How many people does it take to remove a broken light bulb?
One, and it can be quite easy if the correct tools are on hand, writes Jeanne Huber.
Q I've got an interesting problem. When I tried to remove a burnt-out bulb in a recessed floodlight fixture in our dining room, the glass separated from the metal threads, leaving nothing to grab onto while unscrewing. I had a similar problem in the bathroom and hired an electrician, who “fixed it” such that he had to replace the entire fixture. I'd rather not go through that again. I've read about tricks like using a potato jammed into the socket, but is that the best option?
A When my in-laws faced this problem, one of their sons got the remnants of a bulb out using needle-nose pliers — also known as long-nose pliers — in an unconventional way. For most jobs, the point of needle-nose pliers is to grip tightly to whatever is held between the jaws when you squeeze the handles together. Sometimes, when a bulb breaks, the filament and a supporting glass rod remain. When that's the case, you can use the pliers the regular way to grip the rod and unscrew the base. But when the filament is broken off, as it was at my in-laws' house, you need to use the pliers in the opposite way: Stick the jaws into the socket and press the handles apart. This opens the jaws enough so the back edges press against what is left of the bulb base. Keep the handles pulled apart and twist out the metal.
Of course, before you try this, make sure power is turned off at the circuit breaker. It's not enough to just turn off the switch on the wall; the ceiling fixture could be connected to a live wire, with just a loop running to the switch. Also wear goggles and gloves because your efforts to remove remnants of the bulb might cause shards of glass to fall. If carpet is underneath, cover it first so bits of glass don't become embedded in the fibres.
If you don't own needle-nose pliers, consider getting a pair designed for use by electricians. They have a standard needle-nose design, which is all you need for bulb removal, but in addition you get a wire cutter and one or more holes that can efficiently strip electrical wiring of its rubber-like coating. If needle-nose pliers don't work, you could try a few other tricks featured in a Youtube video you can find by doing a search for “tips for removing a broken light bulb from a socket.” One calls for cutting a potato in half across its width, pressing it over the socket, and twisting it counterclockwise. If you press hard enough and keep twisting, the potato will supposedly eventually jam into the bulb base and allow you to twist it out. It sounds intriguing but messy.
A tidier version of this is to use a wad of epoxy putty — the kind that comes with parts A and B extruded in the right proportion along the length of the product, such as Oatey fix-it stick ($11.07 for a four-ounce package at Home Depot). Break off enough to fill the recess of the socket. Knead the putty thoroughly to mix the two parts, then jam the wad into the socket. When it stiffens but is not yet hard, poke the tip of a flathead screwdriver a half-inch or so into the putty. Remove the screwdriver and wipe off the tip. Wait for the epoxy to fully harden, then reinsert the screwdriver and twist counterclockwise to extract the metal base of the bulb.
If you want to invest in a specialty tool, options include the mini light bulb removal tool ($14.09 on Amazon.ca), which is similar to needle-nose pliers, but the tips are cupped and sheathed in a rubber-like coating that helps the jaws grip better. As the product name implies, it's for small bulbs such as those in candelabras, not regular-size ones. The Alden 9207P ease-out standard light bulb extractor kit ($59.23 on Amazon.ca) is for standard-size bulbs, not small ones. It's a plastic version of pliers, with a clear shield below the jaws to catch bits of glass.