How to Easily and Quickly Open a Stubborn Jar Lid

Have you ever encountered a stubborn lid? I did. In fact, I experienced it several times already.  There was this time that I was so hungry but couldn’t grab something since I had to finish my meeting. Once I was done, I rushed into the kitchen and grabbed some bread, peanut butter, and jelly. I try to unscrew the lid of the grape jelly, and it won’t open. I tried drying my hands and using a towel, but both did not work. Out of my frustration and hunger,  I just ate the bread without any spread. It was definitely a sad day.

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There are several reasons why this happens. It could be due to the glass jars being slippery, dried food or condiments getting stuck between the lid and rim, or a strong seal from the factory that creates a vacuum. When this happens to you, do not worry. There are several ways to open a stubborn jar lid. Check out these four tips by America’s Test Kitchen.

For more kitchen tips, check these out: 46 Cool Cooking Tips and DIY Kitchen Hacks

How to Open a Stubborn Jar Lid

1 – Plastic wrap

Place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the jar lid and open it up.

2 – Rubber band or rubber glove

Put a rubber band around the outside of the lid and open it up. You can also try using a rubber glove.

3 – Wooden spoon

Take a wooden spoon and start tapping it around the edge of the jar. This should hit some air pockets which help release the vacuum seal.

4 – Hot water

Try overturning the jar in a pie plate filled with hot water for about 30 seconds. After that, the seal should loosen and your lid should open for most jars.

How to Easily and Quickly Open a Stubborn Jar Lid