂 > (been there done that) Yep. My first rule of home repair - “The level of plumbing ambition should be tempered by the granularity and location of shutoff valves.” ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-this-hose-removed-from-my-outside-faucet/813423/14 "2018-05-01T20:34:21Z")
You may be at the point where a hacksaw is your only option. Or preferably a Dremel tool. Make a pair of cuts in the connector parallel to the hose about a quarter inch apart. Just deep enough to get to the threads but not deep enough to cut into the faucet. Then take your pliers and peel down the strip you cut breaking the remainder of the threads where you didn’t cut them. That should loosen up the connector enough to just screw the remainder off. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-this-hose-removed-from-my-outside-faucet/813423/15 "2018-05-01T20:43:15Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > The female connector on a garden hose tends to be pretty soft. Your vise-grips may well be locking the hose connector to the spigot. The harder you squeeze, the **less** likely they are to separate. I suspect this is your problem. There’s a good chance you have already ruined the threads, and they are locking together. Your best bet is a good pair of snippers, with a sharp tip. The hose connector should snip through pretty easily, the faucet should be too hard to cut. Start at the bottom and pry upwards as you snip, in order to provide an entree to work the snipper tip into for the next cut. Youtube disagrees with me though. [Here’s the consensus method](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIdKA-aWIvw) if you look on there. ---
**Author:** ![NadaHappyCamper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/278dde/32.png) [@NadaHappyCamper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NadaHappyCamper)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-this-hose-removed-from-my-outside-faucet/813423/16 "2018-05-01T21:52:59Z")
WD-40 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-this-hose-removed-from-my-outside-faucet/813423/17 "2018-05-01T21:54:25Z")
> [@Seren359](#): > > If you are going to try brute force. > First turn off the supply to the tap, then when it breaks you will not have a disaster. Yeah, but what fun will that be? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2018, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-this-hose-removed-from-my-outside-faucet/813423/18 "2018-05-01T23:03:54Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > I suspect this is your problem. There’s a good chance you have already ruined the threads, and they are locking together. Your best bet is a good pair of snippers, with a sharp tip. The hose connector should snip through pretty easily, the faucet should be too hard to cut. > > Start at the bottom and pry upwards as you snip, in order to provide an entree to work the snipper tip into for the next cut. > > Youtube disagrees with me though. [Here’s the consensus method](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIdKA-aWIvw) if you look on there. That’s a lot thicker collar than what I was imagining. Not sure if snips would have worked on that. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2018, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-this-hose-removed-from-my-outside-faucet/813423/19 "2018-05-02T01:00:30Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > That’s a lot thicker collar than what I was imagining. Not sure if snips would have worked on that. Agreed. It’s not what I’m used to seeing. ---
**Author:** ![Ricc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@Ricc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ricc)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2018, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-this-hose-removed-from-my-outside-faucet/813423/20 "2018-05-02T12:36:44Z")
Try P-B Blaster, it will penetrate where other Liquid wrench type oils can’t. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-get-this-hose-removed-from-my-outside-faucet/813423.md?page=2)