How to Untangle a Chain Necklace

To the untrained eye, untangling a necklace may seem like a daunting task at first glance. Yet if you use the right method, it can be easy as pie. Read on to learn about the best way to untangle necklaces so you can keep wearing your favorite pieces for years to come!

We’ll bet it’s happened to you before: You go to grab that chain necklace that would be just perfect with your outfit, only to find a jumbled-up mess. You’re already running late for work or dinner reservations as is, and you don’t have the time—nor the patience—to untangle a necklace right now. So, you throw your tangled necklace back where you found it, only to forget about it until the next time you go to wear it… And the cycle repeats.

But what if we told you that there were several super-easy and super-fast tips to help you get a knot out of a necklace? These tips work just as well on chain necklaces as they do on delicate bracelets. Without further delay, here’s how to untangle a necklace in three easy steps:

How to get a knot out of a necklace

Here are the steps for getting a knot out of a necklace:

Consider the material you’re working with

The first step to figuring out how to detangle a necklace is to know the material of the necklace. If the piece of jewelry you’re looking to untangle is a simple gold or silver chain, or if it’s got a removable pendant that can pass over the knotted section, your best course of action will be to submerge it in a solution of warm water and dish soap (think gentle soaps like Dawn instead of the more powerful liquid detergents). If, however, the piece has pearls on it, you’ll have to go the dry untangling route, as dish soap could potentially tarnish the pearl.

Place the chain on a flat surface

Once the piece has been submerged for 10-20 minutes, place it on a flat towel, then try gently rubbing the knot in necklace chain between your fingers to loosen it up. It’s important to place the untangled part of the chain on a flat surface so that you don’t end up with multiple knots when you’re trying to fix just one knot. Sometimes, rubbing the knot may be all you need to do to loosen it up sufficiently so that you can pull the chain through and untangle the piece. If that doesn’t work, move on to step 3.

Get help from additional tools 

Now is the time to bring in additional tools for the job… A quick web search on how to untangle necklaces will give you results after results of suggestions ranging from toothpaste to screwdrivers. One particularly insidious untangle necklace hack suggests using baby oil, which can seriously discolor some metal pieces. If you want to know how to unknot a necklace the safe way—regardless of chain size—you’ll have to think small and simple. We recommend using a straight pin, sewing needle, or open safety pin first. If the chain is larger or made out of sturdier material, tweezers can also be used carefully, but screwdrivers are a definite no-go as they can easily slip from your hand and damage the piece beyond repair.

Again, try loosening up the knot with your fingers as much as you can, then carefully insert the pin or needle into the knot and give it a gentle wiggle. Keep repeating until the knot has loosened up sufficiently, then pull the chain through to untangle.

How to Prevent Chains from Getting Tangled

Now that you know how to untangle a chain, it’s time to focus on how you can prevent it from happening again—after all, you don’t want to keep taking time out of your day to fix a problem that doesn’t need to happen in the first place! Proper storage plays a crucial role in ensuring the longevity of your entire jewelry collection, and your chain necklaces are no exception. To keep your metal pieces knot-free in the long run, we recommend hanging them instead of storing them in a box. Whether you go out and buy a special mannequin to display your pieces or you come up with a DIY solution like dangling your necklaces and bracelets off an old clothes hanger, it’s important to have a dedicated space to keep your jewelry. While we’re on the subject, it’s just as imperative that you hang your pieces properly between each wear—fall into the same habit of leaving your chain pieces simply lying on your dresser and soon enough you’ll find yourself back in the same place, trying to untangle your jewelry.

Another occasion when jewelry tends to get tangled up is during travel. Here, it may be a good idea to invest in a special travel case for your jewelry. If that’s too much effort for you, storing necklaces in separate clear plastic bags (like sandwich bags) can also be a low-cost option. Our favorite hack for keeping thinner chain necklaces and bracelets tangle-free is to pass them through a plastic straw before tossing them in your bag. Genius!

Whether you wear your chain necklaces and bracelets daily or just once in a while, it’s a good idea to learn proper maintenance and care, which includes knowing how to get a knot out of a chain. Show your jewelry pieces the love they deserve and they’ll reward you by remaining in top condition, ready to wear anytime you go to grab them.

How do you untangle a necklace?

The method you choose for how to get a necklace untangled will depend on the size and material of the piece. For larger chains that get tangled, you may find that a quick soak in a solution of warm water and soap is enough to help you loosen the knot with your fingers. For tangles on more delicate chains and particularly challenging knots, you may need to use a straight pin or a sewing needle to carefully loosen the knot to a certain point before continuing to untangle the piece with your fingers.