Open a stuck jar

You reach for the jar of salsa. A dollop of that on each plate, and dinner's done! Except that the jar is still sealed, or perhaps is just stuck, and you can't get it to open.

There are a few things you can try. First on the list is the ever-popular "give it a whack" strategy.

That gentle tap shown in the video is a far cry from my version. In our home, we deliver a series of lusty wallops around the edge of the lid with the handle end of a sturdy butter knife.


Angle the blows in the direction you want the lid to turn, give the lid three to six wallops, depending on its size (and how annoyed you are), and you'll usually break the seal, so you can open it easily. Usually.

Therapeutic as beating that stupid jar with a blunt object can be, it doesn't always work. Then you move to the second helpful tip: the wide elastic band.

Stretch the elastic around the outer edge of the lid. The elastic grips the lid, and prevents your hand from sliding. (Which is the only reason you couldn't open it before, right?) Et voilà! Dinner is served!

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