Most stopped pumps aren’t actually broken, they’re blocked by dried perfume residue, so running the nozzle under warm water for a few minutes, then pumping it a few times over a cloth, usually gets it working again before you assume it needs replacing.

Steps to try before giving up on it

  • Remove the cap and soak just the nozzle tip in warm water for five to ten minutes to dissolve dried residue
  • Gently wipe the nozzle opening with a cotton bud dipped in a little alcohol to clear any remaining build-up
  • Pump several times over a tissue or cloth, not toward your face, to test whether it’s flowing again
  • Check the small tube inside the bottle hasn’t become dislodged or kinked, which can also stop the pump working even when it’s clean
  • If it’s a genuine mechanical fault rather than a blockage, some perfumers or specialist shops can replace the pump entirely rather than the whole bottle

For more common bottle issues and quick fixes, see our fixing common perfume mistakes guide, and for the basics of how atomisers work, the complete guide to perfume. If none of this works, it’s worth checking whether the bottle is still within any manufacturer guarantee before assuming it needs replacing entirely. Persistence usually pays off, and it’s worth trying each step more than once before assuming the bottle is beyond a simple fix.