Everyone knows the iconic sound of opening a can makes. Whether it’s Coke, beer or anything else, the noise will always attract some kind of attention.
In order to open a can quietly there are four methods you can use. These are opening it slowly, using a towel, releasing the pressure first and covering the noise. In this article, let’s look at these four ways in more detail.
Some of these work better than others, so feel free to experiment which one’s your favourite, and works best for you.
IN THIS ARTICLE
Why Do Cans Make Noise?
There are two reasons opening a can is noisy:
- the metal hole getting detached from the metal lid
- the carbonated liquid making a shhhht noise (that’s a technical phrase by the way) as pressure escapes
The key to open it quietly is offsetting one, or both, or these reasons to reduce the amount of noise the can makes.
4 Ways to Open a Can Quietly
1. Open the Can Slowly with Proper Technique
By slowly, I don’t mean a little slower than normal. I mean, extremely slow. What you have to do it open it just a little bit and let the initial air release. Keep pressure of the ring until you hear the initial crack of the metal separating from the lid. As soon as you hear the crack, stop.
Then, take your finger or thumb, and slowly push down into the gap you’ve created and run your finger round the edge to to open the can fully. This method works for two reasons.
- You’re open the can slowly enough for the air not to make noise
- You’re using your fingers to slowly open the can rather than the ring
2. Wrap the Can in a Towel
This method works not by doing anything special with the can, but more to do with blocking the sound created. To ensure no noise escapes through gaps, it’s best to use a thinner towel so you can open the can while the can is fully wrapped.
It might seen counter productive to use something thinner, but this means noise won’t escape if the can is fully enclosed. If a thicker towel as used, your hand would have to be underneath to use the ring, therefore letting noise escape through the created gap.
Alternatively, you can combine 1. and 2. and use a towel once you have opened a slight gap. Cover the can opening with the towel, and then use your finger to go round the edge to open.
3. Release the Pressure Before Opening
Once of the main reasons a can is noisy to open, as mentioned above, is the pressure that’s released once the can is opened. In order to counteract this, poke a small hole in the top of the can (very carefully) with a knife or similar. This will release some of the pressure before opening.
Now, as in 1. slowly open the can (with or without a towel) and the noise should be kept to a minimum, as a lot of the pressure has already been released.
4. Cover the Noise
Depending on the reason you want to open a can quietly, this method can work just as well as complete silence. As the heading suggests, this works by simply covering the can noise with something else. Things like:
- cough
- shower
- toilet flush etc.
Obviously, if you’re trying to be completely silent, this method won’t work. However, if you’re just trying to cover up the can noise, this could work well.
Conclusion
So there you have it, 4 ways to open a can quietly. Granted, some are more feasible than others. But, if you use a combination of 1. and 2. noise should be kept to a minimum, and you should be well on your way to a quiet can opening.
