Things You Will Need
Depending on the material on which the snaps are secured, the material may rip and the item ruined when opening or closing a stiff metal snap. To help avoid this problem, it is possible to make the metal snaps easier to unsnap.
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Dip the tip of a cotton swab into petroleum jelly or wax, such as car wax. You only need a small amount.
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Rub the cotton swab around the inside of the female, or open end, of the snap. This will coat and lubricate the inside.
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Dip the cotton swab back into the petroleum jelly or wax.
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Rub the cotton swab around the outside of the male end of the snap.
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Add a drop of machine oil into the female end of the snap to further lubricate the snap. Repeat this process for any additional snaps.
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Open and close the snap repeatedly. Over time, the snap will loosen up some, and it will be easier to open and close, even without additional lubrication.