The Best Hacks For Untangling A Necklace, Because We Know The Struggle Is Real

Tangled necklaces are such a bummer. When we want to add one more piece to our carefully curated looks, there's nothing quite as annoying as pulling out the perfect necklace only to find it coiled together in an infuriating mess. How does it happen? It's a mystery of the jewelry box, but happen it does! As anyone who's lived to tell the tale, aggressive tugging can often result in a broken chain, particularly if the chain is thin and fragile, so this is not a solution. To avoid the impossible tangle, we end up hiding the necklace in a drawer, telling ourselves we'll get to it one day. But who has the time for such finicky work?

The good news is that there are some tried and true hacks for untangling necklaces that are remarkably easy. So no need to bury them in a mystery drawer anymore. The next time we face a tangled chain, we'll be ready and prepared. Heck, we might even look forward to it.

There are a couple of household products that work wonders on tangled necklaces and both have to do with babies. Baby oil is a miracle worker on hard-to-undo knots. Lay your necklace on a paper towel then dip a cotton swab into baby oil and apply it to the knot. Gently massage the knot between your fingers and watch as the necklace untangles. Gently pull the chain into its correct position and wash off the baby oil in warm water and soap. Pat dry with a towel. If there's no baby oil to be had, olive oil is also a successful substitute.

Another favorite hack involves baby power. Sprinkle some baby powder on the knot and massage it loose. If working the tangle loose with your fingers isn't effective, get a sewing needle or open safety pin and place the tip in the center of the knot while the necklace lies flat on a counter. Gently move the safety pin in circular motions until the knot loosens enough to pull it apart with your fingers. Wash off the baby powder with soap and warm water.

Another at-home hack to undo tangles is to soak the necklace in warm, soapy water. Work at the tangle with your fingers and rinse. Amazingly, Windex also works well at lubricating knots. Dab a small amount with a cotton swab on the knot and massage with fingers. If the knot is still stubborn, use a pin or sewing needle to gently pull apart the knot.

What's even more useful than knowing how to undo a knot is knowing how to prevent one in the first place. To prevent tangles while wearing multiple necklaces, opt for mixing necklaces of different lengths and weights. Too many thin chains close together are going to lead to a real mess, but if the necklaces have different levels of thickness and length, then the chances of them getting intertwined are slimmer. There's also such a thing as a necklace spacer (yes!) so that you can wear multiple necklaces at once and they won't crisscross on your body.

For storage at home, use a jewelry tree or jewelry box with a proper compartment to hang necklaces. Another option is rolling the necklace in a cloth. Even a simple washcloth can work as an effective storage tool so that the necklace doesn't bump up against others. There's also the option of wrapping a necklace in plastic wrap — feel free to reuse it as long as possible — so that it doesn't move around when stored.