tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5970730377860494514.post2969593989162200941..comments2023-12-10T21:53:22.692+01:00Comments on Sorcery of Scent: FAQ: How do I remove a perfume stopper that's stuck?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5970730377860494514.post-43416548209785849292021-02-20T18:05:06.296+01:002021-02-20T18:05:06.296+01:00How. Do you remove a glass stopper that is broken ...How. Do you remove a glass stopper that is broken at the neck of the perfume bottle? No perfume in glass bottleAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5970730377860494514.post-76465554037280697722020-08-21T20:18:41.268+02:002020-08-21T20:18:41.268+02:00Hi! I just wanted to thank you (and all the people...Hi! I just wanted to thank you (and all the people who added tips and experiences in the comments), today I received a large vintage Baccarat bottle of Shalimar, the stopper was advertised as stuck. It seemed indeed glued on! But I could smell the fragrance through the cap and a few drops had leaked during transport. I first tried to wrap the stopper/neck junction in tissue paper drenched in modern Shalimar edp. After about 15/30 mins I went to check on the bottle, ready to clean it, apply oil and refrigerate, but like magic! As I tried to unscrew the cap it came off quite easily! I promptly cleaned bottle neck & stopper and voilĂ . I am now the proud owner of about 4oz of wonderful, otherwordly vintage extrait. Now, dating the bottle isn't so easy but my guess is 1950s :)Giuliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01759583862785498704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5970730377860494514.post-39282649225096687592019-10-08T04:41:15.666+02:002019-10-08T04:41:15.666+02:00Hi,
Kathy Garrison said in the comments that she u...Hi,<br />Kathy Garrison said in the comments that she uses an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner. I have heard this one other time from a seller of perfume bottles, but she hasn't provided any details. Has anyone else used this method? What about paper labels and damage to them? What flluid would you put in? I would really like to hear more about this method but can't find anything anywhere. Thank you!Margaret Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03684681981092543365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5970730377860494514.post-82407509323360815282019-10-08T04:39:03.565+02:002019-10-08T04:39:03.565+02:00I have tried the oil and freezer method and it has...I have tried the oil and freezer method and it has worked after many tries and much time. There is a comment by Kathy Garrison that says she uses an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner and this works every time. Another perfume collector said this as well. But, I don't know what fluid to put in an ultrasonic cleaner that would not harm delicate paper labels, for instance, Replique has a hand-lettered paper label. Could you still use an ultrasonic cleaner, but maybe dry? If anyone knows anything about this method, I would love to hear about it. Please. Thank you!Margaret Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03684681981092543365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5970730377860494514.post-37904483872720244182019-07-14T16:57:43.473+02:002019-07-14T16:57:43.473+02:00I bought a vintage EDC of L'heure Bleue and co...I bought a vintage EDC of L'heure Bleue and could not budge it. Lost count of how many of the above ideas I did over a 12 hour period. The cylindrical glass stopper is so hard to get a grip on. Oil, freeze, oil, freeze, alcohol, freeze, oil, hot water, hot compress...finally tried the alcohol overnight then 30 minutes in the freezer but finally took my needle nose pliers and gently pried. AT last!! Off to enjoy my new classic...Thx for the help, All.Rubber Chicken Girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07481588423465519169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5970730377860494514.post-37477847822739792982018-10-14T22:41:36.846+02:002018-10-14T22:41:36.846+02:00Wow this really worked for me and I have been tryi...Wow this really worked for me and I have been trying to open my Mothers old glass perfume bottle for over a year now. Thanks<br /><br />LAGAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5970730377860494514.post-87494895672250359932018-03-04T17:11:59.661+01:002018-03-04T17:11:59.661+01:00HI, thanks for this tremendous tip :) worked on se...HI, thanks for this tremendous tip :) worked on second try one okd baccarat perfum bottle. I am very grateful to have read your instructions. <br />Kathy D. In USAAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00148972451971057416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5970730377860494514.post-83624882999219454382017-12-21T23:17:33.452+01:002017-12-21T23:17:33.452+01:00I can't wait to try this. I just received a 1...I can't wait to try this. I just received a 1939 Chanel No 5 from the "Three Moods" collection (small bottle, oval stopper) and it's not playing nice. It's never been opened--I had to take off the cord and onion-skin paper seal! Wish me luck!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02963684990678914436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5970730377860494514.post-90333311752612904552017-07-24T20:06:00.166+02:002017-07-24T20:06:00.166+02:00OMG! This works like a charm! My vintage bottle of...OMG! This works like a charm! My vintage bottle of JOY parfum was stuck , not budging at all. I used a little cooking oil around the edges of the stopper, waited 20 min. Then put in freezer for 20 min. With a towel gave a little pull with a slight twist and voila off it popped!!!!yay!!!! Thank you for this fabulous advice!!!! I wish I knew this years ago when I broke the top off of a big bottle of Chanel no. 5 perfume. Which I threw away because I couldn't figure out how I was ever going to get the perfume out....perfume loverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03090410183634261098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5970730377860494514.post-27457003744552852522017-03-10T20:13:23.412+01:002017-03-10T20:13:23.412+01:00Thank you SO much! The stopper was stuck on my pur...Thank you SO much! The stopper was stuck on my purchase of a 1/4 ounce bottle of a vintage Germaine Monteil Royal Secret perfume... I was so sad and afraid to try anything because I broken the stem on one decades before. Your method worked on my 1st attempt :) Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5970730377860494514.post-4715902665118795892016-02-13T17:07:01.143+01:002016-02-13T17:07:01.143+01:00Thank you for these comments. I was given a small ...Thank you for these comments. I was given a small vintage Schiaparelli Shocking at Xmas. My favourite perfume in the 1950's<br />The small bottle was beautiful with a glass stopper and was sent through the post from the US unfortunately I couldn't open it.<br />We emailed the vintage perfume company for tips on opening the bottle, they didn't work.<br />I tried the oil and freezing idea, first time it didn't work, second time, bingo. I'm now enveloped in an evocative wreath of my all time favourite perfume for the first time in decades. So very many thanks and don't give up after your first attemptDeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03802942795189745700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5970730377860494514.post-29840415647212581982016-01-29T16:36:19.340+01:002016-01-29T16:36:19.340+01:00Great info, thanks! I found several bottles of not...Great info, thanks! I found several bottles of not so vintage yet vintage perfumes (early nineties Amourage) in my mother's storage unit with stuck stoppers so was searching for tips on how to open them and found your post. But reading the comments about heat exposure I am now also concerned about the heat/cold exposure while they were stored away and exposed to temp changes. Would the scent still be viable and worth the effort or are they now only good for the crystal bottles and not worth struggling to open and possibly damaging the bottles? Thank you for the wonderful post! LeighAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05936617109788889925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5970730377860494514.post-68997129585516276912016-01-23T21:56:14.372+01:002016-01-23T21:56:14.372+01:00I have a vintage bottle of Caron perfume that has ...I have a vintage bottle of Caron perfume that has never been opened. It has a screw top cap, which I can remove. The problem is it has a gummy cork seal that is jammed down the small opening and I have no idea how to remove it without just pushing the whole thing down into the bottle. Any suggestions?Sanibellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03310066424493707823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5970730377860494514.post-45529717950234449152016-01-15T21:31:55.374+01:002016-01-15T21:31:55.374+01:00Your methods work great! I Just freed up the glas...Your methods work great! I Just freed up the glass stoppers of a lovely 1 oz. Lalique L'Air du Temps and a quarter ounce Caesar's Woman Extraordinary on the first try. Now I will attempt a couple of very old Carons that have been sitting around seemingly frozen forever. BTW I used fractionated coconut oil. Azarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08011756547431804355noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5970730377860494514.post-13258633123067514602015-12-02T19:43:58.976+01:002015-12-02T19:43:58.976+01:00Yay!!! I used WD40...let it sit for 30 mins...put ...Yay!!! I used WD40...let it sit for 30 mins...put it in the freezer for 30 mins.....covered the knob with a teatowel, gently secured a pair of wide tooth pliers, turned and pulled!!! Voila!!! Thank you for your guidance!!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08535815749489701663noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5970730377860494514.post-53824134937850011842015-10-30T23:43:10.427+01:002015-10-30T23:43:10.427+01:00I have a 30 year old bottle of Obsession that I ha...I have a 30 year old bottle of Obsession that I hadn't used in so long that the stopper had frozen solid. I upended it in a little cup of 99% isopropyl alcohol that covered just the stopper - soaked it for 30 minutes. No joy. Put it in the freezer for 20 minutes. No joy. Soaked it again, this time for an hour. No joy. Freezer again. No joy. Hair dryer around stopper after freezer. No joy. Olive oil around stopper. No joy. <br /><br />My instinct told me that the elements that mattered were alcohol and the freezer, so I decided to focus there. I let it soak in the alcohol overnight. Tried again to open it. No joy. Then 10 minutes in the freezer, and POP!! It is open!!! :)<br />Sherylhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03541441427243883835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5970730377860494514.post-54122660241486014482015-08-17T09:41:14.212+02:002015-08-17T09:41:14.212+02:00A very old empty bottle with stuck ground glass st...A very old empty bottle with stuck ground glass stooper. Tried every method without success. Had my Ultrasonic cleaner in use cleaning old coins and flash of inspiration, placed bottle on side , poured hot water from kettle (a dash of washing up liquid) covering the neck and 3/4 way over the bottle. Switched on and 30 secs later 'Pop" out came the stopper !Rob L.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5970730377860494514.post-78568463685977053092015-07-14T06:13:10.064+02:002015-07-14T06:13:10.064+02:00Anonymous - well, its a delicate dance for you wit...Anonymous - well, its a delicate dance for you with a needle and the bottle upended over a bowl. It can be done, put takes patience and a steady hand.Blog Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16031099057307131978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5970730377860494514.post-30102419431548205762015-07-12T17:45:32.917+02:002015-07-12T17:45:32.917+02:00What about a stuck rubber stopper? I have a bottl...What about a stuck rubber stopper? I have a bottle of Muse de Coty parfum, and the rubber stopper has broken off into the neck of the bottle! :(Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5970730377860494514.post-71805268690375982962015-06-15T17:06:12.958+02:002015-06-15T17:06:12.958+02:00An anonymous user above suggested putting the bott...An anonymous user above suggested putting the bottle in the freezer for 15 minutes before trying other techniques, as sometimes that's all that's needed. I was doubtful, but decided to try it and met with great success - my 25-year-old bottle of L'Heure Bleue with a "glued" stopper opened with ease after 15 minutes in the freezer (I did wrap the stopper with a thick rubber band for traction). Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5970730377860494514.post-5927186650877048662015-03-07T01:43:16.664+01:002015-03-07T01:43:16.664+01:00I read through a few blogs on removing stuck stopp...I read through a few blogs on removing stuck stoppers and just opened two vintage bottles of perfume that I've struggled with for a while. The first was an an extremely old bottle of Joy and the other was a 60's bottle of Shalimar.... back when they made the real thing. I was able to get both off using ice cubes. I put an ice cube on the top of the Joy bottle and held it in place with a soft cloth so I didn't damage the old label. I did pretty much the same with the Shalimar except I used two ice cubes and held one on each side -- also with a cloth so the label was protected. I held onto the bottle itself to keep it warm and waited a bit before giving it a clockwise twist. Both opened up easily. <br /><br />The Shalimar was a dream.... and held the magical perfume I fell in love with. The Joy was only colored water so I'm really glad I didn't try something extreme trying to get to the 'goods' and risk breaking the bottle. Liz Shawnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5970730377860494514.post-34758956481770089132015-03-05T20:25:29.821+01:002015-03-05T20:25:29.821+01:00OMG, it worked! Tried the alcohol & freezing 2...OMG, it worked! Tried the alcohol & freezing 20 minutes, nothing. Went to some extra virgin olive oil dropped and spread with a wooden skewer. Back in the freezer for 10 minutes. Wrapped the stopper in tissue and gently twisted with needle nose plyers & pop!!! I have owned this antique jet black sterling encrusted perfume bottle with it's 1/4" ground stopper for 20 years and nothing ever worked...Until now!!! THANK YOU! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5970730377860494514.post-8867944323030013912014-05-30T09:54:08.817+02:002014-05-30T09:54:08.817+02:00What advice to loosen a stuck sterling silver perf...What advice to loosen a stuck sterling silver perfume bottle? it's small, on a necklace. Never had perfume in it, and hasn't been opened in 10 years. Many thanks. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5970730377860494514.post-74148318832105846712014-03-28T05:16:23.628+01:002014-03-28T05:16:23.628+01:00When I've come across a stuck perfume stopper,...When I've come across a stuck perfume stopper, I put it in an ultrasonic (jewelry) cleaner. This worked every time for me. Kathy Garrisonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5970730377860494514.post-35014865848705427262014-01-15T23:26:26.719+01:002014-01-15T23:26:26.719+01:00Normally a little hot water is all I need; however...Normally a little hot water is all I need; however, I have come across the occasional stubborn stopper. In one instance the stopper had apparently already been broken & glued back on before being sold so let's just say there was a Dremel tool involved. I would up gluing the top & stopper back together! <br />The best way I have found was:<br />1)With a Q-Tip apply a small amount of olive oil around the seal.<br />2)Boil some water in the microwave (and I do mean BOIL!!) to a very high temp. <br />3)Take a tablespoon and pour the very hot water over where the stopper is inserted.<br />This has worked every time except for the broke & glued stopper.<br />GOOD LUCK!<br />LynevLAugusthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04839994638902029965noreply@blogger.com