Quick Fixes for People With Difficulty Opening Jars

When you have a medical condition that means your hands are weak or painful, such as arthritis, there are many daily household tasks that can be difficult. People often notice how much they use their hands every day when suddenly they struggle to do the things they're used to doing.

One notoriously difficult task is opening jars. Even people without any general manual difficulty struggle to open some jars, so for people who experience discomfort in the hands, it can frequently be impossible. With so much food bought stored in jars, it's not really an option to simply avoid them.

Next time you have difficulty with a jar, try some of these ways to make opening them easier.

Rubber gloves

Good old fashioned rubber gloves are often one of the best ways to instantly improve your grip, making jars easier to open. You can either put the glove on and open the jar as normal or simply hold it over the lid.

Rubber bands

Stretching one or two rubber bands around the rim of a jar lid can really help to enhance your grasp on it. This doesn't work very well for people who struggle with the fiddly nature of jar opening, but for those with weakness or pain, it can make all the difference.

Release the pressure

Breaking the vacuum seal of a jar can make it easier to open by releasing the pressure from inside. All you need to do is stab through the lid with a sharp implement, but be extremely careful when doing this. It's not a great solution for opening jars on a daily basis, but it helps in an emergency. Sometimes, combining this method with another is highly effective if you're stuck.

Use hot water

The tightness of a lid can be loosened slightly by expanding it with hot water. Carefully run hot water from the tap over the lid for about 30 seconds, or longer if you wish. This should cause enough expansion to make it easier to remove. Again, this can be used with another tool like a rubber glove to increase its effectiveness.

Invest in some helpful tools

If you're struggling to open jars on a frequent basis, it might be worth buying some daily living aids to make it much easier. There's a wide range of solutions available, from electronic jar openers to simple rubber gadgets, so there's bound to be something suitable within your budget.

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