How to Untangle a Necklace Chain

The easiest way to have tangle-free chains is to keep them from getting knotted up in the first place.

While you’re wearing them, use a stacker clasp to separate your chains and prevent twists and tangles.

Take all of your necklaces off at the end of the day and store each one in a separate pouch or a jewelry box with hooks or sections for each chain.

A little prevention will save you tons of time later!

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Chains already a tangled mess?

If it’s too late for avoiding knots and you still want to salvage your necklaces, I’ve got you covered.

I used to work at a wholesale jewelry supplier. We sold everything you could need to make jewelry in sterling silver and gold. Which means we had a LOT of chains. Many of which were incredibly thin and stored in chunks of about 100 in jewelry rolls.

When customers were lined up and waiting, there wasn’t always time to be careful about putting things away and the chain rolls got very messy. I cannot count the number of hours I spent untangling and separating chains one by one after a big rush. Needless to say, I picked up a few tricks along the way.

So, before you stuff those tangled chains in the back of your drawer or worse, break them while trying to rip them apart, try these steps.

Prefer to see the tricks in action? Jump straight to the video.

Step 1: Assess the Situation

First, take a moment to look at the twisted mass. It might not be as bad as you think. Sometimes all it takes is a closer look and a little patience.

Next, if there are any knots that you can loosen with your fingers, follow the line of the chain to remove them. Undoing the clasps can help as you can pull the ends through separately. Above all, remember not to yank at the chain as you might deform or even break the links.

Still a tangled mess? Move on to step #2.

Step 2: Use a Safety Pin

Place the tangled mass on a hard surface that won’t get scratched up – a cutting board works great. Carefully insert the tip of the pin into the centre of a knot and wiggle it around until the knot opens enough to pull at it with your fingers. For the worst tangles, you can use one pin in each hand to loosen things up.

Just keep at it and you’ll start to see some order in the chaos.

For the worst of cases, it’s time to bring in the big guns. Step #3 awaits.

Step 3: BABY POWDER TO UNTANGLE A NECKLACE

Sometimes the tangles just will not budge. This is usually because the chains are dirty. When you wear your jewelry, it gets coated with dirt, oil, and (especially in the case of chains) hair. YUCK!

The combo of dirt and oil inside of a tangle is like glue. If you sprinkle the chains with baby powder, it soaks up the oil and makes the strands easier to slide against one another. Trying to avoid talc? Corn starch or arrowroot powder will also work.

Dust some on, rub it around and head back to step #2. Repeat as necessary.

Lastly, don’t forget to rinse all that powder off after you’re done and dry the chains very well.

If the chains are sterling, they’re probably pretty tarnished too. Head over to this post to find out how to clean them.

How to Untangle Chains Video Demonstration

This video from today.com shows how to get it done.

What's Next?

Now that you’ve got your necklaces untangled and organized, it’s the perfect time to go through your collection and decide if there are any chains you’d like to replace or something new you want to add to your stash.

Browse our collection of meaningful, symbolic necklaces to find something that resonates with you or shop layering chains to add on to your look.

Make sure to prevent future tangles by storing your necklaces separately and using a stacker clasp when wearing more than one chain at a time.