You must feel irritated and frustrated when you come across a stuck zipper. A broken zipper prevents you from putting on (or sometimes taking off) your favorite clothes or accessories. And if you push too hard, the zipper can be permanently damaged. Luckily, you can easily fix a stuck zipper using just common household items. The next time you have a problem with your zipper, treat it with tweezers, pencil, or emergency lubricant.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Removing Barriers in Fabric
Step 1. Look for the fabric caught inside the zipper
The zipper sometimes doesn't work because there's a piece of cloth stuck in the teeth. Carefully inspect clothing or accessories for rips, creases, creasing, and signs of snagging. If this happens, you can fix it easily.
- Stuck objects are a common cause of immobility of zippers.
- If nothing is stuck in the teeth of the zipper, you may need to lubricate the teeth.
Step 2. Remove the fabric caught in the zipper
Once the object that makes the zipper unmovable is found, gently pull out the snagged cloth. If the barrier is small, use tweezers so you can clamp it easily. Pull the fabric in the opposite direction of the zipper and hold it.
- You can also use the tip of a safety pin to remove the fabric from the zipper teeth.
- Be careful not to pull too hard on the fabric as this could tear it.
Step 3. Run the zipper up and down
Continue to hold the snagged fabric, and begin to gently pull the zipper handle. Try moving the zipper up and down and see if the fabric can come off. Usually, you can get over a stuck zipper with constant tension, small movements, and a little patience.
If the fabric is still stuck in the zipper, the only thing you can do is take it to a tailor
Step 4. Prevent objects from snagging in the future
After the problematic zipper has been resolved, take steps to prevent the problem from happening again in the future. Fix any holes in the fabric, smooth out any wrinkles, and remove loose threads with a razor. Once you've done this, iron the fabric on both sides of the zipper to make it completely even.
- The less cloth that gets into the grooves of the teeth, the less likely it is that the zipper will jam.
- Notice any frayed edges around the zipper.
Method 2 of 3: Rubbing the Zipper with a Pencil
Step 1. Find a pencil
Look for pencils on your desk, briefcase, backpack, or drawer. For best results, we recommend using a regular wooden pencil, not a mechanical pencil. The wide end makes it easy for the graphite part (black part) of the pencil to touch the zipper.
Graphite is a natural dry lubricant that is very effective against jammed zippers
Step 2. Rub the tip of the pencil against both zipper teeth
Hold the zipper with one hand as you do this. Continue scrubbing until the graphite coats the zipper teeth. Focus on the line where the two teeth meet because this is where the zipper usually gets stuck.
- Apply light pressure so the pencil tip doesn't break.
- The graphite particles that come off the pencil will coat the edges of the zipper teeth, making it easier for you to open and close the zipper.
Step 3. Try running the zipper
Test the zipper a few times by pulling it gently and slowly. The zipper should be able to be pulled up and down easily. When you're done, wash your hands and wipe off any remaining pencil graphite with a tissue so it doesn't stain the fabric around the zipper.
Do not try to forcefully pull the zipper. This could damage the fabric or the zipper
Step 4. Repeat until the zipper can run easily
If this pencil method doesn't work right away, don't stop trying. You may have to give the teeth more graphite to allow the zipper to move more easily after the first try. Alternately rubbing the pencil and sliding the zipper back and forth until you make significant progress.
If the zipper is still difficult to move after you've applied a second layer of graphite, use another method
Method 3 of 3: Using Lubricants
Step 1. Take emergency lubricant
Look for something at home that you can use to reduce friction between the slider (handle) and the zipper teeth. This could be a bar of soap, Chapstick (a lip balm brand), or even Windex (a glass cleaner). You can use almost anything that is slick and smooth.
- Other options include wax, petrolatum (petroleum jelly), crayons, and lip balm.
- With so many effective emergency lubricant options for zipping stuck zippers, chances are you'll have one at home, at work or on the road.
Step 2. Apply lubricant directly to the zipper teeth
Start with the fused teeth and apply plenty of lubricant there. Gradually, try running the zipper slider up and down after a few minutes. When the lubricant soaks into the teeth, you will be able to move the zipper more easily.
- Try to keep the lubricant out of the fabric to prevent it from staining or discolored.
- Use another tool, such as a cotton swab, to apply a stain-causing product, such as vaseline or olive oil.
- If using Windex, spray this product all over the zipper, then wait a few minutes before testing the zipper.
Step 3. Try testing the zipper
Try pulling the zipper slider slowly to see if you can move it. Most likely the lubricant has done its job well and the zipper has turned out like new. If not, you may need to re-lubricate to make opening and closing the zipper easier.
- The lubricant will help clean the dust and dirt that has accumulated on the teeth of the zipper, which is the main cause of jamming old zippers.
- If the zipper remains stuck, take the garment to a beautician to repair or replace the zipper.
Step 4. Clean your accessories or clothes
If the item is machine-safe, you can wash it with other clothes. Otherwise, you can scrub the zipper and the area around it with a cloth that has been moistened with a mild soapy solution. It can also be a good habit to keep the zipper working.
Apart from removing any remaining grease residue, this cleaning will also remove any remaining dirt on the zipper, making it like new, and improving its performance after a long period of wear
Tips
- Periodically clean the zippers of your favorite clothes and accessories using a toothbrush and soap that leaves no residue.
- Many clothing manufacturers recommend using a lubricant specifically designed to deal with stuck zippers (eg ZipCare). However, this product is not necessarily better than the emergency lubricant you already have at home.
- When using lubricant, do a test on a hidden area of the fabric to see if it stains or not.
- Powdered graphite in bottles can also be used to deal with stuck zippers, although they tend to get dirty.
- If you have a lot of zippers to deal with, consider buying a zipper replacement kit. These kits can usually be run easily at home.
- Due to their stronger construction, most of the methods described here apply better to metal zippers than plastic ones.
- When working with metal zippers, you can use vice grips to grip the fabric and gently pull the fabric out of the bottom of the zipper.
- To repair a jeans zipper, you can remove the top support and teeth to get the zipper back in its original path.
Warning
- Lubricating the zipper with an oil-based product can cause permanent stains on the surrounding fabric.
- Don't put too much stuff in your bag, unzip clothes, or do anything else that puts too much stress on the zipper teeth.
