How to Replace a Shower Toe Tester

Lay sheets or towels in the bottom of the shower. This helps to protect the floor finish while you are working inside the shower.

Feel for a small hole on the underside of the toe tester. Like a standard tub spout, some toe testers have a set screw that secures the spout to the plumbing pipe. If your tester has a set screw, remove it with either a hex wrench or a Phillips screwdriver. Pull the toe tester straight off the plumbing pipe.

Place a cotton cloth over the top of the toe tester spout if the spout is not secured by a set screw. Adjust the jaws of a pipe wrench over the cloth and spout as close to the shower wall as possible.

Turn the toe tester counterclockwise, using the pipe wrench. Once the toe tester is loose enough to turn easily, continue turning it counterclockwise by hand until it is off the plumbing pipe. Clean the pipe threads with a stiff wire brush, removing any sediment and old plumber's tape.

Purchase a replacement toe tester that mounts exactly the same as your existing toe tester. Wrap plumber's tape clockwise around the plumbing pipe threads if your toe tester screws on. Thread the toe tester onto the pipe until the escutcheon, or decorative shield, is against the wall. Wrap a cloth around the toe tester, and turn the tester clockwise with the pipe wrench until the spout is pointing to the shower floor.

Slip the toe tester onto the plumbing pipe if the toe tester is a slip-on type. Push the toe tester against the wall until the back of the escutcheon plate is flush against the wall. Hold the toe tester in place; install the set screw.