The Handy Essential That Prevents The Lid Of Your Paint Can From Getting Stuck

Painting is a big job that requires a steady hand and patience. But all that patience will go out the window when you can't open your can because the lid is stuck. This usually happens when paint settles into the ridges of the can after you pour it into the painting tray. If it's not wiped clean and the lid is placed on top of it, the paint dries and acts as a suction cup to the cover, keeping it firmly in place. This can prove to be annoying when you want to use it next, leaving you to wrestle with it for a solid 15 minutes before you can pry it open again. But instead of sweating and swearing, you can use a little bit of Vaseline to prevent this from happening.

Adding Vaseline to the threads will help prevent the lid from sticking, nipping your problem in the bud. It's a great hack to try since most households already have a tub of Vaseline in the bathroom, giving the self-care staple a second purpose around the house. Here's how to use it.

For this painting hack to be effective, you can't smear Vaseline over a dripping paint can. First, there needs to be some maintenance. The most important thing to remember is that you should always wipe the ridges clean before putting the lid onto the can. This not only ensures that there will be an airtight seal, but it will also help the cover not become stuck on the can. No amount of Vaseline will be able to help if you let the paint sit in the threads. To clean it up, simply grab a rag or paper towel and wipe away the excess paint. If you want to get hyper-detailed, you can also wrap a paper towel around a toothpick or flathead screwdriver to remove the last lingering splatters. You can also poke holes in the ridges to allow the paint to drain back into the can.

Once that's done, grab your Vaseline and apply it around the lid and threads to lubricate it. This will prevent it from becoming stuck since the petroleum jelly will help keep it greasy. The top will pop right off the next time you need to use your paint.