How do you sticky up a zipper?

February 1, 2019 10:53 AM

So I've got a pair of pants I love and they have a loose zipper. Given that occasionally I go commando when it's close to laundry day, that's a problem waiting to happen. So how do you make a zipper LESS loose? I've seen tons online for the opposite but nothing for this. So what? Rust? Maple syrup? A hammer? I'm open. Literally.
posted by rileyray3000 to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (13 answers total)

Squeeze each side of the slider a very tiny bit with a pair of pliers. Careful not to do it too much. If you do do it too much you can pry it back open with a flat blade screwdriver but you don't want to do that more than once because you can weaken the metal.

I am not a certified zipper technician and I am not your certified zipper technician but this is how I've done it in the past.
posted by bondcliff at 10:58 AM on February 1, 2019 [10 favorites]

If the zipper tab has a hole in it you could safety pin the zipper to the pants if that desperate.
posted by TheAdamist at 10:59 AM on February 1, 2019 [3 favorites]

You can also take a hair tie or rubber band, put it through the eye of the zipper pull, then loop it so that it is fixed. Then, after you zip but before you button, you can put the longer loop over the button.
posted by Tchad at 11:03 AM on February 1, 2019 [8 favorites]

Bondcliff got it in one; pinch it with some pliers. Also, buy some more undies, jeez.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 11:07 AM on February 1, 2019 [20 favorites]

Take 'em to a tailor and get the zipper replaced.
posted by dobbs at 11:26 AM on February 1, 2019 [7 favorites]

Use some sandpaper and rough up the zipper-y bits. The actual interlocking parts of the zipper themselves.
posted by Sphinx at 11:28 AM on February 1, 2019 [2 favorites]

You want a pants zipper to stay up near the button on the pants.

Option 1: thread clear hair elastic through zipper pull tip. Put elastic over button. Wear pants.
Option 2: https://www.ehow.com/how_5578710_fix-zipper-wont-stay-up.html
posted by enfa at 11:30 AM on February 1, 2019

This kind of simple repair is the kind of thing the tailor at my dry cleaners does for about $8. Totally worth it.
posted by BlahLaLa at 11:39 AM on February 1, 2019 [1 favorite]

Always keep the zipper tab in a downward position. This works wonders.
posted by Melismata at 11:47 AM on February 1, 2019 [6 favorites]

Yeah, the zipper is supposed to lock when you fold the tab down. If it doesn’t, it’s defective and you should replace it.
posted by Huffy Puffy at 12:09 PM on February 1, 2019 [5 favorites]

Yep, the tab of the zipper should have a protrusion at the end that you lay flat against the zipped zipper and the fly sorta holds it in place like an anchor. Or replace or squeeze etc.
posted by zengargoyle at 1:56 PM on February 1, 2019 [1 favorite]

I had a pants zipper that did this at a time when I really couldn't afford to buy new pants. I put a paperclip through the hole in the zipper tab, then looped the other end of the paperclip over the pants button. It was a pain when I had to use the restroom, but otherwise worked fine for a few weeks until I got new pants.
posted by tacodave at 3:12 PM on February 1, 2019

Here's a very slightly different twist that works on my loose zipper: use the ring from a key chain through the hole in the zipper and hook it on your pants button. It's sturdier than a hair tie or paper clip.
posted by Wet Hen at 4:30 PM on February 1, 2019 [3 favorites]