How to Remove Stuck Garden Hoses
After retrieving the hose out of winter storage, you may discover that your hose ends are seemingly welded together. Dirt and grime can work their way into hose couplings, making it difficult to separate the hose ends. Any bend or dent in the fittings will make the process harder to do, as well. You don't have to throw out two perfectly good hoses just because they are stuck after a long winter. Try a few small tricks and you can be quickly watering your thirsty seeds.
Use two pipe wrenches to grasp the ends of the hose at the couplings. Pipe wrenches are designed to securely grasp metal pipe, so they are ideal for this problem. Tighten the nut enough so that the wrench holds the end securely, but not enough to bend the outer ring. Rotate the wrenches in the opposite direction, with the outer ring turning toward the left and the inner hose toward the right.
- After retrieving the hose out of winter storage, you may discover that your hose ends are seemingly welded together.
- Dirt and grime can work their way into hose couplings, making it difficult to separate the hose ends.
Heat water to boiling and pour it over the outer ring on the stuck hoses. The hot water should expand the metal of the outer ring enough to loosen the hose ends. Grasp the newly expanded hose ends with pipe wrenches and loosen gently.
Shoot a spray lubricant, such as WD-40, into the opening between the inner and outer hose ends. The lubricant comes will a thin straw-like adapter to the spray nozzle. Use this adapter to aim the substance into the space. Allow the lubricant to sit for 10 minutes, then loosen with wrenches. Apply added layers of lubricant if the first application doesn't succeed.
- Heat water to boiling and pour it over the outer ring on the stuck hoses.
- The hot water should expand the metal of the outer ring enough to loosen the hose ends.
Remove Stuck Garden Hoses
Inevitably, just when you want to wash the car or water the garden, you can't remove the nozzle or hose fixture. Grip tightly and apply opposing force. Turning to the left loosens most hose end fittings. Make sure you're unscrewing the hose fittings instead of tightening them. Sometimes a little turn to the right and then a quick turn to the left will jiggle the fittings free. The design of pipe wrenches allows for turning tight fittings and pipes used with plumbing. Apply firm pressure when turning the wrenches to loosen the garden hose fitting. Sometimes a light solvent or cleanser will loosen grime and debris from the hose ends, allowing you to turn the hoses couplings.
- Inevitably, just when you want to wash the car or water the garden, you can't remove the nozzle or hose fixture.
- Sometimes a light solvent or cleanser will loosen grime and debris from the hose ends, allowing you to turn the hoses couplings.
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Writer Bio
Working in sunny Florida, Anne Baley has been writing professionally since 2009. Her home and lifestyle articles have been seen on Coldwell Banker and Gardening Know How. Baley has published a series of books teaching how to live a frugal life with style and panache.
