How to Untangle the Necklace?

Best Tips about how to untangle a necklace chain quickly

Written by Camilla Moln. Updated on How to untangle jewelry

Any jewelry owner has at least once encountered an unpleasant problem of knots and weaves on a chain. It is almost impossible to untangle necklaces knots on your own in a matter of seconds.

So often the favorite thing lies for years until the owner hopes to someday cope with the knot.

If the chains and necklaces are stored incorrectly, they inevitably get mixed and knotted. And it is not easy to separate them. You cannot pull the jewelry much, otherwise, it will break or stretch heavily. Here are some ways how to untangle a necklace chain quickly and maintain the integrity of the decoration.

How to Untangle the Necklace?

When your necklace gets tangled, it’s a real disaster! Especially if you find it all knotted when you need it so badly for adding that final touch to your look! Of course, you might try to detangle it with your fingers. It may work, especially if you have long enough nails.

However, we would like to suggest a quicker solution to you that will require you very little time and only one thing that all of us have at home: baby powder.

The method we are going to share with you will allow you to loosen those tight knots and detangle any necklace in just a few minutes!

For doing this, you will need the following:

  • Your necklace
  • Baby powder (any brand will do)
  • Safety pin
  • And a bit of your patience!

The detailed scheme looks like this:

  1. Place your necklace onto a clean and even surface. A clean tabletop will be just fine.
  2. Sprinkle some baby powder onto the necklace directly. Shake it so that the powder coats the entire chain.
  3. Acting very carefully, gently begin to pull the knots apart with your fingers. Start from the center and work your way to the edges. See, baby powder will work as a lubricant helping you to undo the knotted parts.
  4. Use a safety pin for guiding the chain through and around the knotted parts when you need some finer dexterity.
  5. If needed, sprinkle more powder and repeat the above steps until your necklace becomes fully detangled.
  6. Finally, wipe it with a paper towel to remove any powder residue.

With these simple steps, you will manage to untangle any of your necklaces, no matter how knotted they are. But next time, consider storing your jewelry pieces on a special hanger – it will protect them from tangling.

How to Untangle the Necklace
Credits: VitalikRadko, via Crello.com

How to Untangle the Chain at home?

If you decided to untangle necklace on your own, take into account the following hints:

  • Choose a light place for this procedure. You will also need a flat surface for this work not to spoil the necklace even more;
  • It is more convenient to work on a black or other dark surface. You will have a better sight of the problem on the contrast background;
  • Unfasten the chain and layout it over its entire length on the surface. Always remember not to pull it strongly over the edges. This way you will only make the knot tighter.

 If the chain is tangled and you are afraid of breaking it, it is better to contact a jewelry shop.

How to Untangle the Chain at home
Credits: VadimVasenin, via Crello.com

How to Untangle Jewelry with a Soap Solution?

Glass washing liquid can unexpectedly be used not only for its direct purpose but also in order to untangle the necklace. The window cleaner acts similarly to other lubricants, for example, soapy water or sunflower oil, but it should be used with more caution because of its components.

Generously sprinkle a tangled necklace with a window cleaner and leave it on a vibrating surface.

It can be a cell phone or a washing machine. The vibration will relax a knot.

Then you can try to repair the chain manually.

You may try to rub the knot a little with two fingers, but without excessive pressure not to damage the decoration. After it, wash off the window cleaner with a delicate detergent, and then rinse the product with water, and dry it thoroughly with a paper tissue.

How to Untangle Jewelry with a Soap Solution
Credits: Elnur_, via Crello.com

Use a Needle to Untangle Necklaces

To cope with a tight knot on a gold or silver chain, you can try to gently stretch it with a thin needle. But in the beginning, it is necessary to knead the chain in your hands for some time. This must be done carefully so as not to break the jewelry.

Then place the chain on a table and use a sewing needle to try stretching the links in different directions.

Step by step, you will increase the space between the knots, and you will see in which direction to move further. When the knot becomes slightly loose, replace the thin needle with a thicker one. So things will go faster.

This method is not suitable for chains consisting of flat wide links. Gold is a fairly soft metal. The sharp end of the needle may leave scratches on the chain or damage the decorative elements of the links.

Sharp objects are used only in the most extreme cases if all other methods did not work. You may also use soft wooden needles or toothpicks for this purpose.

How to Detangle the Necklace with Vegetable Oil?

If the knot is not subjected to any mechanical effects, try to dip the chain into the oil for some time. Soaked links will slide better, and the knot will slowly get untangled.

This is an effective method to help deal with the problem, but unfortunately, it is not easy to wash the chain from vegetable oil.

You will have to soak the chain in a concentrated soap solution or clean with special means and then rinse well.

However, the effort is worth it: the chain will look like new.

How to untangle several chains
Photo by Ignacio Campo on Unsplash

How to untangle several chains?

Sometimes, due to improper storage, a few chains get knotted. How to untangle jewelry in this case?

Follow these steps:

  • all the chains should be unfastened and located on a dark surface;
  • if some knots are easy to undo, then they should be untangled first of all and the freed item needs to be removed from the rest;
  • then carefully lubricate the remaining necklaces with vegetable oil and untangle them by hand;
  • the remaining knots are untangled with a toothpick or screwdriver;
  • then the chains are well washed with detergents, rinsed, and dried.
Costume jewelry for women.
Credits: scalatore959, via Crello.com

Useful Tips to Protect Necklaces from Knots

Correct storage of chains, necklaces, and other accessories extends their life. To avoid untangling necklace chains, follow these simple rules:

  • Gold, platinum, and pearl chains should be stored in separate cases with a soft inner surface.
  • Massive beads and pendants made of natural semiprecious stones are best stored horizontally so that the base does not stretch. Boxes with spacious departments are suitable for them.
  • Jewelry made from beads and glass beads requires careful handling. It is better not to hang it, but to spread it in velvet bags or in the wide cells of the box.
  • It is better to keep products from acrylic, glass, plastic, wood separately from other jewelry. Their surface is very susceptible to damage and scratches. Store lightweight items in a hanging state and keep heavier items in a flat position.

Solutions for Hanging Storage of Chains

Untangle Necklaces
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Everyone knows how difficult it is to get a knot out of a necklace chain.

Here are a few useful secrets on how to care for your jewelry not to cause knots and damages:

  • thin chains can be stored in straws. Put the chain in the cocktail tube and fasten it.  In such “cases” the product will never get tangled;
  • Chains can be hung on the horns of statuettes, dolls’ hands, branches of wooden decoration, and all sorts of other objects with hooks.
  • In various gift shops, you can find a special stand for different kinds of jewelry. They come in the form of mannequins, abstract figures with branches, animals, or plants. Such an item will be a great gift for a girlfriend or sister.
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Camilla is an experienced Consultant with more than 20 years of preparing professional articles for numerous online resources. She has done a tremendous job and has learned a lot during her career. Camilla will advise you on the latest trends and give amazing tips on how to decorate a house.
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