I had a dripping Blanco mixer tap, model opera 6000. First isolate the water supply. You prise off the red and blue buttons in the tap ends to expose the screws that hold the tap handles on. With the taps off you remove the cartridge assembly with a 17mm spanner (and a drop of WD40 and a bit of brute force!). You're not supposed to change the washers as they are built in and not a standard size, though it might be worth gently prising out the red and blue washers and replacing them turned around for a temporary fix, if they haven't deteriorated too much. I discovered(after a very frustrating day) that the generic replacement cartridges you get from plumbers & hardware stores are all very slightly the wrong length for the taps! The only valve cartridges that fit, as far as I know, are the ones from Blanco - call them on 01709 819 077, they were very helpful and they'll post them the same day. They also charge £30 for the pair, though! It's quite a bit more than the 50p washer replacement I thought it would be, but it's a simple DIY job once you've got the parts and in my book it's worth it not to have to listen to a constantly dripping tap!
Miles Offside, January 2010
