Why is my kitchen sink sprayer not working?

Most often the hose has kinked, split, or come loose, or the sprayer head is clogged with mineral scale. Reach under the sink and check the hose for a kink where it loops under the basin, and feel for a split or a loose connection at the faucet nipple. If the head sputters or barely sprays but the hose is fine, soak the head in white vinegar to dissolve scale, or the diverter valve inside the faucet body may be failing. A hose that leaks under the sink or a head that will not spray usually means replacing the hose or head.

How do I disconnect the old sprayer hose?

Turn off the water at the shut-offs, then reach under the sink and unscrew the hose's coupling nut from the sprayer nipple on the underside of the faucet body — hold the nipple steady and turn the nut counterclockwise, usually by hand or with pliers. For a pull-down or pull-out faucet, disconnect the quick-connect fitting or the weight and the hose coupling instead. Once the hose is free at the faucet, pull the sprayer head and hose up and out through the sink deck opening. Keep a towel handy for residual water.

What is the difference between a side sprayer and a pull-down sprayer?

A side sprayer is a separate spray head sitting in its own hole beside the faucet, fed by a hose that connects to a nipple under the faucet body — the simplest type to replace. A pull-down or pull-out sprayer is built into the faucet spout itself; you pull the head out on a hose that retracts with a weight and connects via a quick-connect fitting under the sink. Both are DIY, but the pull-down type routes through the faucet and uses the manufacturer's specific hose, so match the replacement to your faucet.

Why does my sink sprayer leak under the sink?

Usually the hose connection at the faucet nipple is loose or missing a washer, the hose itself is split, or on a pull-down faucet the quick-connect is not fully seated. Tighten the coupling nut hand-tight plus a small nudge and confirm the rubber washer is present. If the hose is cracked anywhere along its length, replace it — a split hose sprays inside the cabinet every time you use it. On pull-down faucets, push the quick-connect together until it clicks fully home.

Do I need to replace the sprayer head too?

Not necessarily — if the head sprays fine and only the hose is bad, replace just the hose (on side sprayers the head and hose often come as one unit anyway). If the head is clogged, cracked, or the trigger sticks, replace it too. For pull-down faucets, the head and hose are usually matched to the faucet brand, so buy the replacement that fits your model. A quick test: with a good hose, if the head still sputters after a vinegar soak to clear scale, replace the head.

How to Replace a Sink Sprayer Hose: 20-Minute Fix

Written & researched by Priya Anand DIY & Tools Editor

Updated August 2026

Close-up detail of the material being worked in a diy plumbing project, in soft overcast light

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Replacing a sink sprayer hose is a quick DIY job — about 20 minutes, $10 to $30 for the hose or head-and-hose unit, no permit and no plumber. A sprayer that leaks under the sink, kinks, or will not spray is usually a bad hose. You shut off the water, disconnect the hose at the faucet nipple, drop the old one out, and thread and route the new one. Side sprayers are the simplest; pull-down sprayers use the faucet's own matched hose, so buy to fit your model.

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Kitchen Sink Pullout Spray Hose Replacement — Mercury Stardust

First, identify your sprayer type

A side sprayer sits in its own hole beside the faucet and connects to a nipple under the faucet body — the easiest to replace, and the head and hose often come as one unit. A pull-down or pull-out sprayer is built into the faucet spout, with a weighted, retracting hose and a quick-connect fitting under the sink; buy the replacement matched to your faucet brand.

Golden-hour view of a person's hands tightening a fitting under a kitchen sink with a wrench

Tools and materials

The replacement hose (or head-and-hose unit) that matches your sprayer type and faucet.
Channel-lock pliers or an adjustable wrench, a flashlight, and a towel.
Plumber's putty or a gasket (for a side-sprayer base), and PTFE tape.
Basic hand tools — see best plumbing tools.

Step 1: Shut off the water and clear the cabinet

Close both shut-off valves under the sink and open the faucet to relieve pressure. Clear the cabinet and get a light on the underside of the faucet. Put a towel down for the small amount of water in the hose.

Low-angle view of a person's hands tightening a fitting under a kitchen sink with a wrench, in warm late-afternoon light

Step 2: Disconnect the old hose

Reach under the sink and unscrew the hose coupling nut from the sprayer nipple on the underside of the faucet body — hold the nipple steady and turn the nut counterclockwise. On a pull-down faucet, disconnect the quick-connect fitting and remove the counterweight clipped to the hose. Then pull the sprayer head and hose up and out through the deck hole.

Step 3: Route the new hose

Feed the new hose down through the sprayer base or the faucet spout, guiding the sprayer head into position on top. Route the hose under the sink so it hangs in a smooth loop with room to extend and retract — no kinks and nothing pinching it against the cabinet or other lines, which is the most common reason a new sprayer fails or leaks.

Step 4: Connect and secure

Thread the hose coupling onto the sprayer nipple — hand-tight plus a small nudge with pliers, with PTFE tape on the threads and the washer seated. On a pull-down faucet, push the quick-connect together until it clicks fully home and re-clip the counterweight at the correct height so the head retracts. For a side sprayer, seal the base to the sink with plumber's putty or its gasket.

Over-the-shoulder view of a person's hands tightening a fitting under a kitchen sink with a wrench, in soft overcast light

Step 5: Turn on the water and test

Open the shut-offs slowly. Run the faucet, then engage the sprayer and check the connection under the sink for leaks while it is under pressure. Confirm the head sprays cleanly and retracts smoothly. Any drip under the sink means the coupling needs a touch more tightening or the washer re-seating; a sputtering head that is otherwise fine can be soaked in vinegar to clear scale.

Common mistakes

Kinking or pinching the new hose under the sink, causing weak flow or a leak.
A generic hose that does not match a pull-down faucet brand and fitting.
Forgetting the counterweight on a pull-down hose, so the head will not retract.
Overtightening the coupling or leaving out the washer.

When to call a pro

This is DIY for everyone, with no permit. The only reason to consider help is if the problem turns out not to be the hose or head but the diverter valve inside the faucet body — the part that redirects water to the sprayer. Replacing a diverter means opening the faucet, and if parts for an old faucet are unavailable, a full faucet replacement may be the better value.

How to Replace a Sink Sprayer Hose