How to Fix a Zipper (without Replacing It)

This is a easy way to fix a zipper without replacing it. This method is really fast too. It works when the zipper pull doesn't close the zipper together anymore. I don't really like to replace zippers, because they always come out a little bit wavy when I do it myself.

You can save a jacket, a tent, a sleeping bag, and many other items.

Step 1: What You'll Need

You will only need a pair of pliers.
But if the zipper pull is really destroyed or is made of plastic you will need a NEW ONE OF THE SAME SIZE. YOU CAN FIND IT IN ANOTHER OLD JACKET. Or you can buy one online for really cheap.

Step 2: Remove Stopper

Remove the little iron stopper of the top of the zipper, which will be on the same side of the jacket where the zipper puller is.

(Sometimes they are made of plastic, so it is little more difficult to remove and replace. You may need to substitute it with few knot of thread or something else. There is many tutorial out there on how to replace a stopper).

Step 3: Remove Zipper Pull

Remove zipper pull. You can probably see that it is all distorted.

Step 4: Adjust the Zipper Pull

(ONLY FOR IRON ZIPPERS)

With the pliers close the two sides of the zipper pull, try to make it look like the original shape again.

If your zipper pull is not too worn out you can try to close it directly on the zipper, without removing it.

(if it is made out of plastic, if it is too bent or if it breaks doing this, you need to find another one of the same size, they are available online, or you can take it from another old zipper).

Step 5: Put Back the Zipper Pull

Put back the zipper pull. It may take a little bit of time...

Step 6: Put Back the Tooth

Put back the iron tooth with the pliers.

Step 7: Done!

Done!

Faster than changing it!

Comments

[Janchvz]

Please tell me how to fix this

[ClaudiaD56]

Just a heads up if it’s on a skirt that doesn’t have a one sided pull that is connected on both sides don’t take it off instead just push them together while they are at the bottom of the track

[tdbeardys]

omg thank you!!
managed to fix a zipper on a jacket that means alot to me <3

[aliethegreat2018]

This was freaking so easy a cave girl could do it!!! I got the sweatshirt for 97 sense originally 2599 because I had a broken zipper I saw your stuff and bam done that's 97 cents ever bought thank you thank you thank you

[Kiran Gokal]

An excellent article that saved me $25 to replace a zipper to my favourite hoodie jumper. Thanks.
Noting that an additional tool that helped me is a flat screen driver with thick edge - used to widen the stopper initally to fit back into position before tightening with pliers.

[yimlas]

If the teeth are broken the whole zipper needs to be changed. If the slider (the part that opens or closes the zipper) is hard to move up and down on a metal zipper, use some graphite on the zipper teeth and it will slide easily. Don't know what would work on a plastic zipper .

[PsychoticHatter]

If a plastic zipper (with teeth or with coils) is having issues moving up and down you can use a silicon spray or something called Super Slick Stuff. It smells like oranges while the silicon just smells bad.

[GrandmaSue10]

Some people don't know a pencil lead is not lead, but ii is graphite. I use pencil on my eyebrows sometimes, and my friend thought I was poisoning myself.

[johnny3h]

I simply rub the zipper teeth with bar soap [dry, not wet], similar to loosenig a "sticky" dresser drawer.

[sekitori]

or candle-grease

[Lydia976]

Try wax.

[PlantFoodV]

You know, you can squeeze the zipper slider without taking it off the jacket. If the slider is broken, you can replace just the slider with a new one the same method as above. The small metal piece at the top is a stopper, not teeth.

[marcellahella]

Yes, I wrote it already in step 4, but sometimes, when it is really distorted, it is better to remove it, to take a better look of it, and adjust the right and left hole equally.

And thanks for the word "stopper", I'll change it.

[GrandmaSue10]

Where online can you buy a new zipper tab? I have checked all the Fabric stores and Amazon (I think)

[claymccabe]

Right you are! Except it's a Top Stop that is removed.
So much bad advice on zippers out there it's crazy

[wells.laurence]

I fixed my zipper without removing the block or the pull from the zipper. A set of pliers is all it took!

[Quilterjean]

Thought I order 2 week ago.

[DennisLaw]

We put the ZIPPER PULL back on ONE side of the zip.
Never told us how to get BOTH sides of the teeth into the pull.
That's the important part.
Please tell us more about this.

[crcolin]

You can do that without removing the zipper in the same way. If you have to renew the runner go from the top of the zip and remove the stops and if you cannot refit the stops just sew around the last teeth and it will stop the runner coming off.

[jalas1]

What if there is no stopper? I have a pouch thing and the zipper goes all the way to the other end, what then?