When opening your cabinet to get a glass for a drink, you may notice that they are suddenly stuck. This can be very frustrating and can cause you unable to get the glass in a timely manner as you had hoped. There are specific scientific causes as to why glasses get stuck, however.
When washed in hot water, as you wash dishes, the glass expands. When the glass cools, it contracts. This causes glasses that are stacked to expand and contract together, causing them to become stuck together. Continue reading below for tips on getting the glasses unstuck next time.
1. Use heat
Use the scientific method of expanding and contracting glass to your favor. Cool the inner glass with cool water to allow it to contract. Cool only the outer glass with hot water to allow it to expand. This will allow the glasses to come apart from one another easily.
It is important to not use the extremes of either temperature as ice and boiling water can cause damage to the glasses. When pulling the two glasses apart, make sure to do so easily so as to not crack either glass or cause either to break. Twist, then pull to minimize impact.
2. Use force
Using force is one of the more risky methods in getting stuck glasses apart. First, try to twist the glasses apart to look for a pinch. Make sure you are gentle when doing this so one does not shatter and cut your hands.
If this does not work, try to shatter one with a hammer until one cracks. Both may crack, but it is important to try to keep yourself safe and clean up all glass afterward. Another option, if this does not work, is to blow air between the glasses with a straw to try to pull out any excess water.
3. Use lubricants
If you are still making no progress, use a light amount of lubrication such as cooking oil or soap. You could even utilize the oil with heat to pull them apart. If neither of these options work, use something like WD-40 though this can release toxins to you.
Whatever option you use, pour the lubricant between the two classes. Use something thin to push it all the way down. From there, you can twist the glasses apart carefully. Do not pull them straight out to avoid breaking glass, and twist any way that is comfortable for you.
Final thoughts
Stuck glasses are inconvenient to you when you are looking for a quick drink before a time deadline or anytime, really. Thankfully, there are methods to get stuck glasses apart. Start by utilizing scientific methods of heating and cooling to expand and contract the glasses. If that does not work, move on to utilizing lubricants or force. No matter the method you choose, make sure you are careful to take care of yourself and your family by cleaning up any glass shards afterwards.
