How to Untangle Any Necklace In No Time!

By Sami

While most people don’t enjoy untangling a necklace, I happen to love it. Call it the Virgo in me, or perhaps the touch of OCD in my blood.

Either way, if you’re frustrated and fed up with figuring out how to untangle necklaces, you’ve come to the right place.

Continue reading to learn my top tricks. I should warn you that each method requires good eyesight and a lot of patience.

Before you start the surgery, you need to find a flat, blank surface. Unclasp the necklace and find good light, a lamp, or a headlamp.

Lay the necklace on the surface and identify the knots.

From here, you can assess the issue and decide which method will work best.

How to Untangle a Thin Necklace

Thin necklaces are the most difficult chains to deal with because they are so delicate and can easily break. Especially when learning how to untangle a tight knot in a necklace, you need to have a soft touch.

In these cases, a small safety pin, straight pin or needle can act as an extension of your fingers to make more precise movements. You can pin one section of the necklace down and use the other pin to insert into the center of the knot and remove it gently.

If the pins aren’t enough to get the knot out, you may need to use a lubricant. There are a few different options.

You can use:

Baby oil
Olive oil
Soapy water

To apply these solutions, it is best to use a cotton ball or cotton swab so that you don’t completely soak the chain… unless it’s necessary. After applying these, the chains will loosen up, and you can continue with the pin and needle method.

After using these solutions, rinse your necklace with water (and possibly mild soap) to remove the oil.

How to Untangle a Necklace With Baby Powder

While this might sound odd, baby powder acts as a lubricant when figuring out how to untangle a small knot in a necklace.

You can generously sprinkle the powder over the entire necklace and rub it into the knot (not too aggressively… we don’t want to make the knot worse).

From here, you can get to work with your fingers or pins to separate the knot. The powder will make the chains slide easier, therefore helping the knot to fall out.

How to Untangle a Necklace With Multiple Chains

Sometimes the issue isn’t exactly with knots but with multiple chains mixed up and tangling together.

Even though this sounds easier, figuring out how to untangle chain necklaces can be equally frustrating. You’ll want to start the same by laying out the knotted chains on a clean, plain, flat surface.

Depending on how many strands there are, you’ll want to pull one or two strands from the middle out. As you pull them towards you, you’ll notice the ends of the necklace twisting and turning.

Allow this to happen and help the ends turn in the direction they want.

You may need to repeat this step multiple times with different chains. You’ll likely feel like you’re doing and undoing your work, but eventually, all chains will be in the correct place.

Are Any of These Lubricants Bad for My Jewelry?

Generally, the lubricants listed here, baby oil, olive oil, or soapy water, will not tarnish or harm your jewelry.

Chemicals and acids can cause oxidation, so it is best to avoid those.

How Can I Keep My Necklaces From Getting Tangled?

The easiest way to avoid tangled chains is not to allow them to happen in the first place. There are many tricks to keep jewelry organized in your home and also when traveling.

If you follow these ideas, you might not even need to learn how to untangle a necklace chain.

At home:

Hanging your necklaces separately is great for preserving the metals and keeping them shiny and beautiful, but it also helps avoid knots. There are many options for hanging them, and you can even turn them into a piece of art.

A bulletin board with push pins, small hooks on the wall, an over-the-door jewelry organizer, jewelry boxes, or even S-hooks sprinkled into your closet are all great options.

Hanging necklaces that are the same metal together is okay, but it’s best not to mix 24- karat gold with silver-plated jewelry.

When traveling:

There are a lot of different methods to use here. First of all, you can invest in a travel jewelry case. These usually have dedicated spaces for rings, earrings, and a few necklaces.

If you don’t want to use a travel jewelry case, you can:

Use individual small zip locks
Unclasp the necklace and wrap it in plastic wrap and then connect the clasp
Thread the necklace through a straw and then connect the clasp

Remember only to pack what you’ll need and wear. Overpacking jewelry is not only dangerous (it could get lost), but it can also be a bit of a pain.

Conclusion

As annoying as tangled necklace chains can be, we will never stop buying or wearing them. Now that you know how to untangle a necklace and also how to keep necklaces from getting tangled, you’re all set.

Share this post with your friends to save them from a major headache.