How to Open a Difficult Jar

This story is dedicated to all those people, who could never steal cookies from their mom's cookie jar, as the lid on the jar would never budge!

You will probably agree with me, when I say; life would have been so much easier, if all the jars opened easily.

You will probably agree with me, when I say; life would have been so much easier, if all the jars opened easily. All our attempts to open a difficult jar are futile, if we do not follow the right method. What is the best method to open a jar? Well, there is no one particular method as the "best method", you never know what method will work for you.

In this method, you use the conventional technique (twist the lid of the jar using your hand) of opening a jar, but there is just a slight modification here, you wear a rubber glove on the hand that you use to work on the lid.

You use the rubber glove to increase the traction between your hand and the lid. You can also use a piece of cloth instead of a rubber glove (but I prefer a rubber glove) in this method. In a few attempts (of applying torque), the jar will be open!

For simplicity, I have divided this into 3 sections on the basis of the tool that you use.

Take a spoon in your dominant hand, and hold the jar in the other hand. Now, wedge the spoon head in the gap between the jar and the lid, in such a way that, the concave surface is facing towards you. Make sure that you have firmly gripped the jar. Now, push the spoon head towards the jar for a second, and then pull it towards you. Repeat the same at different positions on the lid. The jar will be open in a few attempts.

Take the jar in one hand, the butter knife in the other (dominant hand), and put the knife in the narrow space between the lid and the jar. Hold the jar firmly, and pull the knife in your direction. Keep changing the location of the butter knife, and repeat the method. The jar will be open in no time.

Wedge the triangular tip of the bottle opener in the space between the jar and the lid. Use the same technique that you would apply to open the bottle. In two or three attempts, the jar would be open.

Note: If the jar is big, then place the jar on a flat surface, instead of holding it in your non-dominant hand.

There are several techniques that you can use to strike the jar, we will discuss them one by one.

• Take a butter knife, and strike the edge of the lid at different positions. After a few strikes, try to open the jar, if you can't open, then strike and try again.

• Strike the top and the bottom, of the jar with your palm, and then try to open the jar. Repeat if unsuccessful.
• Take the jar, and strike (do not apply too much force, you do not want to break the jar, right?) the edge of the lid on the floor. Try to open the jar. Repeat if the lid won't budge.

You can use any one of the following methods.

• Place the lid of the jar under a stream of hot water for 30 seconds. You will be able to open the jar easily.
• Heat the lid (you can use a candle, lighter, or matchstick to heat). After a few seconds of exposing the lid to the heat, try to open the lid.

Note: Use a damp cloth to open the jar in this method. Do not let your bare hand come in contact with the lid, while opening the jar.

The next time if you find it difficult to open a jar, remember the methods mentioned in this article. Married women have the ultimate tool to open jars; a husband! Others may have a tough time opening a jar. Do not try to open a jar immediately after you take it out of the fridge, let it reach room temperature. You will find it easier to open the jar, if it is not cold.

To open a can, you have a can opener, to open a bottle, you have a bottle opener. If one of you can make a good "jar opener", it will be a great service to mankind!