PSA: A guy at the hardware store in Tacoma told me to use a dab of dish soap on a stripped screw head and it actually worked.

He saw me struggling with a Phillips head on a cabinet hinge and said, 'Just a drop on the tip of your driver gives it enough grip to turn it out,' and I got it loose in 5 seconds flat, so has anyone else got a simple fix that saved a project?

2 comments

2 Comments

ellis.diana3d ago

Tried that soap trick once on a rusty bolt. Ended up with a greasy screwdriver and a bolt that still wouldn't budge. My garage floor got cleaner though, so I guess it was a win for someone. Next time I'm just using the biggest hammer I can find.

gray_gibson2d ago

Man, I've been there. When a screw strips, I grab a wide rubber band. Lay it flat over the stripped head, then push your driver down hard through it. The rubber fills the gaps and gives you bite. Got a door handle off last week that way when nothing else worked.