We are all familiar with the old saying – Lefty, loose-y. Righty, tight-y. Remembering this little trick comes in handy when you’re trying to loosen screws because you certainly don’t want to make it any tighter, making your work even harder.
Sometimes, your arm strength and a wrench are good enough tools to accomplish the task of loosening the particular screw, nut, or bolt. Sometimes, however, you need to pull some other tricks out of your sleeve in order to even begin to see your wrench turn. Some various methods to help you loosen those tightly stuck screws have been provided below.
1. More Muscle – The first and most obvious option to move the loosening process along is to get assistance from someone with more strength. This might sound trivial but there is no shame in asking for help with this sort of chore. Sometimes another person just gets lucky and is able to loosen the screw with their first attempt.
2. Tool Technique – Make sure you have selected the proper tools(s) for the particular project. There are so many varieties or wrenches and screwdrivers available these days, so it is imperative that you use the right one for the job. It makes all the difference, as does the quality of the tool itself.
3. Luck with Lube – Applying some sort of lubricant to the tightened screw will often times be just the solution to the problem. You actually have a variety of liquid application options to choose from, most of which are common household items:
- WD-40
- Oil
- Candle wax
- Coca-Cola
- Tabasco sauce
- Any other product that is considered a lubricant
Regardless of which lubricating material works best for you, make sure you allow it to penetrate the designated area, which is what will allow for better leverage and movement.
