How to Repair a Broken Zipper

Although zippers are strong, they sometimes break or get stuck. If this is the case, you may think that you have to replace the zipper with a new one. However, don’t be discouraged, there are many ways for you to fix it yourself without having to replace it. With a little patience you can solve stuck zippers, broken sliders, and other zipper problems.

Table of Contents

Fix a stuck zipper

Paint the zipper with graphite. When the zipper is jammed, graphite can help with lubrication. Rub graphite on the chain teeth to lubricate them.

Prepare a piece of graphite specialized for lubrication. If not available, you can use a wooden pencil tip.
Rub the tip of the pencil up and down all of the chain teeth or just around the area where the zipper is stuck.
Move the puller up and down over the teeth until it works smoothly. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Use laundry detergent. If graphite doesn’t work, put some laundry soap on the stubborn zipper. The soap will increase the smoothness and help the zipper work properly. To use detergent as a lubricant:

Put a small amount of soap in the dish.
Pour some water into the soap dish.
Soak a cotton ball or gauze in the mixture.
Use a soapy cotton pad to rub the teeth of the zipper.
Put down the cotton pad and gently remove the jammed zipper—it might just move a little! When you move the lock head to the jam, pull it back to its original position. Repeat until the zipper is no longer stuck. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Wash the item and re-lubricate the zipper. If graphite and soap don’t work, rinse the item and try again. This way, the lubricant, dirt or anything inside the zipper will be cleaned. When the zipper is clean, the lubrication will be more effective.

After applying lubricant, close the zipper.
Wash clothes normally. If the zipper gets stuck again, you can continue to lubricate it.
Shake the tow head back and forth on the zipper. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Dealing with a detached zipper

Reduce pressure on the zipper. Pressure can cause the chain teeth to separate. By reducing the pressure, it will be easier for you to open/close or repair a detached zipper. There are many ways to relieve pressure on the zipper:

Reduce the amount of items in your basket. Clear your bags, leave some books at home or carry them in another basket. Once you have reduced the amount of weight carried in the bag, the zipper will operate more smoothly.
Choose clothes that are larger in size. If you are trying on clothes at the store, choose a larger size. If the problem is with the wardrobe zippers, then you need to remove the furniture from the closet. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Remove dirt build-up on chain teeth. Over time, the chain teeth will be scaled, making them unable to close. Then we need to clean and remove things that interfere with the operation of the zipper.

Mix soap mixture in a dish, stir until foamy.
Soak the rag in the mixture and wipe over the chain teeth.
Take another clean rag and wet it under running water.
Use a rag just dipped in water to wipe the soap mixture off the chain teeth.
Try opening and closing the zipper normally. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

Straighten bent chain teeth. If all of the above fails, try fixing the bent chain teeth so that the zipper closes. This may sound difficult, but it is very easy to do.

Use sharp pliers or tweezers.
Locate the bent sprocket and use the tool of your choice to straighten it.
Repeat if necessary.
Do not pull too hard, or you will damage the zipper.
Try again by opening and closing the zipper as usual. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

Fix the problem key head

Assessment of damage. When the zipper of your favorite jacket comes apart, take a look to determine the extent of the damage. You may find that the cause of the problem lies in a chipped or damaged slider. Here are some cases you can handle quickly.

You can fix warped zipper ends with just a little effort.
Bring the slider towards the top of the zipper to reattach it. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Remove the stopper at the top of the zipper. Before fixing any common problems, you will have to pull the stopper at the top of the zipper with pliers. This is pretty important, because otherwise you wouldn’t be able to look at all the sprockets or check the slider.

Remove the stopper at the top of the zipper.
You may have to pull hard to get it out.
If using pliers, be careful as pulling too hard will damage the zipper. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Slide the locking head off the chain teeth. Check it out from the side. Observe whether the distance between the two ends of the tractor body is too wide. Uneven spacing causes the lock head to not slide properly and come apart.

If the slider is warped or exposed too much, use pliers to straighten it.
If it cannot be repaired, you will have to purchase a new zipper head to replace it. Usually the size will be shown on the back of the slider. If not, you can measure. Dimensions of zipper parts are usually measured in mm. 5mm sliders are size 5. Look for sliders with similar sizes at apparel stores or online. ^{[9] X Research Source}

Replace the zipper head. After repairing or purchasing a new zipper head, you need to reattach it to the zipper. When doing this, pay attention to:

Defines the side and bottom squares of the slider.
Tuck the chain tooth end into this side of the zipper head.
If necessary, you can use a flathead screwdriver to insert the chain teeth into the square.
Shake and pull the slider back and forth until it slides into the chain teeth. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Check the operation of the slider. Try pulling the jacket zipper as usual to see if it’s smooth and snug. A few problems can occur now:

If you’ve replaced the slider and the zipper still won’t close, it may not be the right size. Try again with a different sized slider.
If you bend the old scissors back, the gap may still be uneven. Remove the top of the zipper and snap it back. Continue until the chain teeth are properly inserted. ^{[11] X Research Source}

Reattach the zipper stopper. After replacing the slider, you need to return the zipper stopper to its original position. Without this part, the zipper tip will fall out or not work properly.

Use pliers to clamp the stopper in place.
Press down 4 to 5 times to make sure it doesn’t fall off.
Do the same with the other side of the zipper.
If only replacing one top stopper, make sure you reattach it to the correct position. ^{[12] X Research Source}

Fix the zipper with missing lower teeth

Remove the bottom stopper. This is where the slider stops after moving the entire length of the zipper downwards. To handle the case of missing lower teeth, you will have to remove the lower stopper.

Hold the garment firmly and pull the stopper off.
In some cases you will need pliers to increase traction. ^{[13] X Research Source}

Remove the cloth tape from the zipper. Cloth tape is the part that holds the zipper to the garment. By disassembling this unit, you will be able to view the chain teeth comprehensively. This is quite important if you want to check the entire chain teeth for the zipper to work perfectly.

Turn the fabric inside out and define the seam of the tape (the bottom of the inner cloth covers the zipper)
Use a thread remover to remove the tape. ^{[14] X Research Source}

Attach a larger bottom stop. By inserting a larger lower stop, you will be able to fill in the missing chain teeth. Thereby, the zipper will work properly and not get stuck in the future.

Zipper bottom stop in mm. Estimate the size you need with the width of the zipper when closed.
Turn the zipper right side out.
Push the webbing into the barbed lower bar prongs right where the old lower stop was—the new lower stop will fill in the missing chain teeth.
Turn the zipper left side to check that the bottom stopper is perpendicular to the zipper.
Close the barb’s prongs with pliers to secure it. ^{[15] X Research Source}

Reattach the zipper. After replacing the new stopper, you need to attach the bottom of the zipper back to the fabric. This is quite easy to do.

Use a sewing machine or a needle to re-settle the thread you removed.
Turn the garment right side over.
Close the zipper to ensure the repair is complete. ^{[16] X Research Source}

Quickly handle unexpected situations

Replace damaged scissors with new ones or paper clips. Broken zippers – whether on boots, pants or coats – will make it difficult to close the zipper. Fortunately, however, we can respond quickly in a few simple ways.

Use pliers to cut off the old scissors.
Cut the new scissor attachment metal ring with pliers, then hook it to the connecting ring on the pull head cover.
Continue to use the pliers to close the metal ring to secure the new puller in place.
If you’re out and about and don’t have new pliers or scissors available to replace, use a paper clip as a temporary pull handle. Simply thread the paper clip into your old zipper handle or zipper head. ^{[17] X Research Source}

Use a keyring to keep the zipper from slipping. A zipper that slips off is one of the most annoying zipper accidents. This is especially true when it happens at inconvenient times.

Insert the keychain into the hole of the handle.
Zip up your pants and fasten the eyelet to your buttonhole. ^{[18] X Research Sources}

Rescue zippers and chain teeth. One of the most common zipper problems is when one side of the zipper comes off the top of the zipper. Fortunately, it only takes a little time to resolve this situation.

Move the slider towards the bottom of the zipper without pulling it out.
Use your fingers to align and straighten the chain teeth.
Tuck the removable zipper side back into the slider. You may have to use some force.
Make sure the side of the zipper is close to the lower stopper before pulling.
You may have to repeat this a few times. ^{[19] X Research Source}

Advice

Be patient and willing to try many ways.
Go to a tailor or tailor shop for assistance.
Graphite is not recommended for white or light colored zippers.
You can use other lubricants if you don’t have graphite or detergent available. Try lip balm, candle wax, or Vaseline. Before using any product, test it on a small corner of the item to make sure it doesn’t stain or damage the material.
You can also use cute key chains instead of the traditional scissors.

Things you need

New Tractor
Staple
New bottom block
Pliers
Lead
Dishwashing liquid
Strap

Steps