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How to Fix a Warped Sweater Zipper

Even the most careful individuals have problems from time to time with their zippers. While yanking on zippers can misalign teeth, sometimes they'll stick due to high humidity or exposure in a marine environment. Lack of product quality can also result in damaged zippers. If you want to fix your warped zipper, you'll first need to make a close inspection to see if that is possible. Not all deformed zippers can be salvaged, and the ones in especially poor condition should be replaced.

Things You'll Need

Metal fingernail file
Zipper wax (optional)

Instructions

- 1
  Determine the extent of damage to the sweater zipper. Check to see if the zipper closes at all. Smooth the sweater on a flat surface to see how it lays. Press the sweater zipper with the palm of your hand to flatten it out to the greatest extent possible. Grasp the ends of the zipper and pull them to attempt to reposition slightly misaligned teeth.
- 2
  Look for bulges and other apparent distortions on the zipper that reveal where problems exist. Inspect the ends for missing separating pins and their respective sliders. If sliders or separating pins are missing, plan to replace the old zipper with a new one.
- 3
  Check for gaps in zipper teeth to know if you should just replace the zipper. Metal and nylon zippers with missing teeth and nylon zippers that have breaks or snags in the coils will not zip and will require replacement.
- 4
  Gap the teeth to reestablish the equal spacing between them. Straighten the misaligned metal and nylon zipper teeth so they align horizontally for proper closure. Use a pointed metal fingernail file, or similar instrument, to push teeth back into position.
- 5
  Apply a coating of zipper wax and then slide the zipper up and down to distribute the lubricant. Work the wax along the zipper length, and repeat application if needed.

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