A tight jar is a classic kitchen snafu, but thankfully a stuck or sealed lid is easily thwarted by some simple kitchen hacks. To start, get a grip on that lid with a rubber pot holder or glove to help you force it open. And if that doesn’t work, we’ve got plenty more handy and straightforward methods for coaxing open a stubborn jar below. Let’s liberate your canned goods together!
Things You Should Know
Get a better grip on the lid by using a rubber glove, oven mitt, or a dish towel to provide some traction. Or, wrap a rubber band or cling wrap around the lid.Try tapping a spoon around the circumference of the lid to dislodge any dried food and loosen the seal before unscrewing it.Or, hold the lid under hot, running water for 1 minute before unscrewing it to dissolve any dried food in the seal and expand the metal lid slightly.
Steps
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Rubber gloves or a dish towel
Use rubber gloves, a rag, or a jar-opening tool to add traction. Often, it’s just a problem of getting a good grip on the jar’s lid, which can be a bit slippery or awkward to hold. Get a better grip by covering the lid of the jar with a dish towel, or wearing rubber dish gloves or grippy oven mitts. Then, twist away.
As you twist, hold the jar close to your body to increase your leverage, prevent slips, and engage your back and arm muscles, rather than just your wrists.Or, pick up a specialized jar opening tool to twist the lid off with the help of some clever engineering.
Tap the lid firmly with a spoon to loosen the seal. Put the closed jar on a flat surface. Use a spoon to firmly tap all around the circumference of the lid (both on top and on the sides) about 6-12 times. Then, screw the lid off with your dominant hand. This helps break up any dried or jammy food matter around the seal of the jar, making it easier to open.
If it doesn’t work immediately, keep tapping around the edge of the jar for 30-60 seconds, then try to twist the lid off again. Sometimes it just takes a little encouragement.
