How to Loosen a Stuck Paint Cap

Paint Cap Stuck on Tight?
There are several ways of loosening the cap from a tube of paint, whether it's oil, watercolor or acrylic.

I'm sure you've already had the experience of trying to twist the cap only to have the tube twist and split instead. What can you do?

Well, if you haven't broken the tube, try one of these techniques:

• First, try getting a better grip on the cap with a rubber gripper (like they sell in the kitchen ware department)
• Of course you can give it a go with pliers or a nutcracker (handy tools for your paint box)

• A gentler method might be to invert the tube in water (cool for watercolors - hot water for oils or acrylics), soak for a few minutes and then use the rubber gripper or pliers

• An old method is to heat the metal threading area using a flame (and I don't recommend this unless you are adult and know what you are doing). You also have to be very careful not to melt the cap...

By Far the Best Method
This is the easiest and less troublesome way to handle the situation. Squeeze all the paint up to the top of the tube and roll the tube up snuggly. You can use a Tube Wringer, or run a pencil or brush handle to squeeze the paint towards the lid. Grasp the whole tube with one hand and try unscrewing the cap with that rubber grip, pliers, paint rag, whatever. Having the paint tightly at the top helps to prevent the tube from twisting and breaking.

Once you have the cap off, clean the dried paint from the threads and from the cap. Rub the threads with petroleum jelly to keep the paint from adhering in the future.

Still Stuck?
If all else fails, make sure you've pushed all the paint to the top of the tube, then cut the bottom end off of the tube. Use what you need and then close the tube, cover with plastic wrap and secure the bottom with a bulldog clip.

And finally, save a few of your good caps from empty tubes - just in case you've split (or melted) a cap.