Soldering female header connector to PCB - neighbor pins some how got connected

avr_fred:
That white lid on the workbench looks like common plumbers flux which is huge no-no for electronics. What type of flux and solder did you use?

Looks like the same lid for my electronics flux. All the plumbers flux I have used is in a metal container.

If the iron was on too long with too much pressure, the internals of the header could have melted and the pins could be closer together now.