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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow
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Home and Garden
Home Maintenance
Bathrooms
How to Remove a Towel Bar Co-authored by Josh Goldenberg and Hunter Rising
Last Updated: January 23, 2026 References
Towel Bars with Screws
|
Towel Bars with Tabs
|
Towel Bars with Adhesive
|
Tips
|Show more|Show less X
This article was co-authored by Josh Goldenberg and by wikiHow staff writer, Hunter Rising. Josh Goldenberg is a Residential Remodeling Expert and the Co-Founder of 5blox, based in the Greater Los Angeles area. With more than seven years of experience, Josh and his team specialize in luxurious and sustainable home renovations. 5blox is fully licensed and bonded. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 25,700 times.
So you want to update or get rid of the towel bar in your bathroom, but how can you get the old one off of the wall? Even if there aren't any visible screws on the towel bar, you can easily remove it from your wall with tools that you probably have at home already. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about uninstalling the most common types of towel racks!
Steps
Method 1 Method 1 of 3:
Towel Bars with Screws
1 Loosen the set screws on the bottoms of the towel bar posts. Look for the screw hole on the underside of the post near where it connects to the wall. Use an allen wrench for a hew screw or a Philips-head screwdriver if the towel bar uses standard screws. Turn the screws counter-clockwise until they’re loose and the towel bar easily wiggles on the brackets.[1]XResearch source
If you don’t see screw holes or screws on the posts, try lightly pulling the bases of the posts away from the wall. They may slide up on the post and expose hidden screws. If not, then the towel bar is held on with adhesives.
If there is small slot in the bottoms of the posts but can’t see a screw inside, then the towel bar has tabs that you need to press down to remove it.
2 Lift the towel bar and posts off of the wall brackets. Once you loosen the set screws, the towel bar will easily come off of the wall. Hold onto the posts to support the bar’s weight and gently lift it up and away from your wall.[2]XResearch source
If the towel bar still sticks to the wall, then loosen the screws more since they’re still catching on the wall brackets.
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3 Unscrew the brackets hanging on the wall. You’ll either have small metal brackets or larger cylindrical brackets still attached to your wall. Use a screwdriver to turn the screws counter-clockwise to loosen and remove them completely from the wall.[3]XResearch source
Some brackets are screwed directly into your wall while others may screw into a wall anchor in your drywall. You can pull out the wall anchor carefully with a pair of needlenose pliers.
Advertisement Method 2 Method 2 of 3:
Towel Bars with Tabs
1 Push a flat-head screwdriver into the release slot on one of the posts. Look for a small slot on the bottom of the post near where it connects to the wall. Gently poke the end of the flat-head screwdriver into the slot as far as you can and hold it in place to keep the tab released.[4]XResearch source
Some towel bars without set screws have a specific way to adjust and remove by twisting the side mounts horizontally away from the bar.[5]X Expert Source Josh GoldenbergResidential Remodeling ExpertExpert Interview
2 Lift the post and bar off of the bracket. Keep your screwdriver pressed in the slot so the tab doesn’t relatch to the bracket. Slowly lift the bottom of the post up and away from the wall until it comes off of the bracket. The bar should easily pull out from the end of the post still attached to the wall.[6]XResearch source
If the bar doesn’t come off easily, ask a helper to release the tab on the second post so you can remove both posts and the bar at the same time.
Make sure the bar is pushed all the way to the opposite end from the side you are trying to remove.[7]X Expert Source Josh GoldenbergResidential Remodeling ExpertExpert Interview
3 Remove the second post. Once you get the first post and bar off, take the second one off the same way. Push your screwdriver into the slot until you feel it press down on the release tab, and then carefully pull it away from your wall.[8]XResearch source
4 Take the wall brackets out with a screwdriver. Your towel bar clipped into brackets attached to the wall, so turn the screws counter-clockwise with your screwdriver to loosen them.[9]XResearch source
If you plan on installing a new towel bar, then you may be able to reuse the brackets.
Advertisement Method 3 Method 3 of 3:
Towel Bars with Adhesive
1 Put painter’s tape on the wall surrounding the posts. Since it takes a little more work to fully remove adhesive towel bars, there’s a slight chance you could ding or dent the surrounding wall. Cut off strips of painter’s tape and place them around the base of each post.[10]XResearch source
2 Try prying the posts off with a putty knife and hammer. Put on a pair of safety glasses to protect yourself from any pieces that could break off. Position the blade of the putty knife flat between the towel bar’s post and the wall. Gently tap the end of the knife with a hammer to cut through the adhesive.[11]XResearch source
Adhesive used to secure towel bars is heavy-duty, so there’s a chance that it could damage the wall underneath when you remove it. You’ll reduce the risk of damage as long as you work slowly and carefully.
3 Use an oscillating multi-tool to cut through stubborn adhesive. An oscillating multi-tool has a sharp blade that quickly rotates to slice through the wall adhesive. Put on a pair of safety glasses and a dust mask, and place the blade flush against the wall near the base of the wall post. Turn the tool on and slowly guide it between the wall and towel bar post to cut through it. Once you remove the first post, then take out the second post the same way.[12]XResearch source
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Tips
If there’s any damage to your wall from removing the towel bar, patch the holes to repair them. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
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Co-authored by: Josh Goldenberg Residential Remodeling Expert This article was co-authored by Josh Goldenberg and by wikiHow staff writer, Hunter Rising. Josh Goldenberg is a Residential Remodeling Expert and the Co-Founder of 5blox, based in the Greater Los Angeles area. With more than seven years of experience, Josh and his team specialize in luxurious and sustainable home renovations. 5blox is fully licensed and bonded. This article has been viewed 25,700 times. 4 votes - 75% Co-authors: 4Updated: January 23, 2026 Views: 25,700 Categories: Bathrooms
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Yes No Advertisement If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission.Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Josh Goldenberg Residential Remodeling Expert 4 votes - 75% Click a star to vote Co-authors: 4Updated: January 23, 2026 Views: 25,700
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Co-authored by: Josh Goldenberg Residential Remodeling Expert This article was co-authored by Josh Goldenberg and by wikiHow staff writer, Hunter Rising. Josh Goldenberg is a Residential Remodeling Expert and the Co-Founder of 5blox, based in the Greater Los Angeles area. With more than seven years of experience, Josh and his team specialize in luxurious and sustainable home renovations. 5blox is fully licensed and bonded. This article has been viewed 25,700 times. 4 votes - 75% Co-authors: 4 Updated: January 23, 2026 Views: 25,700 Categories: Bathrooms 
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1 Loosen the set screws on the bottoms of the towel bar posts. Look for the screw hole on the underside of the post near where it connects to the wall. Use an allen wrench for a hew screw or a Philips-head screwdriver if the towel bar uses standard screws. Turn the screws counter-clockwise until they’re loose and the towel bar easily wiggles on the brackets.[1] 
2 Lift the towel bar and posts off of the wall brackets. Once you loosen the set screws, the towel bar will easily come off of the wall. Hold onto the posts to support the bar’s weight and gently lift it up and away from your wall.[2] 
3 Unscrew the brackets hanging on the wall. You’ll either have small metal brackets or larger cylindrical brackets still attached to your wall. Use a screwdriver to turn the screws counter-clockwise to loosen and remove them completely from the wall.[3] 
1 Push a flat-head screwdriver into the release slot on one of the posts. Look for a small slot on the bottom of the post near where it connects to the wall. Gently poke the end of the flat-head screwdriver into the slot as far as you can and hold it in place to keep the tab released.[4] 
2 Lift the post and bar off of the bracket. Keep your screwdriver pressed in the slot so the tab doesn’t relatch to the bracket. Slowly lift the bottom of the post up and away from the wall until it comes off of the bracket. The bar should easily pull out from the end of the post still attached to the wall.[6] 
3 Remove the second post. Once you get the first post and bar off, take the second one off the same way. Push your screwdriver into the slot until you feel it press down on the release tab, and then carefully pull it away from your wall.[8] 
4 Take the wall brackets out with a screwdriver. Your towel bar clipped into brackets attached to the wall, so turn the screws counter-clockwise with your screwdriver to loosen them.[9] 
1 Put painter’s tape on the wall surrounding the posts. Since it takes a little more work to fully remove adhesive towel bars, there’s a slight chance you could ding or dent the surrounding wall. Cut off strips of painter’s tape and place them around the base of each post.[10] 
2 Try prying the posts off with a putty knife and hammer. Put on a pair of safety glasses to protect yourself from any pieces that could break off. Position the blade of the putty knife flat between the towel bar’s post and the wall. Gently tap the end of the knife with a hammer to cut through the adhesive.[11] 
3 Use an oscillating multi-tool to cut through stubborn adhesive. An oscillating multi-tool has a sharp blade that quickly rotates to slice through the wall adhesive. Put on a pair of safety glasses and a dust mask, and place the blade flush against the wall near the base of the wall post. Turn the tool on and slowly guide it between the wall and towel bar post to cut through it. Once you remove the first post, then take out the second post the same way.[12] Advertisement 
Advertisement If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission.Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy.