How to get a Rusty and Stuck Screw Lid off of a Ball Mason Canning Jar.

While spring cleaning the garage and moving the patio furniture outside, I found 3 mason jars with remnants of apple pie moonshine in them. They were accidentally left in the garage from the last fling of autumn last year when we packed away the patio furniture into the garage.

2 if them were my favorite green Ball canning jars and also, I love all canning jars so I gathered them up and plopped them into the sink so that I could open them and wash them.

Much to my dismay, I couldn't unscrew the lids. I tried everything. I soaked them. I used my super gripper opener.

I asked my husband and a few other folks. Nothing got these jars open. I was stumped. No way would I allow them to be discarded or damaged.

That's when I had my idea. I took a bottle opener that has the little triangular tip to it.

With out using pressure because I didn't want to break or chip the glass, I gently pushed the tip of the opener under the bottom of the screw top and pulled it away from the glass. You can see in this pic that I only pulled enough to slightly stretch the screw top.

I did it in about 5 places around the lid. And it worked! The screw lids would have been discarded anyway because they could no longer be sterilized. The jars are soaking and will be spotlessly washed. Remember to be very gentle when you try this. It opened all 3 of my jars. It should work very well for you, too.