Quick answer
Look for the screw in this order: under the red and blue cap on the handle, on the underside of the lever, on the back face of the handle, or behind a trim ring that unscrews. If there is no screw in any of those places, the handle is a push fit: close the isolation valves, wrap it in a cloth and pull straight up with a slight side-to-side rock.
What you need
- Metric Allen key set, 2, 2.5 and 3 mm
- Very fine flat screwdriver and a Stanley knife
- Phone torch
- Thick cloth and a towel
- Adjustable spanner and a 17 mm open-ended spanner
- Hairdryer
- Cleaning vinegar (1 euro)
- Silicone tap grease (4 to 8 euros at Leroy Merlin or Bricodepot)
- Small screw extractor in case the Allen screw is rounded (5 to 10 euros)
- 35 or 40 mm ceramic cartridge if you are going to replace it (8 to 45 euros)
Step by step
- 1
Turn off the water and plug the drain
Close the isolation valves under the sink or basin and open the tap to release the pressure. Put the plug in the drain and a towel in the bowl so no parts fall in.
- 2
Look for the colour cap
Check the front and sides of the handle. If there is a red and blue disc or a plain cap, get a fingernail or the tip of the knife under its edge and lever it gently outwards. Underneath you will see the screw.
- 3
Look under and behind the handle
If there is no cap, run the torch over the underside of the lever and the back of the handle body. A 2 or 3 mm hole is an Allen grub screw. Loosen it two or three turns with the Allen key at an angle; you do not need to take it out.
- 4
Try unscrewing the base ring
If it still has not appeared, grip the trim ring under the handle and turn it to the left by hand. On several Grohe and Roca taps it unscrews and reveals the screw or a retaining clip.
- 5
Pull off the push-fit handle
With no screw anywhere, the handle is pressed on. Wrap it in the cloth, hold the body of the tap and pull straight up with a slight rock. If it will not come, wrap the base in a cloth soaked in hot vinegar for 20 minutes or heat it with the hairdryer for two minutes and pull again.
- 6
Unscrew the shroud and the cartridge nut
With the handle off, unscrew by hand the chrome shroud covering the cartridge; if it is tight, use the adjustable spanner with the cloth. Underneath is the brass retaining nut: loosen it with the open-ended spanner and lift it off. Photograph the cartridge before lifting it out.
- 7
Grease on reassembly
When refitting, put silicone grease on the cartridge spindle, on the thread of the nut and on the grub screw. Tighten the nut hand-tight plus a quarter turn, seat the handle in the same position and do up the screw without forcing it. Turn the water on and check.
Taking apart a single-lever tap with no visible screw: where the screw hides
Under the colour cap. The most common place. The red and blue disc on the front or side of the handle is a push-in plastic cap. It comes out with a fingernail, the tip of a Stanley knife or a very fine flat screwdriver. Underneath is a 2.5 or 3 mm Allen screw, sometimes a Phillips.
Under the lever. Look at the tap from below with a torch: many kitchen and basin taps from Leroy Merlin, Bricodepot, Tres and Roca have an Allen grub screw on the underside of the handle, right where the lever meets the body. It is loosened from below with the Allen key at an angle; you do not need to take it right out, two or three turns are enough.
On the side or the back. On designer taps with a cylindrical or square handle (Grohe Essence, Hansgrohe Talis, Tres Cuadro), the grub screw is on the rear face of the handle body, facing the wall, so it cannot be seen.
Behind a ring that unscrews. Some Grohe (Eurosmart, Start) and Roca taps have a trim ring at the base of the handle that unscrews by hand turning to the left. Underneath you find the screw or a clip.
No screw: push-fit handle. Taps from IKEA, some Hansgrohe ranges and own-brand taps have the handle pressed onto the cartridge spindle, held only by a plastic clip. Stop looking: you have to pull.
How to pull off a push-fit handle without breaking it
Close the isolation valves and open the tap to release the pressure. Put the handle in the closed position and wrap it in a thick cloth. Hold the body of the tap with one hand and pull the handle straight up with the other, without tilting it, rocking it slightly left and right. Push-fit handles come off with a sharp click.
If it will not come, limescale has glued the handle to the splined spindle of the cartridge. Soak a cloth in hot cleaning vinegar, wrap it around the base of the handle for 20 minutes and pull again. Heat helps too: a hairdryer on full power for a couple of minutes on the handle expands the plastic or brass and loosens the scale.
What you must never do is push a screwdriver between the handle and the body and lever it. You mark the chrome, bend the trim ring and, on zamak handles, snap them. If after vinegar and heat it still will not come, two people: one holds the tap by the body with both hands, the other pulls the handle. And if even that fails, it is time to call.
| Brand or type of tap | Where the screw usually is | Key |
|---|---|---|
| Grohe Eurosmart, Start, BauEdge | Under the colour cap or behind the base ring | 2.5 or 3 mm Allen |
| Tres Max, Base, Cuadro | Back face or under the lever | 2.5 mm Allen |
| Roca L20, Victoria, Targa | Under the front cap or under the lever | 2.5 mm Allen or Phillips |
| Hansgrohe Talis, Focus | Under the cap or push-fit handle depending on range | 3 mm Allen |
| Leroy Merlin, Bricodepot, IKEA | Under the lever or push-fit handle | 2.5 mm Allen |
Common mistakes when taking apart a single-lever tap
Mistake number one is forcing an Allen screw with an imperial key of a similar size or with a worn key: the hexagon rounds off and there is no way of getting it out. Use a good quality metric set (2, 2.5, 3 mm) and push the key fully home before turning. If it is already rounded, a small screw extractor or a Torx key one size up tapped in with a hammer usually gets it out.
The second is losing the screw or the cap down the drain. Put the plug in before you start. The third is unscrewing the shroud (the ring under the handle) with a spanner and no cloth: it is the part that scratches most easily. And the fourth, pulling the cartridge without photographing its orientation: refit it turned round and the handle gives hot on the right.
One last slip: assuming the handle is a push fit when there is actually a tiny grub screw round the back. Before pulling hard, run the torch over all four faces of the handle and the base; if you see a 2 mm hole, that is where the screw is.
- Metric Allen keys of 2, 2.5 and 3 mm, never imperial.
- Plug in the drain and a towel in the bowl.
- Photo of the cartridge before pulling it and of the assembled tap before you start.
When to call a professional
Call us if the Allen screw is rounded off and will not come out with an extractor, if the push-fit handle will not budge even with heat and vinegar, if the zamak handle has snapped while pulling, if the shroud is cemented with limescale and the whole body of the tap turns with it, or if once it is apart you find the cartridge is no longer made and the tap has to be replaced.
Our plumber service fixes a dripping tap for 40 to 70 euros, dismantling included even if the handle is stuck, and replaces the whole tap for 45 to 80 euros in labour if it cannot be repaired. We carry extractors, Allen keys, universal cartridges and silicone grease. We arrive in 20 to 45 minutes in Valencia, Alicante, Torrevieja and Benidorm. Fixed price by WhatsApp from a photo of the tap, 6 months written guarantee and an invoice with IVA (VAT). All rates in how much a plumber charges.
Limescale on the coast: why the handle sticks and how to prevent it
The hard water in Alicante and Valencia leaves limescale on the splined spindle of the cartridge, exactly where the handle sits. Because that joint never moves, within five years the scale welds it solid. When you refit the handle, put a dab of silicone tap grease on the spindle and on the thread of the grub screw; next time it will come off by hand.
If the tap is in a second home that stands empty for months, the scale dries out and hardens even more. Work the handle through its full travel when you arrive and let the water run. Once the tap is apart, you will usually find the inner part needs replacing: the process is in how to replace a tap cartridge and the diagnosis of drips in how to fix a dripping tap. If the tap is more than 15 years old, it pays to replace it: how to replace a kitchen tap.
Frequently asked questions
How do you remove the handle of a single-lever tap that has no screw?
First make sure: look under the colour cap, under the lever, on the back and under the base ring. If there really is no screw, it is a push fit: turn off the water, wrap the handle in a cloth and pull straight up with a slight rock. With limescale stuck on, hot vinegar for 20 minutes or heat from a hairdryer before pulling.
Which Allen key do I need for a single-lever tap?
Almost always 2.5 mm; some Grohe and Hansgrohe taps use 3 mm and the cheapest taps 2 mm. Buy a good quality metric set and push the key fully home before turning. Imperial keys look as if they fit but round off the hexagon, and a rounded screw turns a 10-minute fix into an afternoon.
What do I do if the handle screw is rounded off?
Try a Torx key one size bigger than the Allen, tapped in with a sharp knock, and turn slowly. If not, a small screw extractor with the drill on low speed. If everything fails, we remove it or replace the handle: fixing a dripping tap costs 40 to 70 euros with dismantling included.
Why has the tap handle stuck?
Limescale from the hard water in Alicante and Valencia. It builds up on the splined spindle of the cartridge and, because that joint never moves, within a few years it welds it solid. Hot vinegar and heat soften it. When refitting, put silicone grease on the spindle and the screw so it comes off without effort next time.
Can I break the tap by pulling the handle?
Yes, if you lever with a screwdriver or tilt the handle as you pull. Zamak handles snap and the cartridge spindle bends. Always pull straight, with a cloth, holding the body with the other hand. If it will not give after vinegar and heat, call us: replacing the whole tap costs 45 to 80 euros in labour.