My kitchen faucet moves left/right via concentric cylinders. IIRC, they're brass. It's getting stiff and I want to lubricate it. What can I use that's non-toxic and harmless to the O-rings? Probably can't be water-soluble either.
I'd clean or replace them. Grease may swell an o-ring. Happened to me when I put Vaseline on one.
There are food safe silicone lubes for o-rings, but as you say, replacing is probably the best bet long term.
Mike,
Plumber's Grease is commonly used. Any hardware store should have some.
Dave M.
There are food safe synthetic greases on the market - Synco Super Lube is one I have used a fair bit of.
Silicone should be OK. I mention replacement as they sound like Moen cartridges which last forever. I had so much trouble removing a 35 year old plus cartridge from my tub that I hired a plumber to do the one in my shower.
My kitchen faucet moves left/right via concentric cylinders. IIRC, they're brass. It's getting stiff and I want to lubricate it. What can I use that's non-toxic and harmless to the O-rings? Probably can't be water-soluble either.
Some Key jelly will do the trick.
try some ear wax on a q-tip
Sorry Mike some of us having little fun. Go to pool supply store must of them carry grease that is use on gaskets for water pumps and filters this should do the job!!
My kitchen faucet moves left/right via concentric cylinders. IIRC, they're brass. It's getting stiff and I want to lubricate it. What can I use that's non-toxic and harmless to the O-rings? Probably can't be water-soluble either.
yes, earwax is a self-cleaning agent, with protective, lubricating and antibacterial properties.
Yep, thats what I was gonna suggest. I've used it for decades and it works well. It's made for faucets so it has to be non-toxic, (and should say so on the label).
I looked into some of the suggestions. Some say, "not for use on rubber gaskets." That doesn't meet the requirements so graciously snipped early on. I haven't found any that actually say you can drink the water that flows thru it.
My research suggests that "plumber's grease" is intended to be used on the part of the fixture where the valve shaft exits the body. Any water force from inside pushes it out of the fixture. The place I want to use it is INSIDE the water channel. Water force pushes it inside ME.
One of the original options was to replace the o-rings. You could have been done by now and had water with no worries about contamination.
Two types of people in the world. Those that research endlessly and those that actually get the job done.
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