The Secret To Unclogging A Spray Bottle Is Already In Your Home Office

When cleaning, there are few things more frustrating than finding your spray bottle nozzle is clogged. The bottle itself still has plenty of fluid in it, but nothing useful is coming out. Luckily, the key to unclogging that bottle is probably already close at hand, especially if you have a home office — a standard paperclip is all you need.

Cleaning isn't considered a chore for nothing; it can be arduous and time-consuming. Plus, it never ends. Finding ways to make cleaning easier, less costly, and less frustrating can improve even the worst of bad days (at least a little bit). However, not all cleaning hacks are created equal. The best hacks and tricks to better, more efficient cleaning are simple and convenient. In the best of times, they should also be inexpensive. That said, not many things are simpler, more convenient, or more inexpensive than a paperclip, so any fix that can be accomplished with one is one to remember.

Spray bottles are frequently subject to clogs, which can lead to an immense waste of money and a tax on our natural resources — both from additional chemical production and from chemicals seeping into the ground due to improper disposal. While there are tons of uses for a basic paperclip – from quick fixes to simple DIY hacks – none are simpler than this. A paperclip is nothing more than a single piece of thin steel wire, bent into shape. By straightening one out, you can create a small probing tool. The ends of the wire are generally cut flat, but one may have a slightly sharper edge than the other, and this is the end best used for clearing out small holes. 

The opening of a spray nozzle is perfectly sized for the end of a paperclip. Insert it and either attempt to dig out, or break through, the clog, and before long, the spray bottle should be working normally again. Interestingly, spray bottles are not the only containers that can be unclogged with a handy paperclip.

The idea of an unbent paperclip is hardly a new one. Pieces of electronics, such as cell phones, laptops, and some toys, sometimes have release buttons that are ideally accessed by a small, thin probe — a job a paperclip is perfect for. Other people keep paperclips on hand for cleaning out keyboards and other hard-to-reach grooves. Keeping a few straightened paperclips in your desk or junk drawer might not be a bad idea.

Glue bottles, by the very nature of their contents, have an obvious tendency to clog. Similarly, makeup or hairspray can have a glue-like effect on its nozzle, especially if it sits for long periods. The residual droplets from the aerosol mist can sometimes dry into a sticky barrier that prevents the nozzle from working correctly, but a quick twist of a paperclip tip can set these things right in no time. Basically, this hack works on any kind of nozzle, including spray paint and cooking spray, indicating that the paperclip is an essential household tool.