How to Remove a Stuck Light Bulb
How to Remove a Stuck Light Bulb. Changing a light bulb really only takes one person, but that person's job is a whole lot harder when the light bulb is jammed in the socket. There's a simple method involved in removing a stuck light bulb. Gather supplies for the job and follow the instruction below.
Things You Will Need
+- Heavy work gloves
- Protective glasses
- Long-sleeved shirt
- Rag
- Box
- 1-inch wooden handle
- Bar of soap
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Unplug the lamp or turn the power off at the circuit box if the light is in wall or mounted on the ceiling.
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Wear heavy leather gloves to protect your hands. Wear a long-sleeved shirt and protective glasses to keep glass shards off your skin and out of your eyes.
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Cover the bulb with a rag and tightly grasp the bulb near the base. Attempt to turn the light bulb.
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Break the stuck bulb inside the rag. Keep glass pieces in the rag and put a box under ceiling or wall lamps to catch any pieces that fall. Clean up the broken bulb before you start working on the stuck base.
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Stick the end of a wooden broom, rake or other household item with a handle that's about 1 inch in diameter into the light bulb base.
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Twist the handle until it loosens the light bulb base from the socket.
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Use a bar of soap if you can't find a wooden handle that fits. Wearing your gloves, firmly press the soap into the base. Turn the soap until the light bulb loosens.
Warning
Don't use a potato to get a broken bulb out. The moisture can cause your light to short out. Be careful not to damage the socket. Use only a circular motion without prying to one side or the other.
