How to Fix a Zipper on a Suitcase

Co-authored by Mia Danilowicz and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: January 6, 2022 References

Traveling is fun, but when your zipper breaks, it can turn into a nightmare! Fortunately, a broken zipper isn’t the end of the world, and you can even fix your luggage on the go. Whether your zipper is stuck, keeps separating, or needs to be replaced entirely, we've got you covered. We’ve described a few ways you can fix a broken zipper and get back to enjoying your time away from home.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Stuck Zipper

1
Pull any stuck fabric out with tweezers. Sometimes, your zipper gets stuck because there’s fabric or thread trapped in the zipper teeth. Open your bag as far as possible and try to look inside. If you see anything clogging the teeth, grab a pair of tweezers and gently pull the fabric out. Once you’ve gotten the teeth unstuck, you should be able to slide the zipper back and forth no problem.^{[1]
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- Oftentimes, a luggage zipper is stuck because there’s clothing caught in the zipper. If you can gently remove the clothing from the zipper teeth, you can fix your zipper in no time!
- If you don’t have tweezers on-hand, try gently tugging on the fabric with your fingers.
2
Color the zipper teeth with a graphite pencil. If your zipper is still stuck, you might need a little extra help. Grab a pencil made of graphite (the old-style #2 pencils) and gently rub it on the zipper teeth near your stuck zipper. Slide your zipper back and forth to see if the graphite helps lubricate and release the zipper.^{[2]
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- Try rubbing the graphite on the teeth both above and below the zipper slider itself. That way, your lubricating material will hopefully get inside the zipper slider and unstick it.
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3
Use baby powder or lip balm if the zipper is still stuck. If graphite doesn’t fix your problem, you may need to move onto tougher lubricants. You can use baby powder, lip balm, petroleum jelly, bar soap, glass cleaner, or wax paper. Grab whatever you hand on hand and rub it on the zipper teeth near the zipper slider, then try gently tugging the zipper back and forth.^{[3]
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- If your luggage is made of leather, use caution if you choose to use glass cleaner or bar soap. Both can stain leather, so be sure to wipe it off with a wet rag as soon as you can.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Separated Zipper

1
Straighten the zipper teeth with pliers. If your zipper won’t catch because the teeth are crooked, you might be able to fix it right away. Grab a pair of pliers and gently squeeze the zipper teeth to straighten them back out. Slide the zipper up and down to see if that fixes your problem.^{[4]
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- If the zipper teeth are the problem, you’ll probably be able to see that they’re crooked. If they aren’t the problem, move onto the next step.
2
Pinch the zipper plates together with pliers. Usually, a zipper separates because the plates, or the base of the zipper, are too loose. Grab a pair of pliers and gently place them on the base of the zipper slider, or the small, flat part of the zipper that touches the zipper teeth. Squeeze the pliers gently to tighten the plates of the zipper slider, then do the same thing on the other side.^{[5]
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3
Try the zipper again, then keep pinching. Once you’ve pinched the zipper a few times, try zipping it up and down to see if it catches. Make sure you line up the teeth with the sides of the zipper before you slide it. If the zipper is still separated, try pinching it again with pliers.^{[6]
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- If the zipper catches but gets stuck, try lubricating the teeth with graphite or wax paper.
- If your zipper still doesn’t catch, it may be time to replace it.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Zipper Replacement

1
Pull off the zipper stop with a pair of pliers. The zipper stop is the flat piece of metal or plastic at the very beginning of the zipper teeth. Since it helps keep the zipper from sliding off your bag, you need to remove it before you can replace your zipper. Use pliers to pull the zipper stop off, then throw it away.^{[7]
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- The zipper stop will probably be damaged from the pliers you used to take it off, so unfortunately, you can’t reuse it.
- You might have to replace your zipper if the slider is broken or the teeth keep separating.^{[8]
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  Expert Source
  
  Mia Danilowicz
  Master Tailor
  Expert Interview. 8 January 2021.} Old zippers can warp or stretch, which can make it impossible to close your luggage all the way.
2
Slide the zipper off the zipper teeth. Once the zipper stop is gone, you can go ahead and grab the existing zipper and pull it off your bag. If your zipper is locked into position, grab a paperclip and stick it underneath the sliding base of the zipper, then gently tug upwards. If your zipper slider has a lock on it, this will unlock it from the zipper teeth so you can slide it off your luggage. Then, throw the old zipper away.^{[9]
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3
Feed the teeth into the new zipper slider. You can buy a universal zipper that fits onto most bags at any craft supply store. If your old zipper had a number stamp on the bottom, you can also purchase an exact replica either online or in stores. Once you have your new zipper, line it up with the zipper teeth and pull it onto your bag.^{[10]
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- You might have to pull the zipper back and forth a few times to lock it into place.
4
Attach a new zipper stop with pliers. If you bought a zipper kit, it should come with a new zipper stop. Line the zipper stop up with the end of the zipper teeth, then pinch the 2 sides together. Keep pinching until the zipper stop stays on by itself so your zipper doesn’t fall off again.^{[11]
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- Once your zipper stop is on, you’re done! Your new zipper should work flawlessly, and you shouldn’t have any more issues with your luggage.

Expert Q&A

Question

How can you fix a zipper that came off one side?

Mia Danilowicz
Master Tailor
Mia Danilowicz is a Master Tailor who works onset and on the red carpet in Los Angeles, California. With over a decade of experience, Mia specializes in bridal and gown couturier fittings, garment reconstruction, and custom design. Mia has worked at the Oscars, Grammys, SAG Awards, and Golden Globes. Her clients include a long list of entertainment and fashion industry headliners, major fashion magazines, luxury consumer brands, and popular media. Mia was trained at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising and received her AA in Fashion Design and BS in Business Management.

Mia Danilowicz

Master Tailor

Expert Answer

The easiest way to put a broken zipper back on track is the cut a small slit at the bottom of the zipper on the side that is off track. Pull the zipper down and thread that side into the zipper pull. Since the button was cut, you will then need to finish off the bottom so that the zipper can not reach the point down below. Appropriate methods are hand stitching above the cut line, or machine sewing back and forth to create a barrier. If there are missing zipper teeth anywhere along the zipper line you may need to replace the entire zipper altogether.