Ugly Towel Bar Ruining Your Bathroom's Vibe? Here's How To Remove It With Ease

While they may not be the room where you spend the majority of your day, bathrooms are certainly a space in a home that gets frequent use. With heavy traffic, it is important to create a space that is both functional and beautiful, but sometimes the smallest of details can disrupt the look. For instance, your attention might focus on one pesky problem, such as an ugly towel bar. Whether you plan to undertake a major renovation or simply want to make a small swap for one of the bathroom hardware trends set to dominate, sometimes you just need to remove your existing towel bar. Unfortunately, some towel bars do not have an obvious removal method and need to be carefully pried off the wall.

There are multiple towel bar mounting methods, and some are easier to remove than others. Before grabbing the tools to force yours off the wall, first confirm the type. Set screws are a common mounting method, and this style can be identified by finding a small screw on the bracket near the wall. Locking tab bars are similar but have a small tab near the wall instead of a screw. Adhesive-mounted bars have a type of glue holding them to the wall. Finally, the most difficult to remove is the kind that seems built into the wall. This kind has no obvious tabs or screws and no gap between the wall and bar in the way that adhesives do. For this removal, you will need a hammer, a utility knife, and a small pry bar.

The process for removing one of these permanent towel bars is relatively easy, but repairing the hole and damage left behind can take a bit more work. Be sure to check the brackets thoroughly to make sure your towel rack needs to be pried off to avoid unnecessary damage. Once you are certain it has no tabs or screws, use your utility knife to trace the bracket against the wall. This will cut through the adhesive or cement between the bracket and wall and reduce damage around the hole that will be visible after removal.

Next, wedge the prying bar between the wall and towel bar bracket as much as you are able. Repeatedly tap the hammer on the top of the prying bar to push it deeper between the bracket and wall, widening the gap. Once the bar is deep enough to have some leverage, gently pull the top of the bar towards you to pop the bracket out of the wall.

Once the towel rack is out, you can replace the old one with an updated version in the same place. Or, you can implement some drywall repair hacks that will save you time and money in order to fix the holes with as little difficulty as possible. If you decide to install a new towel bar, be sure to know where to put bathroom hooks and bars for the best results when drying towels so you don't have to deal with removal again.