Prepare

• Before you start removing your old countertops, you must see if appliances such as your dishwasher are screwed into the countertop. If this is the case, these screws must be removed. Check to see if the countertops are screwed to the cabinet structure underneath. Remove these screws. You will also need to shut the water off that leads to the pipes under your sink. Disconnect the plumbing pipes from the sink.
  
  

Pry

• Once everything else is disconnected, you will need to pry the sink out of the old countertop. Start with a flat-head screwdriver to loosen the adhesive around the sink. Once you have enough leverage, slip a crowbar under the lip of the sink and pry the sink from the countertop.
  
  Begin prying the backsplash from the wall, using the same method used for prying the sink. Once the countertop is loosened from the wall, you must then decide if you wish to cut it into pieces before removing it or take it out whole.
  
  

Cut and Remove

• Cut the countertop at the area where the sink was previously placed. Since this area is left with very little countertop, it is the simplest place to cut the countertop apart. Make cuts through the front and back using a power saw. Break any remaining pieces from the wall with a hammer if needed.
  
  Check with your city or town on the rules about disposing of old countertop.