Twist, press, once and done - the iron lid easily flies off the jar of pickles

Opening the screw cap on a screw-on jar is fairly easy. Each housewife has her own way. But sometimes even the most proven option doesn’t work and you have to call a man with strong hands. Let's consider several options that will help you make a choice - how to open a jar with minimal physical effort.

Hot air

When rolling up cans, normal physics is used. When hot, the metal heats up and expands. After it cools and, accordingly, contracts, the lid fits tightly around the neck of the jar, and it twists more tightly. This is why all cans are rolled hot. Both the cans themselves and the lids.
If this process is reversed, then the same physics will help. When heated, the lid will expand and become easier to remove.
For heating, you can use a simple household hair dryer, which women use to dry their hair. Heat the lid with a hairdryer at maximum power for 3-5 minutes, over the entire upper area, including the glass sides from the sides. After heating, wrap the lid with a cloth or towel and turn it clockwise.

With this method, there is a danger that the glass will overheat and burst.Therefore, you can only use it if you are very careful.

Hot water

The same rules of physics apply to other types of heating. The easiest way is to place the jar, lid down, in hot water. This can be boiling water from a kettle or the hottest tap water possible. You need to hold the jar for about 1 minute. The metal will expand and the lid will become easier to remove.

You can use a regular towel soaked in boiling or hot water. The fabric retains heat longer and the chances that the lid will expand will be slightly greater.

The main disadvantage of this method is that the water needs to be heated. If hot water flows from your tap, and there is no such need. But if you need to put on a saucepan or kettle, the time it takes to heat it up is, frankly, very annoying.
If the tap water is initially hot, you can simply put the jar under the stream. This method also works.

Vegetable oil

You can turn the jar upside down and grease the inside of the lid with vegetable oil. You need to carefully rub it under the edge and wait a little so that the oil is evenly distributed under the rim. This may take from 3 to 15 minutes.
But I’ll be honest, this method didn’t suit me at all - the result was just dirty hands, a sticky jar and zero results.

Knife

This Soviet method is used by most housewives. Pickles and preserves are rolled using the principle that pumps out the maximum amount of air from the jar. A vacuum is created and the lid fits tightly to the jar. All housewives know that if oxygen gets inside (if processed or rolled incorrectly), homemade canned food will explode or open on its own.
Therefore, to open it, you need to let some air into the rolled up jar. This applies to both screw-on lids and regular tin (disposable) ones. For this opening, a simple knife is used. We pry up the edge of the jar and turn it a little, creating a deformation of the lid. Oxygen gets inside, the lid makes a characteristic click and rises slightly. After this, it is very easy to open it with your hands, making a movement along the thread.

It is only worth noting that it is not always possible to reuse the lid after this. In addition, this method can damage the glass threads, and the jar itself will become useless for further use.
And recently, the knives that are used in the kitchen are not always of sufficient quality and strength. Many began to use ceramic knives, plastic bread knives, or cut food with ordinary office tools. These kitchen gadgets cut both meat and vegetables more thinly. Finding a strong knife in a modern kitchen is a rarity.

Let's knock on the can

Turn the jar upside down and place it on the lid. And knock on the glass several times.

This method uses the principle of water hammer - the liquid in conservation hits the lid downwards and loosens it. But this method does not always help.

Let's knock on the lid

When there is physical impact on the canned food, the lid is also subject to deformation. There is a very simple way to open it. Make a tight fist and tap on a flat surface.

This method requires the use of a certain amount of force. And the movements themselves should be quite sharp. Opening a can without damaging it is not so easy. This requires some practice.

Let's knock on the lid -2

But this option will allow you to open the screw cap even faster. And anyone can do this, even someone who is not very physically developed. Personally, I tried this method with my eleven-year-old son, who was absolutely delighted with how quickly and easily everything worked out for him.
The jar must be placed horizontally to the edge of the table or countertop.

Literally hit the edge several times with little force. In this case, the jar should be turned several times. It is enough to knock 3-4 times in this way.

It doesn't matter how you tap - you can do it with the bottom of your hand, as shown above. And with a clenched fist. You need to knock on the iron lid.
You can simply press hard on the lid, turning the jar in your hands. The main thing is to find the same convenient method. There will still be one for everyone. In this way, not only a fragile woman, but also a child can open pickles or jam.

A few tips

Sometimes a jar doesn't open not because it's impossible. It’s just that the opener’s hands are slippery, and the lid slips in his hands.

Use some tips:

1. Hands must be dry. The jar itself should not be wet, dirty or slippery.
2. Try opening the jar while wearing rubber or cotton gloves. The advantage of this method is that the lid will definitely not slip. But a huge minus is that not all housewives have such “clothes for hands”. In addition, putting on gloves is an extra effort and time-consuming.
3. Use a towel, a piece of cotton fabric or a potholder. A waffle towel is ideal for such purposes - it is not so slippery and fits tightly around the jar.
4. Many sites suggest using sandpaper.Let's be honest - not all families have this item. But it is worth mentioning. If you accidentally (or not by accident) happen to have a zero or a one, using it can really help you. A piece of this paper should be placed on the top of the canned food and turn the lid to the left.

And on sites like Ali Express, as well as in some hardware and kitchenware stores, there are such magical gadgets. They are truly magical. They open everything without much effort. If you find such a device, spare no expense and make your life easier.

To be honest, many of these methods were unfamiliar to me. In the old fashioned way, as my mother and grandmother taught me, I used a knife or hot water to open the screw cap. Or even both ways at once. But I liked the options with tapping much more. Try each of the methods and you will definitely find your favorite, affordable and easy.