How to Fix a Sweater Zipper From Crunching Up

Zipper crunching occurs more often with older clothing.

Few clothing items are as comfortable and easy to wear than your zip-up sweater. Unfortunately, all that convenience goes out the window when the zipper begins crunching up. This occurs when the slider and the teeth no longer align, resulting in a zipper that bunches up and comes to a sudden stop. The cause of the problem ranges from a simple obstruction blocking the zipper to a zipper that needs new pieces. Either way, you can repair your zipper yourself so your favorite sweater works normally.

Things You'll Need

• Cloth rag
• Washing machine
• Petroleum jelly
• Pliers
• Zipper slider
• Needle
• Thread

Instructions

1. Look at the zipper for any dirt, debris or fabric that may be blocking the slider from zipping. Anything in the way of the slider can cause the zipper to crunch up. Simply remove any obstructions with your hands. Use a pair of pliers if necessary. Clean off large amounts of dust or dirt with a clean cloth rag or wash your sweater in your washing machine.

2. Add petroleum jelly to the zipper if problems continue. The jelly lubricates the slider and the teeth, thereby aiding the slider to move across the teeth with little effort and with no crunching or bunching.

3. Remove the bottom of the zipper. This piece, called the stopper, prevents the slider from slipping off your sweater. Use a pair of pliers to remove and slip the slider off your zipper.

4. Place a new slider on your sweater. Feed the teeth through both sides of the slider and zip up your sweater.

5. Fabricate a new stopper at the bottom of your sweater by sewing several loops of thread where the stopper once stood. Only a minimal amount of threading is required to stop the slider and prevent it from sliding off your sweater. Tie the threading together with a knot when finished. Slide the zipper up and down to ensure the new pieces work correctly.

Tips & Warnings

• Find replacement zippers at your local fabric or arts and crafts store.

References

• Tutorials: Learn 2 Fix a Zipper
• Quest Outfitters: Zipper Tips