- 1). Go under the sink, and place a bucket under the sink trap connection to the wall drain pipe. Loosen, but do not remove, the slip nut connecting the back of the sink trap to the wall pipe with slip joint pliers. Some water will drip from the connection and into the bucket.
- 2). Loosen the slip nut connecting the drain pipe to the bottom of the sink strainer with the slip joint pliers. Push the sink drain out of your way. Loosening the first slip nut allows the drain to swing out of the way without completely disconnecting the drain pipe system.
- 3). Turn the lock nut securing the sink strainer to the sink counterclockwise with a pipe wrench. If the strainer turns with the nut, ask a friend to wedge a screwdriver into the strainer above the sink. Turn the lock nut while your helper holds the strainer with the screwdriver. Remove the lock nut completely from the strainer. Slide the paper washer and rubber washer off the strainer threads.
- 4). Go to the top of the sink, and insert a putty knife between the strainer flange and the sink. Pry the strainer from the sink hole with the putty knife. Pull the strainer out of the sink. Scrape any residual putty from around the sink hole with the putty knife, and clean the area with a rag to prep it for installing a new strainer.
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