How to Untangle a Necklace Chain in Under 5 Minutes

Key takeaways

Lay it flat first: untangling a necklace while it dangles from your hand just tightens the knot.
Cut the friction: a drop of oil or a pinch of cornstarch on the knot makes the links slide instead of catching.
Use two pins, not your nails: fingernails are too blunt and tend to pull knots tighter.
Work outside-in: loosen the outermost, loosest part of the tangle first — attacking the center first makes it worse.
Let gravity help: hang the necklace periodically so the tangled section can partially unravel on its own.
Prevent repeats: hang necklaces individually or fasten the clasp before storing, and favor tightly-woven chain styles.

Picking at a knotted chain with your fingernails is the slowest way to untangle a necklace — and the easiest way to make the knot tighter. There's a faster method, and it doesn't require anything you don't already have at home. Here's how to untangle a necklace chain in a few simple steps, usually in under five minutes.

What You'll Need

A flat, hard surface to work on (a table or countertop)
Two straight pins or sewing needles
Baby oil, olive oil, or cornstarch (any one of these works)
A soft cloth for cleanup afterward

Step-by-Step: Untangling the Knot

1 Lay the Necklace Flat

Set the necklace down on a flat surface rather than trying to untangle it while it's dangling from your hand. A flat surface gives the knot somewhere to spread out, and it's much easier to see the actual structure of the tangle when it's not swinging around.

2 Add a Drop of Oil or a Pinch of Cornstarch

Put a single drop of baby oil or olive oil directly onto the knot, or dust it lightly with cornstarch. Either one cuts down on the friction between the links, which is most of what makes a small knot feel impossible to budge in the first place.

3 Use Two Pins, Not Your Fingernails

Fingernails are too blunt to get into a small knot and tend to pull the whole thing tighter instead of loosening it. Two straight pins or sewing needles give you the precision to actually separate individual links, one at a time, without adding more tension to the knot.

4 Widen the Knot From the Outside In

Start at the loosest, outermost part of the tangle and work your way toward the center, gently widening each loop with the pins before moving to the next one. Attacking the tightest point in the middle first is what usually turns a small knot into a bigger, more stubborn one.

5 Let Gravity Do Some of the Work

Every so often, pick the necklace up by one end and let it hang — the tangled section will often loosen and partially unravel on its own once the surrounding links have some slack. Set it back down and keep working the remaining knot from there.

6 Wipe It Clean When You're Done

Once the chain is untangled, wipe off any leftover oil or cornstarch with a soft cloth so it doesn't attract dust or lint later. This also gives you a natural moment to check the clasp and links for any damage from the tangle before wearing it again.

How to Keep It From Happening Again

Layered and multi-strand necklaces tangle far more than single-chain designs simply because there are more chains to cross over each other in storage or in a bag. Hanging necklaces individually, or fastening the clasp before storing a chain flat, prevents most tangles before they start. Chain style matters too — flexible, tightly-woven designs like a snake chain resist knotting much better than fine, loose link chains, since there's no open link for another chain to hook into.

Quick Recap

Lay the necklace flat instead of untangling it while it hangs
Add a drop of oil or a pinch of cornstarch to cut friction
Use two pins, not your fingernails
Widen the knot from the outside in, not the center first
Let gravity help by letting the necklace hang periodically
Wipe it clean and check the clasp when you're done
Hang necklaces individually and favor tightly-woven chains to prevent repeats

If your current necklaces are constantly ending up in knots, it might be worth adding a tangle-resistant style to your everyday rotation. Shop necklaces to see current chain styles, including snake-chain designs built to resist tangling.