How to Remove a Bathroom Vanity in 9 Easy Steps

Luckily, this project does not require a full bathroom demolition. Removing a bathroom vanity can be easy if you follow straightforward instructions and work gently around more vulnerable items, like the mirror. There are a few extra steps you can take ahead of time to make the process go as smoothly as possible.

Cover Other Fixtures

You do not want a tile or piece of countertop to come loose and damage the nearby toilet or tub during the vanity removal, so take some precautions to protect nearby objects. Place a sheet of plywood over the tub if it is close to the vanity, and cover nearby objects with plastic sheeting for more protection.

Check the Vanity

You might find that your vanity is secured to the wall, making removing it more difficult. If this is the case, you may need to hire a local bathroom vanity installer for assistance with cutting the vanity into smaller pieces for removal.

There are two methods to shut off the water: turning off the valve in the cabinet beneath the sink or shutting off the main water valve to the house.

To shut off the water at the sink, open the cabinet under the sink and look for the water valves. The knobs are most likely silver and shaped like a flattened oval. There will be two of them mounted to the cabinet wall, one for the hot water and another for the cold water. Simply turn them all the way clockwise. You can do this by hand, but if the valves are too difficult to turn, use an adjustable wrench. Turn on the sink faucet to release any remaining water.

The other option is shutting off the main water valve to the house. The location of the main water valve varies with the home’s age and foundation type:

• Basements: Within 3 to 5 feet of where the main water line enters the home, which is commonly in a utility room or near a water heater.

• Crawl spaces: Near the water heater, under the kitchen sink, or inside the crawl space

• Slab foundation: Near the water heater or under the kitchen sink

Once you locate the valve, turn it all the way clockwise. If you cannot shut off the water, call a pro to help you get the project started. 

Place a towel and bucket beneath the pipes to collect any water that may release after you disconnect the plumbing. Tubes or water supply lines connect the water valves to the faucet. Use an adjustable wrench to loosen the water supply lines from the valves.

Turn the compression nut on the supply tube counterclockwise until the tube can come free from the valve. Watch for leaks. If the valve leaks water and does not stop, shut off the home’s main water supply (if you have not already).

Consider discarding the old water supply lines and replacing the tubes and fixture shut-off valves with new ones, as they only last about five to 10 years.

The drain trap, also called the P-trap, is the large pipe in the under-sink cabinet with an S- or U-shape. Place a bucket and a towel under the drain trap.

Use your hands, or channel locks for metal pipes, to turn the slip nuts on the sink tailpiece and the end of the drain trap connected to the wall counterclockwise. Slide the slip nuts away.

Gently pull the drain trap piece away from the wall and toward you. Water will release, so have the bucket handy. Stuff a cloth into the end of the pipe in the wall to trap unpleasant odors. Remove the drain trap and turn it over above the bucket to dump excess water.

For mirrors glued to the wall that you plan on keeping, you can skip this step. Otherwise, you should remove the mirror, or it could break during the vanity cabinet removal. You do not want the mirror to fall and break, so ask a friend to help steady the mirror as you use a screw gun to remove screws that attach the mirror to the wall. Gently remove the mirror from the wall with your friend’s help, as it may be heavy. Place it on a moving blanket or plastic sheet in another room.

With a utility knife, start cutting the caulk or sealant. You will find caulking along the edges of the vanity countertop where it meets the wall, along the cabinet sides that meet the wall, and on the edges between the countertop and the cabinet.

After cutting the caulk, the vanity is ready for removal. Have an extra set of hands in the room to help you lift and carry the vanity top away.

Look for any clips connecting the countertop to the cabinet, and use a screwdriver to remove the screws and clips. Take a putty knife and wedge it gently between the top of the vanity and the cabinet to loosen the vanity top. Work around the edges of the vanity top with a pry bar to fully disconnect the top of the vanity from the cabinet. Lift the vanity top away from the base.

Before you start pulling at the cabinet, look along the back edges and bottom of the vanity base. This will help you determine whether the cabinet is attached to the wall or floor.

Use a screwdriver to remove screws attaching the base to the wall or floor. For nails, you will need a pry bar. Place a wood block between the pry bar and the wall to prevent damage to the drywall.

Once you remove all screws or nails, carefully pull the cabinet away from the wall. Pull straight back and toward you, and keep any plumbing holes aligned with the valves to avoid accidentally turning them on.

You have successfully removed the old vanity, and it is almost time to install a new bathroom vanity—and maybe even install a bathroom sink. But your bathroom will be messy after pulling out the old mirror and base, so you will need to clean up before installation.

Use a putty knife to scrape away excess caulk on the walls. Patch holes or drywall damage with spackling paste and a putty knife, and repaint the wall as needed.