# Forum Home Renovation Plumbing  Mixer tap stiff

## Smurf

I've noticed that the mixer tap in the kitchen seems to be getting fairly stiff to operate recently. This affects both up/down (on/off) as well as left/right (hot/cold) adjustment - it's all just getting stiff to operate. 
Do these need lubricating or anything like that? I can't even see how to get it apart... 
Only indication I can see regarding the brand is "Base" written on the handle. It's a very typical looking kitchen mixer tap and is connected under the sink using flexible hoses. 
I'm not sure how old it is, but I bought the house late 2007 and the kitchen looked fairly new at the time.

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## wonderplumb

Isolate hot and cold water to the mixer.
Pull the handle off, there should be a grub screw usually under the lever itself and hidden behind the little red and blue plastic button that identifies hot and cold. 
Under this there will be a large brass nut which holds the cartridge in, undo this and remover the cartridge, it should come out as a whole unit. 
On the cartridge usually down the bottom you will find two or three positions where the plastic housing clicks together, with a small screwdriver undo these clips and remove plastic cover, carefully as inside is the guts of it, a series of ceramic discs and rubber O rings. Take note of how it is assembled, pull it to pieces, clean it all up and re assemble with an approved tap lubricant, preferably a silicone based tap and O ring grease. 
Give this a go, it usually works wonders. If not, Base flickmixers are just about at the bottom of the heap and you will find one for around the $80 mark.

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## Smurf

Thanks Wonderplumb. I'll give it a go... 
I'm not surprised to find out that it's a cheap unit - I'm pretty confident the previous owners weren't too keen on spending money (something I considered when making an offer to buy the house).

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