How to fix a zipper : 11 best tips for quick and easy repair

Knowing how to fix a zipper is probably one of the most useful fashion hacks you’ll ever learn we are attempting to share with you the best tips for quick and easy repair. The reason is, almost every shirt, jacket, skirt, and slacks in your closet has at least one zipper. But this is not always an easy solution. In fact, broken zippers are undoubtedly the most difficult type of clothing to repair because as you try to move the zipper up and down (in various states of distress), often, the zipper can be damaged.

Here, as part of our ongoing Style Lab series, we’re rounding up the best zipper repair tricks using household items like petroleum jelly, crayons, and even nail polish — based on ‘what you have in hand.

Scroll down to find quick and easy solutions to get you back on track. There can be many reasons why your zipper breaks. First, let’s make sure we know the name of each part of the zip (including teeth, slider, and puller) so that the instructions for fixing it are as clear as possible:

how to fix a zipper

If the zipper is split or damaged and closed

how to fix split zip

1. Use PLIERS

Does your braces seem to be working well but as soon as they are closed, all the teeth fall out? So, the problem is the slider (AKA – the part needed to lock the teeth together). Over time, these slides begin to loosen and loosen, making them less effective at keeping the teeth in place. While you can take your clothes to the dry cleaners to replace the entire mattress, there’s an easy and cheap hack you can try first (because nobody wants to load a new mattress if you can fix the one you don’t do quickly. ) you already have) .

While the slide is still attached to the garment, grab one pair quickly. The part of the slider that connects to the zipper (at the top of the garment) is called the top. The side of the slide that faces into the suit is called the bottom.

Use your tweezers to pinch the top and bottom plates together to help return the slide to its original solid state.

A simple way to measure if the integration is working is to check that the gap between the two areas (where the teeth live) is closed.

Be careful not to press too hard as too much pressure can damage the cursor. The goal is to do this little by little, turning the plates on each side of the puller until it is straight.

If the cursor leaves the track

2. Grab the SCREWDRIVER

If one or both sides of the slider come off the track, the zipper does not need to be replaced, only the slider needs to be put back in place. To do this, you must first find the ‘bottom’ of the zip. The bottom of the hood is usually the end closest to the floor when wearing a suit.

If you don’t know which is the right side, look for the end on the square tab of the fabric after the end of the zipper. Then put the teeth of this end into the slide. If you need to apply more force to push the teeth into place, use a flathead screwdriver. Once the teeth are on both sides of the slide, use a puller to lift it up and down the track to lock it in place.

If the zip is stuck:

3. Use PLIERS

First, check if anything is stuck in the zipper, such as another garment or even an unwanted string. If possible, manually remove these obstructions before attempting to zip again. However, if the stuck object does not move, try to use tweezers to gently remove the obstruction from the teeth. Sometimes, gently moving the object up and down while pulling the slider can also help to remove stubborn objects.

4. Use a pencil or dish soap

If the zip won’t fall, don’t lose faith. You might want to give it a little help. Start by using a pencil to cover the teeth around the house with a layer of light graphite – this will act as a lubricant to help it work properly. If that fails, try a little water rinse, to get a little more grip as the slider moves up and down over the teeth.

5. Try VASELINE

If pencil and dish soap don’t work or you think they will stain your clothes, try Vaseline instead. Start by reaching for a cotton swab, covering the outside of the bud with a small coating of petroleum jelly. Then, use a cotton swab to work the jelly into the teeth around the stop. The idea is that the Vaseline will help remove any small particles that may be stuck to the zipper.

If your zipper has no teeth:

Zippers that are missing teeth can be difficult to repair, so we recommend that you take your garment to a tailor to correct this problem. In the meantime, scroll down to see our quick fixes until you have time to hit the Touch Store.

If your zip is nowhere to be found:

6. Use PLIERS

If your zipper continues to fall off, it usually means that the teeth have been removed or worn out. Begin by carefully examining the zipper itself to determine if any exposed teeth are out of order. If so, use a quick set to gently roll the teeth back into place. On the other hand, if they all seem to be in the right place, move on to the next step.

7. Try hard to nail

If you feel like the tins are worn out from use (yes, they are), one trick that can work is to paint the tin with clear nail polish. This will make the teeth stronger, which can help restore the zipper to its original glory. If you find that the zipper still won’t close after your first coat of polish, it may be worth trying a coat or two.

Quick fix:

8. Use clip

If anything goes wrong and you can’t get that pesky zipper to stay in place, you may need to replace the zipper entirely. Until then, a short solution is to put a small piece of paper in this loop and slider:

Then press the other side of the paper over the button or zipper closure to hold everything together.

9. Or safety PIN

Alternatively, if you have a safety pin, one pin on either side of the zip closure, like this:

These aren’t long-term fixes, but they can come in handy if your zipper breaks while you’re traveling or you don’t have time to fix them.

To prevent your zipper from breaking again :

10. do not haul it

The best way to avoid damaging your zipper is to make sure you don’t use too much force to close it. Instead, use a straight, flexible puller to guide the slider up and down the zipper. If you start to pull too hard as the tow truck moves, stop and reevaluate.

11. Make sure the ZIP is not under too much pressure

If you’re trying to zip a bag that’s too full or a pair of jeans that’s too small, it’s entirely possible for the zipper to buckle when too much pressure pulls out the teeth. The trick here is to avoid forcing the zip. When there is significant resistance when closing the zipper, it is usually a sign that, even if you manage to close it, the zipper may still break.

Instead, try unpacking your bag or taking your clothes to an alteration shop to see if that will make things better (chances are if the zipper is hard to close, the clothes aren’t comfortable). wear each), which can kill two birds with one stone. There you have it, our tips and tricks for fixing a broken zipper.