Lids and packaging that 'drive you nuts'

As I’m getting older, and my grip is not as strong as it once was, I find the lid of Ecostore’s dishwasher powder impossible to open. Fortunately I’ve got someone to help me the first time, and I never close it tightly thereafter.

Another thing is the lid of Vaalia’s 900g yoghurt: once the foil is removed, the plastic lid doesn’t sit snugly on the tub: two hands are needed to remove it from the 'frig so I don’t drop the whole thing.
Any suggestions welcome.
:)P

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You could transfer the yoghurt to a glass jar (or 2) with a large opening and easy to fit lid.
I always make my own in 1 or 2litre batches - in nice big containers with good lids.

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It is somewhat difficult to find a particular product locally, but google ‘jar opener arthritic hands’ and you will find all sorts of aids, some of which can be bought locally (esp from .au websites), from ebay, or amazon, and many can be shipped in.

This US site is an intro in the more common product types as well as this one. However, products with childproof caps can be a problem with no good solution when first opened, although breaking off the tabs making it childproof helps for subsequent opens.

I do not use that product, but try putting a piece of (reusable) aluminium foil (folded over a few times if necessary) over the tub prior to putting the lid on to make the fit tighter. The foil can be wiped and good quality foil will last a while for that application.

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Try using 2 heavy duty rubber bands, I forget how many yoghurt tubs I have dropped.

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I too have the same problem. Have been buying a liquid toilet cleaner recommended by Choice, but opening the lid is impossible. Last time asked the store assistant to open it for me. It is one of those where you have to press the sides of the lid firmly and then turn. I do not have enough strength in my hands to apply the needed pressure. These type of lids are really a problem for some of us as we get older.

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A clamping type jar opener can help with the squeeze and turn action.

An example of what I mean

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One that I found challenging was the lid of a medication that one of our cats needed for a number of years towards the end of his life. The plastic cap was initially joined to a collar at about 8 points around the circumference. To break the connection, you had to press the lid down very firmly while turning. The tiny plastic bottle and small lid were difficult to grip firmly enough to achieve this, especially for stiff arthritic hands. I usually had to resort to carefully cutting the attachment points with a thin-bladed sharp knife. None of our normal bottle-opening aids was any help, because the bottle was just too small and fiddly. I think I managed to open one without wielding the knife precisely once in several dozen.

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I feel the pain from time to time. There are a number of proper aids on the market as @grahroll linked, but when all else fails a vacuum mounted hobby vise and a vise grip or multi-grip plier will usually get it done. Care is needed not to destroy the bottle if it is really stubborn.

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Another and possibly safer for some option.
Look to the home toolbox and use a diagonal wire cutter to snip each plastic link.

Can also help with getting into some of the sealed hard plastic packages. Often found for a few dollars in discount bins or even Aldi special buys. Best to go for a size that when closed can be comfortably squeezed in the hand. Some hobby sized versions may be useless if one has a limited range of grip.

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For the bottles I had to deal with, this wouldn’t have worked. The gap between collar and cap was tiny. You wouldn’t get the tips of the wire cutter into the gap. The knife was safe enough for my purposes, because the connections broke easily with just a firm touch of a thin sharp edge.

I might have been able to use a wire cutter to slice through the collar itself - ie, apply the Gordian Knot approach. :laughing:

But it would be preferable to have a better-designed lid in the first place.

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To open a safety cap is a time consuming struggle even for those with problem-free hands like me.
It’s also frustrating having to go through it again after each use. To avoid that I resort to separating the inner and outer caps and only use the inner one to close up the container properly (some contents are volatile and need a good seal). I have in my cabinet a bottle of Calamine Lotion and one of Vaposteam with just the inner cap on them. But it might not suit if a child-resistant cap is needed.

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Those caps where one has to squeeze the lid to turn it past a detent each half turn can be ‘fixed’ once opened. Use side cutters (as @mark_m shows) to cut the detent-ears off the bottle. From then on it is sweet.

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Is it so that arthritis pills are sold in bottles that those with the condition cannot open?

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If they’re lucky they’ll get blister packs otherwise they’ll have to wield tradesmen’s tools to get to the pills :wink:

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Plenty of aids available for recalcitrant jars, bottles, etc. An old-fashioned jar wrench is pretty good for the squeeze and twist ones - I still have mine from the 1970s, but with smallish diameter lids, often a nutcracker will do the trick! If you have trouble holding the jar, bottle etc with your other hand, depending on the size and contents, you can often hold the jar under your arm, or get a silicone mat or dish cover, or even a damp dishcloth [Wettex-type thing] and sit the jar on that - stops it wanting to turn so much with the lid.
There are a couple of local mail-order places who do quite a few jar openers/lid removers etc, depending on what you need. "Health Pride’ is one; ‘Bright Life’ another. Search for things like “jar opener” or “kitchen aids”, and you’ll probably find something to suit. For vacuum-sealed jars, the “jar popper” is absolutely brilliant!! And there’s a variety of things you’d never use in 1000 years, but there’s a few useful things in amongst the other stuff.
You can google ‘disability aids’ or similar, and find specialist suppliers who have ‘kitchen aids’ or ‘dexterity aids’ etc, in amongst the wheelchairs and the like, but their prices are usually eye-watering, so you do that to see what’s available, and find somewhere which sells the same or similar for a lot less. Avoid places like Temu, Amazon & eBay, as they often have dodgy copies, which look the same, but don’t work the same.

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Those bottles are the pits! And yes, often the ‘cut the little joining bits’ is the only way. But sometimes 2 metal nut-crackers will work - one to hold the little bottle & the other to turn the lid. Or a jar wrench and one nut-cracker, if you don’t happen to own 2 nut-crackers!

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Seconded!! I only got one a year ago but its been a lifesaver (well… exaggeration but you get the idea)

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We have a set of multi grips. Doesn’t matter what sized lid.

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