How to Fix a Loose Lever Doorknob with Hidden Screws

There is nothing more irritating than a loose knob on a door that you use often every single day. But it is because that knob is so frequently used that it is more prone to having problems. While it’s easy to tighten a lever when its screws are exposed, it gets a little tricky to fix one with screws you can’t even see.  Here’s a quick guide on how to tighten that loose lever doorknob with hidden screws:

1. Look for a small hole usually on the right side of the lever base and insert the end of a paper clip to release the detent, thus allowing you to remove the lever. A detent is a spring-activated pin or plate that is fixed to the spindle and that sticks out into a notch in the lever to avoid rotation.
2. After the lever has been detached, remove the decorative trim ring that covers the backing plate of the doorknob using a flat blade screw driver. Make sure it’s the trim ring you are removing and not the backing plate.
3. Now that the backing plate and screws are exposed, tighten the long screws that run through the backing plate.
4. Snap the trim ring back onto the backing plate.
5. Insert and slide the lever back onto the spindle.

In just 5 easy steps, your lever door knob can be returned to great condition.