Is your zipper broken? Here’s how you can fix it yourself

Panic! Broken zipper and usually I see that as a kind of “total loss” of my garment. The value of having it repaired is often outweighed by buying a new pair of jeans, jacket or cardigan. Such a shame! But there is hope. I came across a cool article about making your own zipper and I’d like to share with you the most useful tips.

1. Tip for when your zipper is stuck

Personally I always use Vaseline for this. It is a fairly neutral product and does not leave any discoloration. But in the article on Lifehacking it is advised to use a pencil. Rub the lead of the pencil on the zipper. This is because the graphite in it acts as a lubricant, making it loosen faster. I’m definitely going to try this tip out when my zipper gets stuck again.

2. Tip for when the teeth of the zipper do not connect

This can be the case if it is quite stuck. Then take the steps mentioned above. If that doesn’t help check whether something has gotten stuck between the zipper, for example a thread or a piece of fabric. If that is not the case, check all the teeth of your zipper. If one of the teeth is warped, you can usually straighten it quite easily with pliers or tweezers.

3. Tip for when your zipper doesn’t stay up, but keeps slipping down

Because you obviously don’t want to be told all day that your fly is open, it’s useful to quickly fix this problem. It could be that the brake of your zipper slider is broken and it is quite difficult to fix this (see below), but you can also solve this with the following trick. The simplest way is to put a key ring through the zipper and secure it to the button of your pants. If you don’t have a key ring, you can also use a rubber band, thread it through the zipper slider and secure the rubber band to your pants.

4. Tip for when your zipper glider is broken.

Well, usually this is my letting go moment and I decide to either have my pants fixed or get rid of them. But not anymore! You can replace the zipper glider with a new one. Use a pair of pliers to remove the old slider and then you can easily put a new one on the teeth. The video below will get you started and show you how to do it.

We are very curious what you think of our tips and whether they have helped you. And do you have a golden tip? Share it with us in the comments below this article. We like it :-).