Do this no matter which end of the hose you’ll be working on. Detaching the hose will make it easier to work with, and removing the attachments will prevent them from getting damaged.

There are hose cutters that are made specifically for this, but you can use a heavy-duty utility knife if you don’t have one.

If it’s easier, you can put the soap onto the fitting, instead.

This might take a bit of force—just work slowly so you don’t damage the hose.

You might also need to purchase a hose clamp separately. If so, slide it onto the hose before you attach the fitting. [6] X Research source If you’re using a clamp, make sure it’s lined up over the barb of the fitting before you tighten it. Otherwise, it won’t hold the fitting in place.

If the fitting isn’t secured, it could pop loose when you have the water on full force.

You can also use a flathead screwdriver to pop out the old gasket. [8] X Research source

Faucet connectors are sometimes held in place by a connector clip so they won’t pop out when the water is on full power.

Most residential hoses have a 5⁄8 in (1. 6 cm) diameter, although some inexpensive hoses are smaller at 1⁄2 in (1. 3 cm). Professional or high-flow hoses are usually 3⁄4 in (1. 9 cm) in diameter. There are also different thread sizes, or pitches, but in the U. S. , the standard thread size is 11. 5NH (national hose) per inch. It’s pretty uncommon for taps or fittings to be a different size.

These aren’t strictly necessary, but they’re really convenient because they’ll keep you from getting sprayed in the face when you change your hose accessories.

If you have a quick-connect attachment on your sprayer and hose, just push the end of the sprayer into the connector on the end of your hose. You’ll hear a click when it snaps into place. [15] X Research source

If you have one hose that has threads on the outside, you’ll need a male-female hose connector. For a more permanent solution, use a coupler with barbed ends. Slide one end of the coupler into the end of one of the hoses and tighten the ring on the coupler to crimp the hose onto the barbs. [17] X Research source Then, attach the other hose to the other side of the coupler.

This connector is also called a Y-connector because it’s shaped like the letter Y.