An expensive or vintage perfume can come with a stylish glass bottle and stopper. But the glass stopper can get stuck and stubborn to remove if the perfume hasn’t been used in a while. The stopper can stick in place for several reasons. This can relate to the stopper expanding or a glue-like seal forming between the bottleneck and stopper. It is possible to avoid these issues by lifting the stopper every so often and making sure to wipe up any excess perfume.
Here are several non-destructive methods to manage the stuck stoppers:
Modern Splash Bottle
If you have a modern splash bottle with a stopper or cap it often helps to use a towel, rubber band or similar item to help get a better grip. This can magnify your strength and make it easier to twist or pull the stopper. If that doesn’t loosen the stopper, hold the perfume bottle under a hot water tap for 30 to 60 seconds. The change in temperature should help to create convulsion and make it easier to twist the cap.
Another option is to place the perfume bottle in the refrigerator and leave it to cool for about 15 to 25 minutes. This again relies on the difference in temperature to help loosen the lid. A further method includes using the microwave oven. Place a damp kitchen towel in the microwave and heat for 5 seconds. Wrap that around the stopper and leave in place for a couple of seconds. Now twist gently to open the bottle.
Vintage Bottle
With a vintage bottle it is necessary to be more careful. A precious or valuable perfume bottle shouldn’t be exposed to water or cold since this can smudge the original paper label or damage the brittle glass. A preferred option to sort the issues with old splash bottles with a stopper is using pure-grade alcohol (90 percent plus proof). Soak a piece of cotton wool and place it on the neck of the stopper. Squeeze the cotton wool to release one or two drops of the alcohol. The alcohol should start to dissolve the buildup of residue within 4 or 5 minutes. The twister should now be easy to remove.
By using the proper methods it is certainly possible to remove the stuck stopper without causing any damage to the bottle. Always make sure to avoid excessive pulling or twisting of the stopper as this can quite easily caused permanent damage to the bottle.