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Life hack: How to fix a zipper that’s stopped closing

Published Oct 13th, 2015 8:45PM EDT

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We’ve all been there before: We’re packing up luggage to go on a trip when we suddenly realize our zipper doesn’t close properly anymore. What to do? Thankfully, we stumbled upon a quick 3-minute YouTube video on Tuesday that gives us a simple explanation for why zippers stop closing and what we can do to fix them ourselves with only a pair of pliers.

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The video was produced by UCAN Zippers USA and it shows a very simple fix for broken zippers. The most common reason zippers stop working, it seems, is that their mouths get loosened after years of being pulled to open and shut bags. Applying some pressure with pliers to each side of a zipper’s mouth can bend it just enough to get it caught back in the zipper’s teeth again. Now when you slide the zipper upward, it should be reengaged with the teeth and work like new.

Check out the whole video below.

Brad Reed
Brad Reed Staff Writer

Brad Reed has written about technology for over eight years at BGR.com and Network World. Prior to that, he wrote freelance stories for political publications such as AlterNet and the American Prospect. He has a Master's Degree in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University.