Whether you enjoy a glass of red after a long day or regularly host dinner parties, you know a wine opener is an essential household accessory. But this commonplace object has a surprising secondary use that many DIYers may not be aware of. Here’s how to use a winged corkscrew to remove pesky wall anchors.
Just Screw It
In order to pull this off, you’ll need a winged corkscrew — the kind with a sturdy metal spiral and a handle that’s easy to grip and turn. It’s also important to note that this trick only works for nonthreaded plastic wall anchors (aka those without spiral ridges); metal or threaded ones simply won’t budge.
With the wine opener in hand, firmly insert the tip of the corkscrew into the center hole of the plastic wall anchor. Twist the corkscrew clockwise, just as you would to open a bottle of wine. Keep twisting until you feel resistance, then gently pull the corkscrew straight back toward you. You may need to wiggle it a bit, but applying a little elbow grease should cause the wall anchor to slide right out.
A wine opener is useless on metal wall anchors since it can’t penetrate the metal. Instead, drive a screw halfway into the anchor. Then, using a pair of pliers, grip the screw head and pull until the metal anchor pops out. Once it’s removed, you can repair the wall by pressing any excess drywall back into the hole, sanding it until smooth, and finally, applying spackle and paint.
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More Ways To Use a Wine Opener
Got a pesky knot that just won’t come undone? Take the corkscrew and insert the tip into the center of the knot. Twist it several times until the knot loosens enough for you to undo the rest by hand.
Have a nearly finished candle with an inch or two of wax remaining? Pop the candle in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to give the wax time to harden and shrink. Then, screw a corkscrew into the wax until you have a firm grip, and use the lever arms to gently pull it out, allowing you to reuse the vessel.
