How do I fix a stuck or broken zip?

Zips fail in two ways. Something is caught in them, or the slider has worn wider and no longer forces the teeth together. The first is a cleaning problem, the second a slider problem, and both are usually fixable without replacing the zip.

What you'll need

• Graphite pencil or soap (optional)
• Pliers (optional)
• Tweezers (optional)

Step by step

1. For a jam, stop pulling immediately.Force tears the fabric and bends the teeth, turning a fixable jam into a replacement. Ease it back rather than forward.
2. Ease the caught fabric out with tweezers or your fingers.Pull the fabric away from the slider while gently working the slider back a millimetre at a time.
3. Lubricate the teeth.Rub a graphite pencil along them, or a bar of soap, a candle, or lip balm. Graphite is the cleanest and most effective.
4. For a zip that opens behind the slider, look at the slider itself.It has spread with wear and no longer presses the teeth together. The zip and teeth are usually fine.
5. Squeeze the slider gently with pliers.Very gently, on both the top and bottom of the slider, a fraction at a time. Test after each squeeze — too far and it will not move at all.
6. Check for missing or bent teeth.A single missing tooth means the zip will always open at that point. Bent teeth can sometimes be straightened with pliers; missing ones cannot be replaced.
7. Replace a lost pull with a keyring or paperclip.Any small ring through the slider hole works. A split ring is neat and durable.
8. Clean the zip if it is stiff rather than jammed.Dirt, sand and detergent residue build up in the teeth. An old toothbrush and warm water, then lubricate.

Tips

• Do a zip up before washing a garment. It reduces snagging and stops the zip distorting in the drum.
• Graphite from a soft pencil is the best zip lubricant — it does not attract dirt the way oil and wax do.
• If the zip is on something valuable, a repair shop can replace the slider alone, which is far cheaper than replacing the whole zip.

Common mistakes

• Forcing a jammed zip — It tears the fabric and bends the teeth. Ease it backwards and free the obstruction first.
• Squeezing the slider hard in one go — Overtightened, it will not move along the zip at all, and that is much harder to undo. Small squeezes with testing between.
• Using oil as a lubricant — It attracts dirt and stains fabric. Graphite or soap is better and leaves no mark.

Questions people ask