# How do you open glass jars ? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 27, 2007, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-open-glass-jars/389669 "2007-01-27T02:08:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2007, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-open-glass-jars/389669/21 "2007-01-27T13:13:01Z")
I use a rubber glove. If that doesn’t work, I ask Mr. K for help. If he’s not around, I’ve closed a door on it and then turned it. It works best with very small caps (the hinge side is more effective than the non-hinge side). ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2007, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-open-glass-jars/389669/22 "2007-01-27T13:40:38Z")
I have a whole drawer full of strange devices for this purpose, but lately I’ve been using a screwdriver to break the vacuum. Just gently pry it under the edge of the lid. Sometimes I have to try 2 or 3 different spots along the rim, but it always works. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2007, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-open-glass-jars/389669/23 "2007-01-27T13:48:09Z")
[QUOTE=AskNott] If simple torsional brute force won’t do it without joint pain, turn the rascal upside down and bonk it straight down on a countertop or the floor; then it will come right off. I have a textured rubber thingie from a local bank and a lever advantage-and-teeth device from Brookstone, but they don’t work as well as the upside down bonk. [/QUOTE] Agreed. My technique as well and it has never failed me. - Tamerlane ---
**Author:** ![WishIHadACoolName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a587f6/32.png) [@WishIHadACoolName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WishIHadACoolName)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2007, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-open-glass-jars/389669/24 "2007-01-27T16:08:08Z")
If no rubber grippy thingie is available, just keep the rubber band next time you buy bunched broccoli. Stretch the rubber band around the jar lid. This provides proper grippitude. Really, any rubber band will work, as long as it’s sorta wide. ---
**Author:** ![Alpine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpine/32/17813_2.png) [@Alpine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpine)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2007, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-open-glass-jars/389669/25 "2007-01-27T16:14:33Z")
I just spank it on the bottom. A sharp blow with the side of a closed fist in that curved area in the base usually breaks the seal. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2007, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-open-glass-jars/389669/26 "2007-01-27T17:20:50Z")
I second **panache45** ’s screwdriver technique, if the jar doesn’t just up and open with a reasonable amount of twisting. Once it’s open it helps to keep the threads clean. Marmite’s particularly prone to becoming gummed up. On a related topic, my son once discovered that if you turn a tin of paint upside down and drum vigorously on it, the lid is quite likely to come off. :eek: :smack: ---
**Author:** ![catsix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@catsix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catsix)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2007, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-open-glass-jars/389669/27 "2007-01-27T17:22:21Z")
> [@](#): > > **justqwerty** said: > I usually turn the lid anti-clockwise > does it mean that occasionally you turn it clockwise ? If I don’t want the lid to come off, yeah. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2007, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-open-glass-jars/389669/28 "2007-01-27T17:32:41Z")
[QUOTE=Cheesesteak] I have the rubber mat thing, if I have a grip problem. Other than that it’s just clench the teeth, let a few veins pop up and GRRRRRRRRRR!!! . [/QUOTE] I have a little, textured rubber thing too. It’s from the dollar store. It was labelled “jar opener”. Perfect to give you the extra grip you need to muscle it open. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2007, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-open-glass-jars/389669/29 "2007-01-27T21:30:24Z")
Oh, and that textured rubber square will peel garlic, too! Roll up a clove or two in the rubber, and roll it back and forth under your hand. It’s not much easier than some other methods, but your fingers don’t get as sticky. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-open-glass-jars/389669/30 "2007-01-28T02:11:59Z")
[QUOTE=Malacandra] Marmite’s particularly prone to becoming gummed up. [/QUOTE] It’s a hint that it belongs in the jar. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-open-glass-jars/389669/31 "2007-01-28T02:17:34Z")
One of [these.](http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Good-Grips-21181-Opener/dp/B00004OCIV) Or I turn it upside down and smack the jar smartly on the counter three times. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-open-glass-jars/389669/32 "2007-01-28T02:19:58Z")
A slightly damp cotton teatowel is quite good for improving grip, I find. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-open-glass-jars/389669/33 "2007-01-28T02:38:59Z")
[QUOTE=Cheesesteak] My parent’s had a [Gilhoolie](http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/jump.jsp?itemID=30273&itemType=PRODUCT&path=1%2C2%2C6%2C45%2C223&KickerID=903&KICKER) that’s a fun kitchen gadget. [/QUOTE] My parents had something like that too! Nowadays, if I can’t get a jar open with my bare hands, I’ll try using my shirt to get a better grip on it. (This works well for twist-off beer caps, too.) If that doesn’t work, either the hot water method or my [strap wrench](http://www.amazon.com/American-Science-Surplus-STRAP-WRENCH/dp/B0001CUMX2) will do the trick. ---
**Author:** ![Annie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/858c86/32.png) [@Annie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-open-glass-jars/389669/34 "2007-01-28T02:49:35Z")
This [little lid lifter](http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.aspx?c=2&p=44271&cat=2,40733,40734) burps the air out and it pretty much works like a big beer bottle opener. ---
**Author:** ![Full\_Metal\_Lotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Full\_Metal\_Lotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Full_Metal_Lotus)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-open-glass-jars/389669/35 "2007-01-28T02:51:30Z")
Senario: 1. Wife takes out jar of preserves, and attempts to open it. No Luck. 2. She calls hubby into room, who struggles furiously with jar for three minutes, using all of the above mentioned techniques (tapping, hot water, etc) Again, no luck. 3. Husband shrugs and hands jar back to wife, saying “the preserves have glued it shut”, or some such. 4. Wife gives jar one final try. Lid practically falls off, with almost no effort by wife. NOTE: Someone sahould do a study on this effect… Regards FML ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-open-glass-jars/389669/36 "2007-01-28T03:11:26Z")
[QUOTE=Full Metal Lotus] Senario: 1. Wife takes out jar of preserves, and attempts to open it. No Luck. 2. She calls hubby into room, who struggles furiously with jar for three minutes, using all of the above mentioned techniques (tapping, hot water, etc) Again, no luck. 3. Husband shrugs and hands jar back to wife, saying “the preserves have glued it shut”, or some such. 4. Wife gives jar one final try. Lid practically falls off, with almost no effort by wife. NOTE: Someone sahould do a study on this effect… [/QUOTE] I’ve done something similar many, many times where I could hear my missus struggling with a jar (to her credit she always gave it a good go herself first), then she’d admit defeat and bring the jar to me to open. The lid would almost fall off into my hands. Another second and she would have popped it. I could have acted all macho: “see how easy it is?” but I actually was honest and told her that she’d done 99.9% of the work herself. She didn’t believe me - thought I was being modest. ---
**Author:** ![threnodyangelfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@threnodyangelfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threnodyangelfire)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-open-glass-jars/389669/37 "2007-01-28T03:20:22Z")
I read something years ago that if you roll the jar along the kitchen floor it will make it open easier. In my experience it works too! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-open-glass-jars/389669.md?page=1)