Pet Hate - Bleach Bottles

Has anyone ever conquered the problem of how to open a plastic bottle of bleach – or is it just me having weak thumbs.

The top has two pads which you are supposed to squeeze inwards. This distorts the plastic top and opens out two protuberances on the inside which theoretically release it from two protuberances on the bottle top to enable you to turn the cap and open the bottle.

My wife Libby returned from shopping today and asked me to open a bottle of bleach. I used all my strength to squeeze the cap in enough to turn it and failed. I then used both hands to squeeze the cap pads in whilst Libby turned the bottle – that was also a dismal failure.

I then ventured outside in the snow to get some mole grips from my shed – which again proved to be a failure.  Even they couldn’t squeeze the cap pads enough

I finished up using a Stanley knife to cut away the bottom half of the cap to remove the lower ring which contained the “locking bits”.

I was then presented with a screw top which proved impossible to open by hand – but the Mole Grips solved that little problem.

This has become a weekly chore because Libby is a bleach addict and it has become a significant part of the grocery bill. I always flush the toilet before using it -  otherwise any splashes could cause a major injury – or is that too much information?

So damn the guy who designed the bleach bottle and cap – he clearly has not realised that there are old people in this World whose wives use gallons of bleach – and lack the superhuman strength and tenacity to open the bloody bottles.

 

Rant over – I’ll get my coat.

I haven't failed to undo a bottle top like that yet but I know some can be stubborn. Maybe that one you had was a 'one-off' (or one-on) Alan. A pair of long-nosed pliers to get under the tabs and twist them out might be a fix.

I buy a mouthwash that has a top like that. After I've opened it for the first time, I cut the tabs off.