How to Open a Child Proof Pill Container

Co-authored by Aimee Payne, MFA

Last Updated: November 7, 2024 Fact Checked

Childproof containers are the standard for prescriptions, over-the-counter pills, and liquid bottles, but they take a good deal of arm strength and manual dexterity to open. While this is great for keeping kids safe, it challenges adults who lack the necessary power, whether due to injury, arthritis, or a broken childproof lock. However, there are now many known hacks for getting past a child-safe bottle lock, regardless of your arm strength! Read on, and we'll show you how to turn your bottle-opening problems into a thing of the past.

Quick Guide for Childproof Caps

Read the instructions on top of the cap for its specific method of opening. Most caps require users to depress a tab, squeeze and twist off the cap, or push down and twist off the cap. If you're underage, only use medication under adult supervision.

Method 1

Method 1 of 6:

Standard Opening Solutions for Pill Containers

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1
Check the cap to see which style it is. Place the bottle on a flat surface to ensure you get a good, even grip on the container. Then, read the directions on the side of the bottle to see how it’s designed to be opened. There are 4 possible types: push down and turn, squeeze the sides and turn, push down the tab and turn, and line up the arrows.^{[1]
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- For "push down and turn," the lid has an arrow pointing down or a label that says "push."
- A "squeeze the sides and turn" lid has grooves around the lid to help you squeeze and turn it.
- For "push down the tab and turn," the lid has a small raised tab that says "push" and possibly arrows to indicate a turning motion.
- A "line up the arrows" lid has an arrow pointing downward and another arrow on the lip of the container pointing upward.
2
Open "push down and turn" bottles. Hold this bottle with one hand. With the other, grasp the cap and press down, turning the cap at the same time. Keep pushing down until the cap unlocks and rotates, then twist it open.
- This is how you open a bottle of Tylenol, for example, which has a "push down and turn" bottle.
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3
Open "squeeze and turn" bottles. This bottle lid usually features two smooth panels on either side. Look for them, grasp the cap by those two smooth areas, and squeeze them both. Then, twist the cap and turn it until the bottle top comes free.^{[2]
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- There are notches inside both the cap and mouth of the bottle holding the cap in place. Those notches don’t catch on each other when you squeeze the cap, allowing the cap to slide free.
4
Open "push down the tab and turn" bottles. If you have a "push down the tab and turn" cap, apply pressure to the tab on the side of the bottle cap with the palm of one hand. Then, twist the cap to fully unscrew it from the bottle.
- A lot of pharmacy prescription bottles use this design. There's a tiny angled piece attached to the tab that holds the cap in place—but when you push the tab down, the angled piece lowers and unlocks.
- Remember: if you struggle with childproof locks due to arthritis or other conditions, ask your pharmacist to deliver prescriptions with non-childproof lids.^{[3]
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With this bottle cap, find the two small arrows visible on the side of the cap and the bottle’s neck. There's a ridge around the mouth of the bottle to keep it shut, except where the two arrows align. Turn the cap until its arrow lines up with the arrow on the lip of the container. Then, lift up the lid, and it will come free, granting you access to your pills.^{[4]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 6:

Using a Hard Edge

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Rest the bottom of the cap against the top edge of a hard surface. Ensure that the table or counter is between the bottom of the cap and the rest of the bottle.^{[5]
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Research source} You'll have leverage that you can use to lift the cap up despite the childproof lock on the bottle.
- This method can work with any bottle type as long as there's enough space between the bottle's cap and body to accommodate the hard surface.
- A wide-edged table is ideal since it gives you the most leverage when using this method. However, any hard-edge surface in your home works.
The force from pulling and resistance from the hard surface work together to separate the cap from the medicine bottle. Listen for a "click" sound as the cap releases as you pull the container down.^{[6]
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3
Alternatively, place the cap underneath the edge of the table. Keep holding the pill bottle in one hand, and pull it upwards against the hard surface. This will cause the layers of the bottle cap to separate. Continue pulling until the outer layer pops off, and you'll be left with an easy-open screw cap!
- Instead of a counter or table, try wedging a spoon under the rim of the cap and pressing upwards until you hear a “click” as the cap comes loose.^{[7]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 6:

Using a Flat Surface

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Find a flat surface and balance the bottle upside down on it. A table or counter is ideal for this method, though any hard, even surface works. Hold the bottle down against the surface by the flat of its cap. Use your stronger hand to keep the bottle in place if you have one.^{[8]
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- This method works with a “push down and turn” bottle since you apply pressure to the top of the cap to open it.
2
Press down with your palm and rotate the container. Apply moderate pressure to the base of the pill bottle as you push. Make sure the lid of the pill bottle stays motionless as you rotate. The friction helps you open the bottle in spite of the child-safe lock.^{[9]
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- If you have the ability to use our other hand, use it to holding the cap in place. Alternatively, ask someone else for help
- Or, try placing a non-slip surface on the counter or table. A silicone baking mat or something with a similar texture helps hold the bottle in place.
3
Keep rotating the bottle until you hear a clicking sound. This is your sign that the cap’s child-resistant lock has released. If you turned the bottle upside down to open it, hold both the cap and container together in one hand as you turn them back upright. Then, lift the lid off, and you’re done.^{[10]
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- Hold the bottle close to your body while you rotate and keep a firm stance; this will help you engage more of your arm muscles, not just your hand and fingers.^{[11]
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Method 4

Method 4 of 6:

Using a Rubber Bottle Opener

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Grab a rubber cone-shaped bottle opener and place it on the bottle's lid. Hold the bottle in place with your other hand, or ask someone else to hold it. Pick a bottle opener made of rubber with non-slip grooves, giving you a strong grip on the bottle.^{[12]
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- This works with any type of bottle cap, especially those that require you to push or twist the cap. It’s also a handy way to open a liquid bottle since turning it upside-down or using a hard edge to pull it could spill the liquid.
- The Dycem Bottle Opener is designed for individuals with limited arm mobility, as it only requires you to use your fingers or the palm of your hand and light pressure to open a container.
- If you have an extra rubber mat, place it under the bottle to better hold it in place while you open it.
You'll only need to use minimal force because the bottle opener is helping you. No matter what part of your hand you use to move the bottle opener, its strong grip allows you to open the pill container more easily.^{[13]
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If you don't have a proper bottle opener on hand, either rubber gloves or grip pads can produce the same effect. Grasp the bottle cap and rotate it with your fingers or palm, and the lid comes free.^{[14]
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Method 5

Method 5 of 6:

Using a Thumb Tack

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Push a thumbtack into the cap of a “push down and turn” bottle. Aim off-center and place the thumbtack halfway between the center and the edge of the cap. Press the thumbtack down while twisting to drive it through the cap, and then unscrew the cap once the thumbtack is in place.^{[15]
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- You can use this technique to open a “push and turn” bottle of Tylenol.
- “Push down and turn” bottles have two caps, an outer cap that moves freely and an inner cap that unlocks when pressure is applied to the outer cap. Inserting a thumbtack into them disables the lock.
A hard surface helps push the thumbtack into tha cap if you don't have arm strength. Place the thumbtack on a table or counter with the pointed end up. Push the upside-down bottle straight down onto the thumbtack, using the table to help you apply pressure.
3
Use a hammer to strike the thumbtack into place. If all else fails, grab a hammer and gently tap the thumbtack to pierce the outer and inner caps of the bottle with it. Try using three thumbtacks, spread evenly around the sides of the cap, to keep the pressure even.^{[16]
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- As always, practice proper safety precautions when using a hammer. Wear goggles if you have them; look before you swing, grip the hammer's rubber handle firmly, and strike the thumbtack squarely.^{[17]
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Method 6

Method 6 of 6:

Disabling the Childproof Lock for Future Use

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Remove the tabs of a “squeeze and turn” cap with nail clippers. Once you open up a medicine container with a "squeeze and turn" cap, find the two small plastic tabs on opposite sides of the cap—these lock the cap in place.^{[18]
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Research source} Using nail clippers, pinch off each tab so the bottle cap screws into place normally but doesn't lock.
- Liquid bottles like cough syrup and mouthwash often have “squeeze and turn” caps, so this is a handy way to keep your liquid products accessible in the long term.
- Leaving the caps partially open exposes the pills to air and allows them to spill easily, so clipping off the tabs is a more convenient workaround!
2
Shave the tab off of a “line up the arrows” cap with a hobby knife. Get the lid off by lining up the arrows as usual. Locate the small tab inside of it opposite the arrow. Grip the cap firmly by the arrow side so your fingers are well away from the tab. Shave away the tab completely with your hobby knife. Make sure to cut away from yourself slowly for maximum safety.^{[19]
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- For extra protection, consider wearing knife guards on the fingers holding the cap.
- Once finished, check that the pops open at any angle, not just when the arrows are aligned.
Many people don't realize that the typical prescription bottle has a built-in hack! Once you get the lid off one time, flip the cap over and screw it back onto the bottle. The other side of the cap is actually designed to fit the bottle—and it's a simple screw-on lid without the child-safe lock.^{[20]
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Tips and Warnings

If you DO have children in the house, it's very important to either make sure your pill containers keep their childproof locks or that you keep all pill bottles in a safe place that your children can't get to. A medicine bottle with a damaged child-safe lock is dangerous to leave exposed to curious kids!