Almost every garment in your wardrobe probably has at least one zip. Zippers are perfect to easily fasten your trousers, dresses or skirts, but they tend to break at the most unexpected moments. As we all know: a broken zip is not always easy to fix. On the contrary! The more you try to fix your zipper by moving the slider up and down, the more broken the zip becomes. You can always take your garment with the broken zipper to the local alterations shop and have it replaced, but there are quick and easy solutions to fix it yourself. We tell you all about broken zippers and how you can fix them.
#1 The slider is off the track
This is an easy one! If one or both sides of the slider come off the track, you don’t really have to replace the zipper. Look at the bottom of the zip and grab a flathead screwdriver. Feed the teeth from the bottom of the zip into the slider and use your screwdriver for extra help. Are the teeth inside both sides of the slider? Brilliant! Move the puller up and down the track to lock the teeth in place and you are done.
#2 The zipper is stuck
It could happen to anyone: you want to pull up your zipper only to find out that it is stuck. The more you try to pull it up, the more distressed you get and you are ready to throw your favourite garment in the bin. Please do not do this! Instead, your favourite tweezers will come to the rescue. First, check if there is anything caught in the zip. If so, you can remove the obstructions by hand or use your tweezers. Slowly pull the barriers out of the teeth. You may need to wiggle the puller up and down, but with a bit of patience it will work.
#3 The zipper keeps falling down
If the zip keeps falling down, the teeth have likely been dislodged or worn away. Closely inspect your zip to determine if any teeth are missing. If the teeth are out of alignment, use a set of pliers and slowly bend the teeth back into their position. If the teeth have worn down, use clear nail polish to polish the teeth. Nail polish thickens the teeth up which can help to restore your zip. If the zip still keeps falling down after the coat of polish, then coat it as many times as needed.
#4 The teeth come undone as soon as the zipper is fastened
If this happens, the slider is the main issue. Over time, sliders start to loosen and gape. That makes them not being able at keeping the teeth in place. All you need is your tweezers to pinch the plates of the zip together. Pinching these plates helps restore the slider to its original shape.
Quick fixes
What to do when you can’t seem to fix the zip, but you want to wear your garment anyway? We have some quick fixes for you!
- Use a paper clip. Feed the paper clip into the loop on the slider. Then hook the other side of the paper clip over the button or clasp.
- Use a safety pin. Simply pin either side of the zip closed and you are good to go!
