Avoid Sticky Lids With A Smidge Of Vegetable Oil

How many times have you found yourself wrestling with the sticky lid of a jar, container, or bottle, only to surrender to its unwavering grip? You've tried everything: holding it under warm water, tapping it lightly with the handle end of a knife, wearing rubber gloves for better grip, and so forth. But sometimes, the solution is not about brute force or complicated techniques. Instead, it's about simple preventive measures. Enter the vegetable oil hack.

Most commonly, it's the containers holding our beloved sauces or condiments that end up creating a stubborn lid. Their sticky contents sit in the threads of the bottle and the cap, dry up, and glue the lid in place. Vegetable oil is good for frying, yes, but a small dab of it can also be the jar-opening game-changer you've been seeking because it's a natural lubricant. Its slippery texture reduces the friction between the container and its lid, making the lid glide off without a fuss during opening.

However, there's a knack to it. It's not just about slathering vegetable oil all over the lid.

Before applying any oil to your jar, ensure both the thread on the container's rim and its lid are clean. You can use a clean dish towel with warm water to wipe these areas. This will prevent any grime or condiment from getting trapped under the oil, which can be counterproductive. Once clean, dip a paper towel or a clean cloth into the vegetable oil, then lightly wipe the outer rim of the container with the oil-covered cloth.

Once you've applied the oil, screw the lid back onto the container as you normally would. The oil should provide a thin barrier, ensuring that the lid doesn't stick the next time you attempt to open it. Go ahead and store your jar in a clean, dry place.

For this strategy to be effective, you must maintain the clean rim with a thin vegetable oil layer every time before closing the lid. So whenever you use the condiment inside the jar and notice some of it on the container's thread or lid, repeat this process to avoid a sticky lid situation the next time you need to open the jar.