How to Untangle a Phone Cord

A landline phone with a cord can become tangled very easily, especially if it is a long cord that allows you to move around. Whether you are walking around while talking, twirling the cord in your fingers, or not detangling before hanging up, the cord can start to resemble a tangled necklace. If you're used to using cordless phones and cellphones, cord untangling may seem like an annoyance, but you can do it in a few simple steps and easily prevent it from happening again.

To begin straightening out a tangled and knotted phone cord, examine the cord and observe which way the curls go. Pick up the handset and twirl it according to the way the curls are going, either in a clockwise or counterclockwise motion. The curls may be going in both directions at points, so focus on a segment at a time and spin the cord accordingly. Avoid dropping the handset, as this could damage it to the point of no longer working properly.

If the phone cord is still jumbled or knotted, unplug it from the phone and twist it with your fingers to free any entwined segments. Avoid pulling too much, as this may damage the cord. Next smooth any bumps or twists with your fingers. Try to get all of the coils back to their original position. Then plug the cord back into the handset. If the cord is too far gone, you may need to replace it with a new one.

To prevent future tangles, install a phone detangler, also known as a cord detangler or a tangle-free phone cord, which you can find at Amazon or an office supply store. Many commercial offices sport phone detanglers on landline phones to keep the cords organized. Phone detanglers are also intended to prevent phone cords from wearing out prematurely and can extend the life of a phone cord by a year or two. To use a phone detangler:

1. Unplug the coiled phone cord from the handset of the phone.
2. Plug the phone detangler into the handset.
3. Plug the coiled phone cord into the other end of the detangler.

The detangler rotates freely, which prevents the cord from tangling or knotting up as it normally would.

Another way to prevent tangles is to use a retractable cord, also called a telephone cord manager. This device automatically rewinds the cord into a small plastic case, clearing the space that would otherwise be cluttered by a coiled phone cord. Install it by inserting one plug into the handset and one into the base of the phone.