- 1). Turn off the water supply to the kitchen sink. Twist the handles of both the hot and cold supply valves clockwise to cut off the water supply. Access the cabinet beneath the kitchen sink. Set a flashlight in the cabinet to illuminate the work area.
- 2). Latch the mouth of a sink strainer wrench around the lock nut that secures the sink strainer to the sink basin; this nut sits immediately below the underside of the sink basin. Alternatively, grip the nut with a pair of slip-joint pliers. Note that only large-mouthed pliers will reach around the circumference of a strainer's nut.
- 3). Twist the wrench or pliers counterclockwise to loosen the nut. If the strainer turns as you twist the tool, stabilize the strainer by gripping it from the topside of the basin with your hand or with pliers. To prevent the pliers' teeth from scratching the strainer, place a rag between the pliers and the strainer.
- 4). Loosen and remove the strainer's nut. Catch the washers and gaskets that sit on top of the nut. Set the nut, washers and gaskets aside. Tap or push the strainer from the underside of the sink to push it out of the sink basin's opening. Alternatively, gently pry the strainer from the topside of the basin with a putty knife.
- 5). Scrape old putty from the topside of the sink basin and from the underside of the strainer's flange. Wipe remaining putty from the basin and flange with a rag. Roll a ball of plumber's putty into a thin cylinder, roughly one-eighth inch thick. Wrap the cylinder of putty around the underside of the strainer flange until the ends of the cylinder meet.
- 6). Pinch and seal the ends of the putty cylinder to create a ring of plumber's putty around the underside of the strainer's flange. Replace the flange in the basin's opening. Press the underside of the flange and putty ring against the topside of the sink basin's opening.
- 7). Move to the cabinet beneath the sink. Place the removed washers and gaskets over the strainer's shank. Place the removed nut onto the strainer's shank and twist clockwise to thread the nut onto the strainer. Keep threading until the nut presses the washers and gaskets against the underside of the basin.
- 8). Grip the topside of the strainer by hand or with pliers; use a rag to protect the strainer from the pliers' teeth. Attach a strainer wrench or slip-joint pliers to the strainer nut and twist clockwise to tighten the nut. Tighten the nut until the strainer flange firmly presses against the topside of the basin and pushes out excess putty. Scrape excess putty from the basin with a scraper or putty. Fill the basin with water to check the repair for leaks.
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