My kitchen faucet started leaking at 2 AM and I had to fix it with a rubber band

I was getting a glass of water in the middle of the night and heard a steady drip from the kitchen sink. The cold water handle on my old faucet wouldn't stop a tiny stream from running. I didn't have any replacement washers, and all the stores were closed. I remembered a trick from an old maintenance guy at the hospital. I took a thick rubber band from a bunch of broccoli, wrapped it tightly around the base of the valve stem under the handle, and cranked the handle down. It sealed the leak completely and bought me three days until I could get the right part. Has anyone else used a temporary fix like this for a dripping faucet?

3 comments

3 Comments

jade7385d ago

Ugh same, I used to be all "gotta get the exact brand part or the world ends." Then I fixed a leaky shower head with a random o-ring from the hardware store. Works fine, been two years.

robert_smith3628d ago

Wow, I always thought you needed the exact part.

the_karen28d ago

Ugh, I feel that so hard. I wasted so much money on a dishwasher repair because I was sure I needed the official brand-name part. Turns out a generic version for half the price worked perfectly. It's crazy how they make you think it has to be exact. Learned my lesson the hard way for sure.