Topic: Hard to open bottles and jars

[zigzig]

I got some plastic bottles of pop from a certain supermarket which were impossible to open.

Whilst thinking of 'how to'

I got a mental picture of my science teacher in the first year at secondary school showing us how a brass ball would go through a small hole if one was heated.

So, I put some boiling water into a cup.Dipped the top of the bottle into it for a few seconds and it opened with a swift twist.

May be it was my guardian angel giving me a tip. But it works with other sorts of jars and bottles too.

Hope that helps some one

XX

[bridgehouse]

Thanks for that, I have a lot of trouble with them to.also a tip I learned when I worked in caterig ,tap the jar or bottle top lightly on the floor and it should do the trick.
   June.

[Deb P]

Also, put on a pair of rubber gloves when opening a stiff or stuck jar top, gives you more grip! ;D

[greenfists]

I use a pair of nutcrackers like pliers to grip tops of bottles of fizzy stuff.

[Duke Ellington]

Thanks for that, I have a lot of trouble with them to.also a tip I learned when I worked in caterig ,tap the jar or bottle top lightly on the floor and it should do the trick.
   June.

I know you said lightly but I broke a jar doing it a couple of times.  I must be heavy handed :P

[tim]

Oh, go the whole hog!!

The one costs very little & opens almost* everything.

The other costs but, for a 90 year old wife, essential.

I say almost* - you know the Vermouth etc bottles where the whole top assembly revolves & you need a wrench as well to anchor the bottom bit!!

= Tim

[gavinjconway]

Just run the top under hot water for a minute and easyily done afterwards - with a towel to stop your hand from slipping...

[Ophi]

My kitchen door will open most bottles.  Jam the lid in the hinge opening, pull closed until it grips and twist the lid off.  Have to swear at jars though so thanks for the hot water tip.   ::)

[Lishka]

The plastic-y ones, I use the hot water tip on the cap or, when the rads are on, invert the bottle and put it on that until the plastic's softened. And sometimes I've used a hairdryer...manys the bottle of Aldi bleach I've had which I couldn't open - now a thing of the past.

Jars and bottles: in my kitchen utensil jar by my cooker I've a 10" length screwdriver/1/4" flat blade,  for just the occasion. Method - invert the jar onto a non-stick surface, T-towel etc? (this is for safety-conscious peeps who think it'll never work & there'll be resultant spillage. There won't be!) Looking at your bottle/jar you'll see 3-4 indentations where, in manufacture, the lids have been pinched in to provide a seal. Target one of these. Insert the blade of 'driver between top and jar/bottle and gently lever towards the jar. A soft 'pop' will tell you that the seal is broken. Turn jar/bottle back and it opens easily 8) I find that the long screwdriver is good for use on large pickle jars, etc. as the 'driver easily lies along the length of them.

Following on from Tim, agree about the Vermouth bottles!

[lorna]

Absolutely agree with the hot water method, I do also tap very gently round the lid before putting under running hot water. My daughter told me about this method many years ago when our "opener" broke. Haven't even bothered to replace it. I used the method yesterday on a jar, I have recently torn a ligament in my wrist and still a bit painful so the method helped.

[gavinjconway]

My kitchen door will open most bottles.  Jam the lid in the hinge opening, pull closed until it grips and twist the lid off.  Have to swear at jars though so thanks for the hot water tip.   ::)

Also done this many a time in the past!!