How To Repair Zipper

While being one of the most useful inventions, a malfunctioning zipper can create big and even embarrassing problems

A zipper is one of those things that we don’t notice until it starts to malfunction or breaks down completely. A zipper is widely used for clothing, bags, tents, sleeping bags, luggage items, and various other places. There can be various types of zipper problems such as a stuck or jammed zipper, a zipper that won’t lock, missing or broken teeth, a broken pull tab or issues at the starting point. The tools and techniques needed to repair zippers may be similar in terms of their core approach.

How to repair zipper

To repair a zipper, you will need some basic tools and supplies. For example, you will need a needle nose plier for crimping and adjusting. For cutting any sections or ends, you will need a cutting plier or a wire cutter. There are some zipper problems that will require a lubricant. These include candle wax, graphite pencil, bar soap, beeswax, or special zipper lubricant.

Depending on the type of repair, you may also need replacement parts such as a new slider, new stops or a full zipper kit. For sewing related work to repair or install the zipper, you will need a seam ripper, threads, needles and a scissor. For safety, you can wear eye protection such as safety glasses.

Some quick hacks on how to repair zipper

There could be situations when you may not be entirely ready to deal with a zipper issue. But even then, you can try to fix the issue. For example, one of the common problems is a stuck zipper. In this case, you can use any of the easily available lubricants such as a graphite pencil or soap.

You need to apply this lubricant on the teeth of the zipper. If there is debris, you need to clean it first before applying the lubricant. After application of the lubricant, you need to zip and unzip the zipper a few times so that the lubricant is uniformly applied. You can apply more lubricant in case you notice some section still not performing properly.

Another common problem is any fabric getting caught in the zipper. For this, you simply need to slide back the zipper, while pulling out the fabric gently. One may also experience a loose slider in many cases. For this, you need to tighten the sides of the slider by applying pressure gently. Although using a plier is the right approach, you can use any other tool that can apply some pressure on the sides of the zipper slider.

Repair an off-track zipper

For repairing an off-track zipper or when the teeth don’t pair, you need to carry out a realignment. For this, you need to remove the top and bottom stoppers, which can be either plastic or metal. Then you need to remove the slider. In the next step, you need to lay the zipper on a flat surface and realign the teeth. Once done, you can reinstall the slider and apply new stoppers. A similar approach can be followed for replacing a broken slider.

Full zipper replacement

There may be cases when the full zipper may need a replacement. This can be a new life to the clothing or any other item you are repairing. You will need some sewing skills and tools to make this repair work. If you are not confident, it will be better to hire a professional.