How to Remove a Nozzle That’s Stuck to a Garden Hose

This isn’t a post about gardening exactly, but I thought this would be useful information for anyone who uses a garden hose, and runs into the same frustrating problem I just had.

I went to remove the spray nozzle from my garden hose so I could attach a fertilizer sprayer, and I couldn’t unscrew the nozzle from the hose. The nozzle felt like it had been super-glued on! I put on my rubber dishwashing gloves for a better grip, which usually gets me out of a jam. No luck. I then tried my no-fail WD-40, pliers, vice grips, a pipe wrench, and any other tool I had that would grip, including my son, Brandon. Still no luck. I sprayed it again with WD-40, let it set for a day, and tried again. It wasn’t budging. The only thing I accomplished was trashing out the nozzle trying to twist it off.

I gave up on that hose, and tried to use a different one. Low and behold, that nozzle was also stuck to the hose. I was starting to feel like I was in the Twilight Zone. I did manage to get the second one off after a lot of huffing and puffing (and a swear word or two). I always try to have an “attitude of gratitude” during times like these, and I would like to state for the record that I told myself to be grateful that I have a hose in the first place, that I have water available that runs through the hose, and finally, that this crazy weld-like seal keeps my hose from leaking. (I didn’t feel one ioda better after that positive thought, but thought I’d share anyway.)

I tell my sad story to my work buddy, “Squeak” (surprise, not his birth name), and find out that you should never leave your nozzle on your hose all winter. He’s had the same experience. Both of my hoses were stored in my garage out of the weather, but it doesn’t matter. I’m not sure of the scientific reason for this irritating phenomenon, but one thing I am sure of, is that I’m pretty bummed, because I just bought my hose last summer.

So I look to Squeak for some words of wisdom. He tells me when he couldn’t remove his nozzle, he just cut it right off the hose. So now I’m thinking to myself, “That’s pretty redneck to have a hose with no end piece on it. What kind of solution is that?!” But then he tells me that you can buy replacement threaded ends for hoses, and now I have a new lease on life knowing I can save my stubborn little hose. Who knew.

So I go to Wally World, and find what I need. The piece is called a Hose Mender, and only cost $2.88. For the end of the hose that accommodates a nozzle, I need the “Male” Hose Mender. If you understand the birds and the bees, you’ll know what I mean by that. If you don’t, I can’t explain all that here because this is a G-rated blog, and because your parents should have taught you about that already. If you happen to need the piece that attaches to your spigot, you’ll need a “Female” Hose Mender. Here’s a picture.

First I cut off the little do-jiggy that labels the part.

Next, I perform a nozzlectomy with my utility knife. (I should have been a surgeon.)

Now I loosen both screws in order to spread this piece apart so that it fits over the hose.

Here’s what it looks like after the screws have been loosened.

I slip it over the hose like so.

Now I push in the threaded piece, which is graduated to accommodate different sized hoses.

I cut the hose a little cleaner because I’m somewhat OCD, slide the piece with the screws up so it fits against the threaded piece, and then tighten the screws. It’s best to tighten one screw a half turn, then the other screw a half turn, etc…instead of tightening one side all the way and then the other. Fixed! Although I did have to spring for a new nozzle (my old one was near death anyway), this was waaaay cheaper than buying a new hose, and it’s one less piece of trash in the landfill too!

Now I can keep my garden watered and beautiful! For photos of my tiny city garden, refer to my post, “Simply My Backyard“.

The moral of the story is don’t leave your nozzle on your hose all winter. But if you forget, or run over the end of your hose with the car and bend it to smithereens, now you know just what to do. (Thanks, Squeak!)

This blog was written by Tracy Evans who is a Certified Home Stager, Certified Redesigner and a Journeyman Painter servicing the Bloomington/Normal, IL area. You can view her portfolios at www.HelpAtHomeStaging.com for more before and after photos.

If you have an interest in home decorating, organization, and home spruce ups on a budget, please feel free to check her other blog at HomeStagingBloomingtonIl. You can find additional before and after pictures on her website at www.HelpAtHomeStaging.com.