Haha, magic water elves—love it. Silicone seals definitely hold up better, but if you're dealing with stubborn mineral buildup, citric acid can be a lifesaver. Just dissolve a tablespoon or two in warm water, soak the parts for about 20-30 mins, then rinse thoroughly. Works wonders without that lingering vinegar smell. Speaking of faucet mysteries... anyone ever tackled a cartridge replacement? First time I did one, felt like defusing a bomb—springs and tiny bits everywhere.
Haha, totally relate to the cartridge replacement anxiety—first time I did mine, I swear I spent more time chasing tiny springs across the bathroom floor than actually fixing anything. Did you use one of those cartridge puller tools? They're not strictly necessary, but man, they make life easier. Also, snapping a quick pic before disassembling saved me from a lot of confusion later... ever tried that?
"snapping a quick pic before disassembling saved me from a lot of confusion later..."
Wish I'd thought of this earlier... spent half an hour staring blankly at faucet parts scattered everywhere. Didn't even know cartridge pullers existed—are they pricey or worth grabbing for next time?
Cartridge pullers aren't too pricey, usually around $10-$20 depending on the brand and quality. Honestly, they're one of those tools you don't realize you need until you're stuck wrestling with a stubborn cartridge for half an hour. I've seen people try everything from pliers to screwdrivers to pry them out, and it usually ends up damaging something else in the process. A decent cartridge puller can save you from accidentally cracking the faucet body or scratching up the finish.
Funny enough, I learned about cartridge pullers the hard way too—spent a good chunk of time trying to remove a cartridge from an old Moen faucet at my brother's place. After nearly losing my sanity, I finally caved and grabbed one from the hardware store. Took about 30 seconds after that. Felt pretty silly afterward, but hey, lesson learned.
Speaking of faucet internals, anyone ever notice how much simpler older faucets were compared to newer models? Seems like manufacturers keep adding more plastic parts and complicated assemblies these days. Wonder if it's just cost-cutting or if there's some genuine improvement in performance or durability I'm missing...
Totally relate to your cartridge puller story—I once spent nearly an hour trying to pry out a stubborn Delta cartridge with channel locks and WD-40. Ended up scratching the faucet pretty badly, and had to replace the whole thing anyway. Lesson learned for sure. About newer faucets, I think it's partly cost-cutting, but also manufacturers trying to meet stricter water-saving regulations. More plastic usually means cheaper production, but sometimes it also helps reduce corrosion issues...though durability definitely takes a hit.
