Budget tricks for bad zipper?

[LanaJae]

The zipper won't stay up on my new favorite pair of jeans. I don't want to return them and they can't be replaced (clearance item no longer made).

I've been told this happens when the zipper isn't sewn in properly, so before I spend more than I paid for the jeans to get a new zipper put in, does anyone know any tricks to keep the zipper up?

 

[tinker&belle]

Spray a little hairspray when you put them on (and again after each washing) This has worked well for me!

ETA: The hairspray directly onto the zipper

 

[IDoDis]

I would like to know, too. The only advice I can give to you is that you should wear really long shirts when you are wearing those jeans.

 

[LanaJae]

Spray a little hairspray when you put them on (and again after each washing) This has worked well for me!

ETA: The hairspray directly onto the zipper

I only have Aussie Scrunch spray, but I'll try it tomorrow, thanks!

I would like to know, too. The only advice I can give to you is that you should wear really long shirts when you are wearing those jeans.

That's what I've been doing for the last 2 months. What's even more frustrating is that the tab thingy goes straight down so I catch myself digging around trying to get that out.

 

[tinker&belle]

I only have Aussie Scrunch spray, but I'll try it tomorrow, thanks!



I'm guessing it will work. I think it works for the 'stickiness' factor.

 

[tonilea]

You could use a small safety pin under the zipper after you zip it up.

 

[Imzadi]

Take a pair of pliers and pinch the pull together, front & back, lightly at the bottom. It's just too loose. Do not pinch over the loop part or you will crush the loop.

 

[LanaJae]

You could use a small safety pin under the zipper after you zip it up.

Thanks, the zipper itself is too thick, I've been tying to do that and I'd need a huge safety pin.

Take a pair of pliers and pinch the pull together, front & back, lightly at the bottom. It's just too loose. Do not pinch over the loop part or you will crush the loop.

Thanks, am going to try that now, it's almost like it won't "catch" at the top, but this sounds like it might work.

 

[LanaJae]

Take a pair of pliers and pinch the pull together, front & back, lightly at the bottom. It's just too loose. Do not pinch over the loop part or you will crush the loop.

Thank you! This works! It took me awhile to figure out what to do, but it now is much harder to zip up and down so stays up!

I guess the problem is that the waist band was sewn in too close to the top of the zipper so there is no way it can "lock" at the top with those two end thingies.

 

[Imzadi]

Thank you! This works! It took me awhile to figure out what to do,

Yeah, I didn't know how to explain how you are supposed to figure out how to get the pliers around all that fabric in the way, to get to the bottom of the zipper. Glad you figured it out!

 

[rie'smom]

You could use a small safety pin under the zipper after you zip it up.

This is what I used to do-one of those little brass safety pins.

 

[tinker&belle]

Yeah, I didn't know how to explain how you are supposed to figure out how to get the pliers around all that fabric in the way, to get to the bottom of the zipper. Glad you figured it out!

So do you use the pliers at the bottom (where the zipper starts) or at the top? What is the 'loop'? I have a few pants I would love to fix and save my hairspray!

 

[Imzadi]

Here you go. I made up a diagram for you.

Take a pair of pliers and pinch on both sides of the pull together, front & back, lightly at the bottom (where it says Pinch here LIGHTLY).

Do NOT pinch over the LOOP part or you will crush the loop.

It's better to open the zipper up, (slide it all the way down) then pinch. Because, if the teeth aren't lined up properly, you will never get the zipper pull all the way down.

The difficult part is trying to get your pliers around the bulk of the fabric so you can actually get in at the side of the zipper pull to pinch it.

 

[LanaJae]

The picture is great and I get to see that I did it right! lol - thank you!

 

[NotUrsula]

The difficult part is trying to get your pliers around the bulk of the fabric so you can actually get in at the side of the zipper pull to pinch it.

Actually, it's easy if you use the proper tool. What you want to use are bent-nose pliers. These are needle-nose pliers that have a 90 degree backward bend at the tips. You hold them right down the zipper tape so that the bend goes toward the teeth.

 

[Imzadi]

Actually, it's easy if you use the proper tool. What you want to use are bent-nose pliers. These are needle-nose pliers that have a 90 degree backward bend at the tips. You hold them right down the zipper tape so that the bend goes toward the teeth.

Great pliers. Thanks, I'll definitely have to get a pair. It's worth the investment, considering how many zippers I've rescued over the years

BTW, here's a tip if you accidentally pinched too hard, or to completely change a zipper pull, without having to replace the whole zipper:

Flip the zipper to the back side. Zipper fully slid down. Take a small flathead screwdriver and insert in the bottom & gently pry open a little. If you need to replace the pull, open it enough to slide it all the way off. Take a pull off another old piece of clothing that has the same size & style zipper, (metal zipper to metal zipper, nylon zipper to nylon,) open it only far enough to remove it and slide on the zipper you are fixing. Gently pinch close. You don't want to pry it to far open, because it weakens the joint & you may accidentally break the zipper while pinching.

I can't tell you how many worn out jeans zippers I rescued by changing out the pulls. I have been able to buy many clearanced or "As is" jackets, that the only thing wrong on them was the zipper pull, where the work of changing out the whole zipper would just have cancelled out the clearance price. Instead, new jacket with only a couple of minutes work!

 

[ericamcl]

I was having a similar problem with a pair of capri pants, and my mom bought a "hook and eye" (? i think that's what they're called) and sewed them in to the part of the pants where the zipper stops at the top. Now when I put them on I zip them and then close the hook and eye and I've never had a problem with it unzipping while I was wearing them. She said the hook and eye takes the stress off of the zipper.

Not sure if this will help anyone, and if anyone wants a better explanation just let me know

 

[LadyyRedd]

If my zipper is bad, I make it sit in the corner and then send it to bed without supper.

Kimya

 

[LanaJae]

at Kimya!

Now we have lots of options, thanks everyone!