Sticky, stuck caps are just something a condiment lover must learn to deal with. It's a year-round problem, but we notice it happening more during the summer grilling season as we tote out the jars of pickle relish, mustard, and barbecue sauce each evening. How does one un-stick a sticky cap?
Ours is a three-part solution:
1. Denial - In this phase we struggle futilely with the cap, convinced that one more rallied effort to unscrew the lid will avoid any further work on our part.
2. Apply Hot Water - Once we've accepted the inevitable, our next trick is to run the lid under warm water. We're not entirely sure of the science involved, but we think that the hot water helps expand the metal cap (loosening its grip) and also warm whatever sticky substance is preventing the cap from turning.
3. Further Struggle - If we don't already have it out, we reach for our jar opener of choice. We dry the bottle off, take a deep breath, and give the cap a good, firm twist. Making a face and grunting also seems to help.
Most of the time, this seems to do the trick. If not, we repeat these three steps until we either succeed or give up and use a different condiment instead.
A final step would be to actually clean the cap and the threads of the bottle to avoid the whole situation next time, which we will grudgingly do about half the time. A dish cloth dampened with warm water works for this and a second towel works to dry things off again.
What's your sticky bottle-opening strategy?
Related: Quick Tip: Use a Bottle Opener on a Stubborn Lid
(Image: Flickr member chispita_666 licensed under Creative Commons)
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Comments (23)
Put it in the freezer for about fifteen minutes. The cold temperatures will cause the glass and metal to contract and leave more room between cap and jar. It doesn't work every time, but often.
Rubber dish gloves. In my experience difficulty opening is more about getting a good grip than anything else.
Give the bottom of the jar a few good whacks with the palm of your hand. (Don't break the jar just a few firm pats) This usually loosens whatever is stuck enough that you can then just twist the lid off no problem!
Mouse pad. The rubbery underside provides grip and traction.
If it's a glass jar/metal lid combination, I find that submerging the jar in iced water, and pouring some hot water on top works. If it doesn't, combine this with rubber gloves.
Works every time for me. :)
I use a jar key. It's one of my favorite kitchen tools. It breaks the seal easily and allows the jar to open. They look like this:
http://www.amazon.com/JarPop-Jar-Opener-Crystal-Green/dp/B000GFD0HO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1275933638&sr=8-1
Actually, I'm pretty sure that putting hot water on it will reseal the bond...making it more difficult to remove. It's like sealing a jar when canning.
Warm water... and then wash the lid and wipe the rim of the jar to minimize the issue for next time!
I tap around the jar with the handle of a dinner knife.
Give the edge of the cap a few taps with the back of a butter knife. It might leave a few tiny dents but it works!
Hot water on the lid while the jar is cold will make the lid expand just a bit and will soften whatever substance is sticking the two together.
@instantphoebe, it shouldn't re-seal like that. When canning, the air in the jar expands and is forced out and creates a vacuume, forcing the lid down hard (and squishing the sealing compound). Warming a jar up with water you can stand to have on your hands isn't going to cause that much of an issue. Besides, I think they meant "how do you get stuck screw tops off?"
I always grab a large rubber band and wrap it around the lid to give myself more traction. Works every time.
Run under hot tap water and then give the jar a whack on the floor, lid-side down.
Always works for me!
Regular glass jar with metal lid opens easily when I stick the handle end of a tea spoon between the lid and the jar and twist or lift so that air gets "sucked" in and the lid makes the little popping sound.
No need to play with warm/cold water or freeze the jar.
Hot water.
http://thesweetest3.com/
A rubber band - but rubber dish washing gloves work really well too.
i tap the lid on the counter, gently, a few times. always open right up after that.
I just have a really good grip. I rarely am unable to get a cap open.
Seems like all the techniques (or some combination)suggested would work eventually.
To prevent the problem use plastic wrap over the jar opening and then replace the cap. This works really well with jars of honey.
I second the rubber band. I almost passed out trying to open a jar of olives; rubberband on the rim and next try popped off.
I avoid the problem entirely by quicky rinsing off the lids and wiping the lip of jars after using them and before putting them away.
Dried residue on jars grosses me out!
Hot water usually remedies the problem, but if the jar has never been opened, my mom taught me to take the heavy end of a butter knife and rap the outside edges of the lid with it. Just be careful not to hit it too hard!
@lellow - a mouse pad is brilliant! i never really use my mouse pad anyways. it always ends up sliding up on my desk as time progresses.