Unstick a Zipper with Liquid Soap

Written by Charlotte Wood (last updated April 24, 2023)

Soap can be used for many things but you probably never thought that it could be utilized to free your zipper from a sticky situation. It is true, though—the soap can act as a lubricant to help free up a stuck zipper in no time.

Zippers work because of interlocking teeth that grip onto each other. If the teeth won't slide easily into place, the zipper can stick. It is this type of sticky problem that you can fix by adding a small amount of lubricant to the zipper mechanism. (If your zipper is stuck because the teeth have latched onto a piece of fabric or some other foreign object, then you'll need to work that out patiently; lubrication generally won't help.)

The idea behind the soap approach is pretty self explanatory: the slippery texture of the soap will help the zipper wiggle free. The best way to go about this particular technique is to take a small amount of the liquid soap and rub it on the zipper's teeth, moving slowly and methodically so you can ease the zipper free, rather than forcing it. You don't want to yank or tug on the zipper because that won't do anything to make the zipper come loose. If you need to you can use more soap if your initial amount isn't doing much.

The biggest thing you'll need to remember is that you need to be patient in your working of the soap and zipper—you'll make no headway if you try and force the zipper. The purpose of the soap is to lubricate the zipper and make it move more smoothly—keep it smooth and all will be well!

Author Bio

Charlotte Wood

MORE FROM CHARLOTTE

What Water to Use in Your Steam Iron

You want your steam iron to operate to the best of its capacity so you need to use the right kind of water. Not using the ...

Discover More

Picking Eyeglasses to Flatter Your Face

Now that you're out of the second grade, you need not be "four eyes," but can use your second set to highlight your ...

Discover More

Nail Art to Help You Stand Out

Nail art can be either fun or frightening and it's up to you to make that call. You want your nail art to be an outlet ...

Discover More

Keep Your Hardwood Floors Like New Bona's hardwood floor cleaner is the #1 choice of professionals. The no-residue formula is specially designed to be safe for floors, families, and the environment. Check out Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner Refill today!

More Cleaning Tips

Cleaning Embroidered Shirts

Embroidered shirts often present a unique problem when doing laundry. The reason for this is that the mixture of the ...

Discover More

Rejuvenate the Softness and Absorbency of Your Towels

It's not uncommon that your towels lose their softness and absorbency over time. In this case there are a few ways you ...

Discover More

Dealing with Bleach Damage

Bleach on your pants is never fun and almost always puts a kink in your style. The best way to avoid this predicament is ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in Cleaning Tips from Tips.Net. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is two minus 0?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in Cleaning Tips from Tips.Net. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.