The Rubber Band Hack That Makes Opening Jars A Breeze

Opening jars can be a real pain, whether it is simply a jar of pasta sauce from the store or your own quick pickled jalapeños. For some reason, certain jar lids feel almost impossible to unscrew, only to be easily popped open by someone else when you finally give up and ask for help. Luckily, for those of us who want to be our own independent jar users, there's an easy hack to help you open those difficult jars in no time, and all you need is a simple rubber band.

In fact, to open any seemingly impossible-to-open jar, all you have to do is find a rubber band and stretch it around the lid of the jar you want to open. Then, grip the lid over the rubber band and twist it. The lid should come right off. This hack works because, according to Alliance Rubber Company, when a rubber band is stretched, it releases heat, which helps create traction and causes the rubber band to grab the metal lid. This, in turn, allows you to get a much better grip and open the jar quicker than you would just using your hand.

So, how should you do this hack to get the best results? First, you need to find a good rubber band; if you have a choice, the wider the rubber band, the better. This is because wider bands will give you more surface area to hold and create more traction and grip on the lid. You will also want to use a rubber band that is close in size but slightly smaller than the lid you are opening. If the band is too big, you can always double it up by wrapping it around the lid twice.

@marthastewart

Open those stubborn lids with this easy rubber band trick. #rubberband #kitchenhack #openingjar

♬ original sound – Martha Stewart

If you have already added one rubber band but are still having a hard time getting the traction necessary to open the jar, you can always take a page from Martha Stewart and wrap three rubber bands around the lid. According to Stewart herself on TikTok, "Three fat rubber bands will really give you that grip you need to open a stubborn jar lid."

Because rubber does such an excellent job of adding the necessary traction to help open difficult jars, you can also buy other rubber products to help you out. Most grocery stores sell very affordable rubber lid grips, which are basically thin rubber disks that you can put over the top of a jar and use to grip and twist the lid off. If you don't have any rubber bands in your house or simply can never find them when you need them, these rubber grips can be a good alternative.

However, considering that rubber bands are a lot cheaper than many products made to help you open jars, it might still be worth buying a pack for whenever you're stuck with a difficult lid. Plus, rubber bands are super versatile and can help you in the kitchen in plenty of other ways, from keeping cutting boards from sliding to preventing apples from turning brown. Who knew the simple rubber band could be so useful?