You must turn off the main water supply to your house or the specific line feeding the outdoor faucet. Failing to do so can result in significant water damage and a much larger plumbing emergency. After turning off the supply, open the faucet to drain any remaining water from the line.

While the listed items are recommended for convenience, you generally only need an adjustable wrench and a screwdriver (a flathead is common for older spigots). For packing, standard faucet packing washers of the correct size or specialized graphite/Teflon packing cord can often substitute jute twine if the Danco washers aren't available. Always ensure your tools are the correct size to avoid stripping nuts.

If tightening doesn't resolve the leak, it indicates that the internal packing material (whether it's a washer or twine) is worn out and needs replacement. Proceed to disassemble the faucet handle and packing nut, then carefully remove the old packing and install new material as detailed in the project steps. This usually provides a lasting fix.

Thoroughly dry the entire faucet body and surrounding area with a shop towel. Then, turn the water on to the faucet and carefully observe where the water first appears. If it's dripping or seeping directly from behind the handle, around the stem where the packing nut is located, then the packing nut is indeed the source of the leak.