New and improved to include those line-the-arrows-up caps! A contribution from ryzellon.
This is obviously not for homes where there are young kids or any place where kids visit often.
I hate childproof caps! I've tried prying apart the Push Down and Turn type caps. It is very difficult and if you are using something sharp to try to cut them apart - dangerous.
I'm an adult. I do not have any children and small kids don't visit my home. Childproof caps in my house are just an irritation. I don't want to live in a Childproof world. So I figured out really simple ways to make most of them easy to open.
Folks with arthritis, or other problems that make gripping difficult or painful, can have a very hard time with Childproof caps. Maybe this can help them.
Supplies:
I'm going to cover three types of locks (and now, a fourth)
Push Down and Turn type cap:
There are 2 Techniques for this type.
Best for Dry contents:
One thumbtack
Spoon (optional)
Total cost: Less than 1 cent
Total time: around 15 seconds
Best for Liquids:
A toothpick
Something with a point to separate the two edges. It doesn't need to be sharp, just strong. I used one of those little picks that come with nutcrackers.
Total cost: How much does a toothpick cost? Free if you just pick one up in a restaurant.
Total time: around a minute
Squeeze the Sides and Turn type cap:
Fingernail clippers
Total cost: Nothing (assuming you already have fingernail clippers)
Total time: around 10 seconds
Push Down Tab and Turn type Prescription bottle:
I'll just call your attention to something that you might not have noticed.
Total cost: Nothing
Total time: None
Line the Arrows Up and Pop the Top type cap:
Hobby knife
Total cost: Nothing (assuming you have a hobby knife)
Total time: around 1-2 minutes (you can go faster, but then you might need to add a band-aid to your total cost.)
Actually, you might be able to do this with sand paper or a riffler file, but I haven't tested this. Most things simply don't work well with a concave curve.
I know it isn't high tech, or particularly creative. We don't get to use cool tools, or LED's (unless you want to - it could help you find the Viagra in the middle of the night) but it might help some people.
The Thumbtack method is very quick and easy. I use it for bottles with dry ingredients (pills, capsules,...). Because the tip of the thumbtack sometimes sticks through, into the bottle. I've got the second Toothpick method. I'd use it for liquids or if you are concerned about the tip of the tack reacting with the contents.
NoahW Made a video to go with the Instructable.
Once again: don't do this if you do have kids around.
This is obviously not for homes where there are young kids or any place where kids visit often.
I hate childproof caps! I've tried prying apart the Push Down and Turn type caps. It is very difficult and if you are using something sharp to try to cut them apart - dangerous.
I'm an adult. I do not have any children and small kids don't visit my home. Childproof caps in my house are just an irritation. I don't want to live in a Childproof world. So I figured out really simple ways to make most of them easy to open.
Folks with arthritis, or other problems that make gripping difficult or painful, can have a very hard time with Childproof caps. Maybe this can help them.
Supplies:
I'm going to cover three types of locks (and now, a fourth)
Push Down and Turn type cap:
There are 2 Techniques for this type.
Best for Dry contents:
One thumbtack
Spoon (optional)
Total cost: Less than 1 cent
Total time: around 15 seconds
Best for Liquids:
A toothpick
Something with a point to separate the two edges. It doesn't need to be sharp, just strong. I used one of those little picks that come with nutcrackers.
Total cost: How much does a toothpick cost? Free if you just pick one up in a restaurant.
Total time: around a minute
Squeeze the Sides and Turn type cap:
Fingernail clippers
Total cost: Nothing (assuming you already have fingernail clippers)
Total time: around 10 seconds
Push Down Tab and Turn type Prescription bottle:
I'll just call your attention to something that you might not have noticed.
Total cost: Nothing
Total time: None
Line the Arrows Up and Pop the Top type cap:
Hobby knife
Total cost: Nothing (assuming you have a hobby knife)
Total time: around 1-2 minutes (you can go faster, but then you might need to add a band-aid to your total cost.)
Actually, you might be able to do this with sand paper or a riffler file, but I haven't tested this. Most things simply don't work well with a concave curve.
I know it isn't high tech, or particularly creative. We don't get to use cool tools, or LED's (unless you want to - it could help you find the Viagra in the middle of the night) but it might help some people.
The Thumbtack method is very quick and easy. I use it for bottles with dry ingredients (pills, capsules,...). Because the tip of the thumbtack sometimes sticks through, into the bottle. I've got the second Toothpick method. I'd use it for liquids or if you are concerned about the tip of the tack reacting with the contents.
NoahW Made a video to go with the Instructable.
Once again: don't do this if you do have kids around.
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Signing UpStep 1: Push Down and Turn type caps
Often these caps are just two plastic caps. The outside one spins freely. To open them you have to push down on, or sometimes squeeze, the outer cap to engage the inner one.
There are two ways to fix these. The first and easiest is the Thumbtack method. I use that whenever possible. Sometimes the tip of the thumbtack pierces the cap. So for liquids or anything you think might react with this tiny bit of metal, you can use the second "Toothpick" method. It will also work on caps with a metal inner cap. The items with metal inner caps are often caustic, so I don't usually mess with them.
You could cut, or pry, the outer cap off of the inner cap, but it's sometimes really difficult. If you have to cut it off, it's pretty easy to injure yourself.
Thumbtack Technique:
A cap with both plastic inner and outer caps is really simple to fix.
Just push a flat head thumbtack into the cap. I guess a push pin will work also. I use the flat heads. They are easy, cheap and they don't stick up off the cap surface.
There are two ways to fix these. The first and easiest is the Thumbtack method. I use that whenever possible. Sometimes the tip of the thumbtack pierces the cap. So for liquids or anything you think might react with this tiny bit of metal, you can use the second "Toothpick" method. It will also work on caps with a metal inner cap. The items with metal inner caps are often caustic, so I don't usually mess with them.
You could cut, or pry, the outer cap off of the inner cap, but it's sometimes really difficult. If you have to cut it off, it's pretty easy to injure yourself.
Thumbtack Technique:
A cap with both plastic inner and outer caps is really simple to fix.
Just push a flat head thumbtack into the cap. I guess a push pin will work also. I use the flat heads. They are easy, cheap and they don't stick up off the cap surface.
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Caution: I did it after opening the bottle - had the cap out of the bottle. Generally I find it easy to open the first time but gets harder later.
May be it will be alright to do it with cap on the plastic bottle (not glass) bottle itsef. But, u got to be very careful.
Note that there's now another form of reversible/self-modifying cap: looks like the double lid type you disable with a thumbtack, but in this case you push down on the center of the top lid and it collapses onto the inner one. If you'd like an example for the next revision of this Instructable please let me know.
To keep it from sliding on a hard surface you can put down a damp wash rag (or a dry one but a damp one sticks better) and put the cap on that. Hammer the tack in with the cap by itself on the washcloth.
Keep that cap and use it again when you buy new medications.