If you try to open a bottle of wine or champagne, and suddenly the cork breaks, don't worry. You can still remove the remaining fragments. With a little ingenuity and effort, you can definitely handle this problem. There are several methods that can be used to remove the cork, such as using a screw, a knife, pushing the cork into the bottle, or pushing it out with pressure.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Pushing the Cork Out of the Bottle
Step 1. Take shoes with hard soles or towels
This method should be used as a last resort as you will have to hit the bottle against a hard surface such as a wall or tree.
- It is best not to try this method on dry walls or surfaces with sub-optimal density. Bottle blows can break or damage walls or furniture.
- This method is also very dangerous because there is a chance that the bottle will break, and the glass will shatter. Broken glass can cause serious injury. So, use this method very carefully.
Step 2. Hit the bottle butt
Wrap the bottom of the bottle in a towel or place it in the opening of a hard-soled shoe. Then, gently strike the bottom of the bottle against a hard surface.
- Shoes should be sturdy like formal shoes and have solid and even heels.
- If you have a towel, be sure to wrap the bottom of the bottle evenly so that it hits a hard surface in as flat a position as possible.
- Hit the bottle against the surface in a slow, steady rhythm. The pressure created by the blow and the movement of the liquid will slowly push the cork out of the bottle.
Step 3. Twist the remaining cork to remove it from the bottle
Once the cork begins to pop out of the bottle, hold it in your hand and twist it out.
- Don't keep hitting the bottle on the surface once you're able to hold the cork with your hands. If you keep doing this until the cork comes out completely, the liquid will come out as well.
- Even if you're planning to pull the cork, it's a good idea to let the wine or champagne sit for a few minutes to cool down before doing so. The wine may gush out once the cork is removed.
Step 4. Enjoy your wine or champagne
After successfully removing the cork fragment, you can now enjoy this hard-earned drink.
This method of pushing the cork out should be used as a last resort. It would be best if you try to push the cork into the bottle first before applying this method
Method 2 of 4: Removing the Cork with a Screw
Step 1. Take a long enough wood screw
Using sheet metal screws is also possible. To help you, prepare a hammer and screwdriver.
- In this method, all you need is a screw that is long and strong enough to work as a bottle opener.
- If you have a bottle opener, the problem will be resolved immediately because the bottle opener is designed to remove the cork from the bottle. However, this article was written to help you if you can't find a bottle opener.
Step 2. Twist the screw into the cork stopper
You must insert the screw into the cork slowly and firmly by turning it downwards.
- If you have a screwdriver, use it to insert screws without risking pushing the cork further inside.
- If the broken cork pushes down, stop. Make a small hole with the tip of the knife to insert the screw.
- Insert the screw deep enough so that it won't come off when pulled. Don't forget to leave enough room to slip the claw of the hammer that will pull the screw. Try not to turn the screw all the way through the other end of the cork. This will make it difficult for you to pull the cork out of the bottle.
Step 3. Slide the hammer claw around the screw
Once you have inserted the screws into the cork to a depth of about 1 cm, start pulling the screws.
Instead of pulling the screw straight up, the hammer should function as a fulcrum. Just like a corkscrew, the idea is to apply downward pressure on the handle of the hammer to lift the screw and cork
Step 4. Pull the cork out
Push the hammer handle down so that it acts as a lever to pull the screw as well as the cork up.
- If using a hammer as a pedestal doesn't work and the cork looks like it's about to break, try pulling it straight up.
- You can also try using your hands to grip the screw head and pull it firmly.
- Don't rush and work slowly. Cork conditions tend to be brittle due to fracture.
Method 3 of 4: Removing the Cork with a Knife
Step 1. Prepare the knife
Use a knife that is sharp and thin enough to fit through the mouth of the bottle.
For this method, it's best to use a straight-edged knife instead of a serrated knife. Straight knives slip easily into the cork, unlike serrated knives
Step 2. Insert the tip of the knife into the cork near the edge, near the neck of the bottle
Push the knife about 2.5 cm into the cork.
Do not push the knife into the center of the cork. You should insert the tip of the knife at the edge so that when it is turned it will produce a larger twist. By turning the knife and the cork together, you don't have to turn the cork like a screw. This movement is more like turning a doorknob
Step 3. Rotate the blade
While twisting, pull the knife up. Be careful when doing this as you will have to grip the blunt side of the blade.
- If you have gloves, use them to protect your fingers.
- Start rotating the knife, slowly, around the mouth of the bottle. The blade should be at an angle of about 45 degrees to provide leverage.
- You may have to slide the knife between the bottle and the cork, depending on the size of the cork you need to remove.
Step 4. Twist the cork out
Once you've managed to lift the cork so that it can be grasped with your fingers, remove the knife.
Once you don't need the knife as a lever to lift the cork, set the knife aside and remove the cork by hand. Well, now please enjoy your wine or champagne
Method 4 of 4: Pushing the Cork into the Bottle
Step 1. Clean the remaining cork flakes
Pushing the cork into the bottle is the easiest way to enjoy your drink, but unfortunately it's the messiest way. If the cork breaks and you can't pull it out using another method, you can always push it into the bottle.
- Before pushing the broken cork into the bottle, make sure you clean up any debris that remains. There's always the possibility of debris getting into the bottle, but it's easier if you can clean as much of it as possible.
- Make sure you do this in a place where you won't have a problem getting splashed by wine or champagne. It's also a good idea not to wear clothes that you like when using this method. The pressure released when pushing the cork into the bottle can cause some of the contents of the bottle to gush out.
Step 2. Push the cork into the bottle
You can push the cork with your fingers until it falls into the bottle.
Now you can pour the contents of the bottle, but remember, there is a cork and some splinters in the wine or champagne. You can filter them quickly
Step 3. Strain the wine using a coffee filter or tea strainer
Once the cork has fallen into the bottle, use a coffee filter to separate the cork and debris that has fallen into the bottle.
- If you have a coffee maker, such as a Chemex, that comes with filter paper, you can pour the wine from the bottle into the coffee container.
- The filter will catch the cork and cork debris, while the liquid will pass through the filter and into the coffee container.
- If you don't have a coffee maker, you can use any paper filter and any container.
Step 4. Pour the wine into another container
After that, you can rinse the bottle and pour the wine back into the bottle using a funnel. You may have to use another bottle. If most of the cork remains in the bottle, you can pour the wine into the carafe. Now, the wine is ready to be enjoyed.
After pushing the cork into the bottle, it may not be easy to get it out. Better you use another bottle to store the wine
Tips
- Choose an area that is easy to clean before attempting to remove the cork. Or, if the wine gushes out and hits the furniture, it won't leave a stain.
- Don't be in a hurry when trying to remove a broken cork. This job may be difficult to do.
- It's best to use the corkscrew that comes with a Swiss army knife before trying the methods suggested here.
- Wear old clothes so you won't regret it if some liquid gushes out from the pressure that builds up and hits you.
