6 Simple Ways to Open a Stubborn Stuck Jar Lid

Take a wooden spoon or a butter knife with the straight edge facing the lid. Give the lid of the jar a couple of firm taps. This can have the effect of disrupting the seal. After tapping, try to open the jar again.

It’s those pesky acidic tomatoes that make us exercise parts of our bodies that we didn’t really know were flabby until we tried to open the salsa jar. Same thing with chili sauces, the scoundrels. To properly seal the containers, manufacturers use a stronger vacuum seal.

1. Add Traction. Glass jars can be slippery, so something that could help is added traction.
2. Break the Seal. New jars often have a tight vacuum seal and by breaking that seal, it takes less force to open the jar.
3. Run it Under Hot Water.
4. Tap the Lid.
5. Break out the Tools.
6. Brute Force.

Here’s what you do:

1. Hold the spoon in one hand and the jar firmly in the other.
2. Nestle the spoon in the crack between the lid and the glass. Push up and back.
3. Press up with the spoon to loosen the lid.
4. Let go of the spoon and twist the lid off.

7 ways to remove a stubborn jar lid

1. Give it a whack. Sometimes jar lids get stuck due to an extra strong seal from the factory.
2. Warm water. Taylor Martin/CNET.
3. Hair dryer. Another option for heating the lid is using a hair dryer.
4. Tap above the threads.
5. A spoon or butter knife.
6. Silicon trivet.
7. Duct tape.

Sometimes, a jar previously opened might also be a little stuck. This can happen if you put it in the refrigerator. The air that is in the jar cools and therefore contracts. Tapping the bottom can break the vacuum, so it makes the jar easier to open.

Fill a sink with very hot water and submerge the candle jar. Allow the jar to soak for 5 minutes, then attempt to remove the lid. If it still doesn’t budge, return the candle jar to the hot water for another 5 minutes.

Try running hot water over the jar for a minute, wiping it down, and then opening the lid; you may find it helpful to grab on with a towel for some extra traction. The heat can help the metal expand a bit, making it easier to break the seal as it loses its grip on the edge of the jar.

Candle jars usually come with a lid, which can be used when it’s time to extinguish the flame. Simply blow out the candle gently and then cover immediately with the lid to prevent dust and dirt from getting on the wax and wick. It also helps trap the smoke.

The black that you see in the jar is due to a lack of oxygen. The jar only gets that carbon production without the necessary oxygen flow and it combusts. The updraft of those hot gases from the combustion starves the flame of oxygen and hinders diffusion of air.

While there are certain benefits to lighting one wick at a time, it will not encourage even burning. If you are concerned with the appearance of uneven burning, light all three wicks to avoid it altogether.

CANDLE BURNING TIP: Never extinguish a candle by putting on the lid. It will extinguish the flame, BUT, it also will cause a lot of stinky black smoke. The black smoke will permeate the melted wax that has all of that lovely fragrance. The next time you light the candle it will smell bad.

For candles in a container, blowing out candles can push the wick down into the wax. When the wax solidifies, the wick is buried (see photo above) and can get damaged when dug out. Blowing a candle out in a container can create substantial soot on the container.

Burning candles releases volatile organic compounds and particulate matter into the air. Particulate matter is a mixture of extremely small liquid droplets and particles that can enter your lungs. There’s concern that extended exposure to particulate matter can lead to heart and lung problems.

Hazard identified Candles which can spontaneously relight are prohibited in Canada under the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act as they can re-ignite after disposal which can potentially lead to fires.

When candles are burned, they release carcinogenic toxins (benzene, toluene, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein and) most recognizable, soot into the air. The emissions from paraffin candles contain many of the same toxins produced by burning diesel fuel.