One of the many items found in the kitchen or office junk drawer is a pile of rubber bands. The question stands, what in the world could these office supplies be used for?
Thankfully, we're here to help. Rubber bands can be used for many things that don't include making a huge rubber band ball (even though that can be used as an eraser!). These clever and unexpected hacks will have you buying out the rubber band section at your nearest office supply store. Wait until you see how useful a rubber band and a doorknob can be together.
Attach Rubber Bands To Hanger Arms So Clothes Stay Put
Spaghetti strap dresses, off-the-shoulder sweaters, and even tee shirts sometimes slip off of hangers and end up on the closet floor. Wooden and plastic hangers should be a crime, really. Who wants to put away already-clean laundry a second time? It's blasphemy!
Thankfully, if you don't own over-priced velvet hangers there is a solution to the "it's raining clothes" dilemma. Get a few rubber bands and wrap them around the hanger arms. This way, when an article of clothing hits the band, the grip will have it staying in place instead of sliding further!
Stubborn Stripped Screws Are A Thing Of The Past
When you're trying to hang things on the wall or put something together, there is nothing worse than realizing one of your screws is stripped. There's no way for the screwdriver to do its job if the screws are wonky.
Have no fear, your decorations and furniture will be put together with this simple hack. Place a rubber band on the screw, and use a screwdriver like normal. The band will fit into the grooves of the screw, allowing for the screwdriver to get a good grip!
Wrap One Around Your Finger To Easily Flip Pages
If you're studying a lot, or even casually reading one afternoon, then you know it can be very frustrating when your book pages don't turn with ease. They're either getting stuck together or are just too slippery for your fingers to grip.
Try wrapping a tiny rubber band around the finger and start flipping those pages with ease. The grip of the rubber will make it easier to flip the pages, and you'll be reading without frustration in no time!
Give Yourself The Perfect French Manicure
There's nothing worse than giving yourself a manicure and having the polish smudge because you thought you were an artist and went for the French tips. Don't grab your credit card and head to the nail salon just yet, first head to your junk drawer for a rubber band.
Would you believe that using a rubber band to guide the polish brush will give you a perfect French manicure? All you need to do is place the band a few inches down your nail, hold it there, paint, and remove!
Keep Your Cutting Board From Sliding Around
Cutting meat, vegetables, and fruits can be somewhat dangerous. So, there is no reason to make the activity even riskier with a cutting board that won't stay in place. No one wants to go to the emergency room because of a rouge cutting board!
Although there are mats that you can buy to place under the board, there is an easier solution. Try stretching a rubber band around each side of the cutting board. The rubber will make it so the board doesn't swivel around while you're wielding a sharp knife.
Keep Your Toilet Paper On The Roll
If you're a pet owner, then you know that they tend to get a bit angry when you leave the house for prolonged periods of time. And when animals get mad they tend to act out, leaving casualties in their wake. One such casualty is usually the toilet paper.
Next time you go on a trip, think about securing your toilet paper with a rubber band. This way, your pet won't be able to unwind the entire roll. They're just going to have to find some other way to show you their wrath!
Say Goodbye To Paint Drips With This Hack!
Re-painting rooms in a house is supposed to be a fun and creative time. There's no reason to make it a mess because the paint is dripping everywhere and there is nowhere to really put your paintbrush.
Fortunately, there is an easy hack that will make you scratch your head wondering why you never thought about it before. Stretch a rubber band around the paint bucket. The band will allow you to brush excess paint off the bristles while also making for a great place to lie down your brush.
Stop Pot Lids From Sliding To The Floor
You just made a lovely pot of pasta that you are trying to maneuver to the kitchen table. The lid is on, but it's sliding around the top of the pot. Then, the unthinkable happens; the lid clatters to the floor, and sauce splatters everywhere. Sigh.
Let's bypass having to clean the floor with this little rubber band hack. First, grab two rubber bands. Then, wrap both of them over the knob on top of the lid, securing each to the handles of the pot. No more moving lid!
Hold Sliced Fruit Together So It Doesn't Go Bad
It's never a fun time when you open your lunch box only to see the apple you sliced that morning all brown and yucky. Let's be honest, the last thing most people are thinking about in the morning is about oxygen circulating around a cut piece of fruit, browning it in the process.
If you don't like to eat whole apples and prefer them sliced, then try this hack. Slice your apple, and then put it back together like a puzzle, holding it together with a rubber band! You'll have a nice crisp apple with none of the weird coloring.
Become A Tea Master
It can be super annoying when a teabag falls into a cup of boiling water. Fishing out the tiny string is not fun and usually results in more than a few burnt fingertips. Or maybe you're smarter than us and fish it out with a spoon. Regardless, there is a way to stop that pesky little string from falling!
Secure the string to the side of your teacup with a rubber band. This way, your tea bag stays in the cup and the string doesn't go for a swim once the hot water is added!
Stop Hurting Your Hands Opening Pesky Jar Lids
Opening a new jar is weirdly tricky. They can stick, laugh in your face, and then laugh harder when you fail to open that jar without asking for help. But, hey, you loosened that lid before that other person got it open, right?
Instead of lying, saying you "loosened it," try wrapping a rubber band around the lid. This will create a makeshift grip, helping you get that jar of jalapenos opened for fajita night!
Seal Little Leaks In Your Hose
Leaky hoses can be a hassle, especially if your garden is in serious need of watering. If there is a big hole, then it is probably time to replace the appliance. But if the leak isn't too bad, then try this easy rubber band hack for a quick, temporary fix.
Wrap the rubber band around the hose, pin-point the leak, and shimmy the rubber band over to the ruined spot. The material of the band will keep the water in the hose and the leak a thing of the past!
Keep Candlesticks Secure In Their Holders
Some people enjoy decorating for the holidays with festive candles in single holders or candelabras (like Lumiere from Beauty and the Beast). The issue is, sometimes the candles don't fit in the holders, making them a bit wobbly. There's no need for lit candles to fall over, so try this hack out for size.
Wrap a rubber band around the base of the candlestick before putting it into a holder. This way, the candle will sit snugly in the holder and you won't have to worry about un-sturdy fire sticks.
Tightly Wrap Your Clothing For More Suitcase Space
If you've ever been backpacking then you know that packing your clothing is similar to a game of Tetris -- every article of clothing and shoe has to fit just so. With a normal suitcase, it can be difficult to fit everything, at times.
We're here to tell you to stop folding and start rolling! The next time you travel roll your clothing like a sleeping bag and secure it with a rubber band. This will keep the clothing nice and tight so you're able to pack everything!
Save Your Broom From An Early Retirement
Brooms aren't meant to last forever, but that doesn't mean you can't prolong their lifespan! No need for that dirt to stay on the floor just because your broom has fanned out to the point of it being useless.
This rubber band hack will, hopefully, put some years back on your broom. Grab a rubber band, put it around the broom's bristles, and secure it about halfway up the broom. This will help keep the bristles in place so they don't fan out.
Make A Glue Substitute
If you have kids, then you're probably neck-deep in some school projects or just arts and crafts in general. That means glue, lots and lots of glue. Unfortunately, glue does run out, and, when that happens, you might not be in the mood to run to the store.
A nice substitute is rubber bands! If you melt down the band, the resulting paste can act as a make-shift glue. It's not super glue, by any means. But it will do the trick!
Stop Dropping Bottles In the Shower
Although it can be comical at times, there is no need to subtly spook yourself by dropping a shampoo bottle in the shower. But it's hard to avoid, the bottles get too slippery to get a nice hold.
The good news is that you can say goodbye to jumping in the shower from bottles banging on the floor. All you need to do is wrap a few rubber bands around the bottles to create a grip!
Tye-Dye: Easter Egg Edition
Many people know about the DIY tee shirt tye-dye hack with rubber bands. So, why not spice up some Easter egg dying with the same concept?! Hard boil eggs, then grab some rubber bands and get your dyes ready.
All you have to do to make psychedelic Easter eggs are wrap a rubber band around the hard-boiled egg, dip it in some dye, and let it dry! Then, cut off the rubber band to see your creation. Pro tip: loosely wrap the band, so the shells don't crack.
DIY Tea Candle Holder To Set The Right Mood
Some candlestick holders are dull and boring. If you're looking for something fresh, chic, and that will give you a bit of a project, then look no further then this rubber band hack.
Grab a few rubber bands and any glass you want to use as a tea candle holder. Next, wrap the bands haphazardly around the glass. Spray it with frosted glass spray paint, let it dry, cut away the bands, and voila! You have lovely tea candle holders.
Turn Any Door Into A Swinging Door
If you have a small pet, children, or are moving boxes, you know how annoying it can be to have to open a door, have it lock on you, and then have to re-open it. The whole back-and-forth dance gets old pretty fast.
Stop the door from latching behind you with this simple rubber band hack. Wrap the band over one doorknob, twist it over the lock, and then wrap it around the other knob. This way, when the door closes behind you it won't lock and you can just push it open!
Get Shiny Chrome Appliances
The moisturizing part of dryer sheets can work on any stainless steel or chrome appliance. If you're sick of looking at handprints or smudges covering the metal then you can rely on a dryer sheet to get it sparkling again.
All you have to do is rub your metal down with a sheet and it should get any smudges right out. It's the perfect hack for anyone with a fridge and kids with hands that seem to leave prints everywhere.
Don't Panic Over Crayon Doodles On Walls
Crayons, walls, and children mix well together. A little too well. Kids just take to walls with their crayons like moths to a flame and they're little Picassos when they do it. Unfortunately, you and your walls probably don't appreciate the art as much as they do.
To keep the doodling on the page and off the walls, all you have to do is take a dryer sheet and rub away at the crayon marks. They'll come right off with only a few wipes.
Don't Let Deodorant Stains Demoralize You
Imagine this: it's morning, you've just started your morning routine and are getting dressed, you put on a black shirt and accidentally smeared a ton of white deodorant right around the hem and had to change. We've all been there and it's rough.
With dryer sheets, you don't have to change or work away at the deodorant stain for what feels like forever. Just rub a dryer sheet over it and the stain will be lifted almost instantly, so don't sweat it anymore.
No Need To Buy Air Fresheners Any More
Dryer sheets smell fantastic, which is why we always stick our faces into our warm laundry when it comes fresh out of the dryer and take a big sniff. So why stop at freshening your clothes? Dryer sheets are the perfect replacement for air fresheners and all you need is a fan to do it.
Simply unfold and stick a few sheets to the back of a fan and you have an inexpensive air freshener that will last for weeks. This hack is especially good if you want to freshen up a basement or a room that gets little airflow.
Keep Your Scissors Sharp
If you ever feel like you're living in a house filled with scissors that are just never sharp enough, don't go to the store and pick up an expensive sharpener. For a quick fix, reach for your handy dandy dryer sheets.
Simply wipe your scissors with a dryer sheet a couple of times on both blades and those puppies will sharpen right up. Be sure to wear protective gloves while you do it.
Get Those Pesky Mosquitoes To Stay Away
You or someone in your family may be one of those people who's constantly getting bitten any time they go outdoors in the summer. If you're tired of those itchy red lumps, those stinky citronella candles, and applying bug spray constantly, try out a dryer sheet.
All you have to do is stick a few in your pocket and mosquitoes will give you a wide berth. It's the less chemical-ridden, less stinky, and generally more discreet way to keep bugs at bay so you can enjoy the great outdoors.
Say Goodbye To Your Lint Roller
Most of us are already aware that dryer sheets are a clothing hero. They keep our threads smelling fresh and keep away static but they can also trick people into thinking that you don't have pets.
Ditch your lint roller because dryer sheets are your new go-to for picking up lint off your clothing. All you have to do is wipe one over your body and voila, you can fool everyone into thinking you have an endless supply of lint rollers.
Stop Hat Hair At Its Root
Winter is a great season filled with hot chocolate, beautiful snow, holiday decor, and staticky hair that just won't stop standing on end no matter what you do to it. If you're sick of removing your hat and being stuck with a head full of untamable hair all day then you need to invest in some dryer sheets.
Simply take a sheet and rub the inside of your hat to reduce static and that's it. It's the easy way to make sure that your hair looks as good as it did in the mirror that morning even after being outside.
Give Dusty Blinds The Boot
There is something magical in dryer sheets that repels dust and all you have to do is simply wipe down your blinds a couple of times with a sheet and it'll stop dust from accumulating.
Dryer sheets are probably one of the least repulsive things to us—they just smell so good and do so much good for our clothes that we're inclined to love everything about them. Dust, however, dust avoids dryer sheets avoid like they have the plague.
They Soften Clothes...And Your Feet?
The chemical in dryer sheets that make your clothing soft is stearic acid, which isn't nearly as scary as it sounds. It's found in cocoa butter and many other lotions and moisturizers and it's what keeps your clothes soft. So it's only natural that something found in lotions can be used as a foot cream.
Hear me out, if you suffer from dry feet especially during those cold winter months but don't want to book a pedicure all you have to do is grab a dryer sheet. Simply wipe a sheet over the dry parts of your feet and they'll feel moisturized and soft all day long.
Use Dryer Sheets For Washing Your Child's Stuffed Animals
Is your kid's favorite stuffed animal looking a little sad and smelling a little tool-loved recently? But you don't want to wash it because that always brings the waterworks? Well, reach for dryer sheets instead of the starting the wash cycle.
Dryer sheets don't necessarily replace a good wash of your child's toy because they don't actually disinfect, but if all the stuffed animal needs is a little freshening up because it's looking a little tired after spending 24/7 with your toddler, then dryer sheets should be your go-to.
Keep Sewing Threads From Getting Tangled
Clothing is made of threads and dryer sheets are used to, in part, keep our clothes from sticking together. So it makes sense that a dryer sheet can keep your sewing threads from getting all tangled up. If you're tired of digging through your sewing kit for a usable thread or spending a crazy amount of time digging your thumbs into a knot, then this is the hack for you.
All you have to do is put a dryer sheet into your sewing kit and your sewing threads will never get tangled again.
Keep Your Plant Soil In Hole-y Pots With A Dryer Sheet
While we've been talking about all the wonderful hacks that dryer sheet's chemical makeup can do around your home, we're kind of forgetting that their shape as a sheet is super handy as well. In fact, they can really help you out around the garden.
If you've got a planter outside that's having a hard time keeping the soil inside itself, don't throw it out. Instead, put a dryer sheet at the bottom of the pot to keep the plant happy and intact.
Shoo Away Stinky Shoes
We all know what it's like to slip off a pair of our favorite shoes and be greeted by the mother of all the worst smells in the world. You may have decided to never wear that pair again or maybe you're going to risk them falling apart by washing them. Save a pair of shoes the easy way by relying on dryer sheets.
All you have to do is stick a couple of sheets into your shoes and you'll be rid of that annoying shoe odor. Dorothy wishes she knew this for those used red heels!
Save The Bees And Your Backyard Bashes
We all love bees and want to save them, however, we also probably know someone who's scared of them or allergic. To avoid ruining your outdoor BBQ bash while still respecting the most important organism on the planet, all you have to do is stash a couple of dryer sheets in the area.
You can place them under the patio cushions, under chairs, or really in any concealed place that guests and food will be. The smell repels bees so you can eat and bee merry.
Let Your Inner Artist Out With Clean Paint Brushes
Anyone who's painted for any length of time knows that the biggest hassle to deal with are those paintbrushes that you have to clean when you're done. It sometimes can hours of you scrubbing with your hands under the tap before you can really get them clean. Save yourself some work and trust in dryer sheets instead.
All you have to do is soak your dirty brushes in a container of warm water with a dryer sheet and the paint will magically come right off and you can get painting again.
Say Goodbye To Gum Stuck In The Dryer
If someone in your family is guilty of forgetting to take things out of their pockets before putting their clothes in the dryer then this is the hack for you. Sure, picking up little things like bobby pins or coins is annoying, but the real hair-puller is melted gum stuck to the inside of your dryer.
To get rid of that gross and sticky clingy gum, all you have to do is wet a dryer sheet and get to work on that gum. It'll come right off and hopefully won't happen again.
Don't Let The Diaper Trash Stink Up The Place
If you've ever had kids you know exactly how bonkers that diaper trashcan can start to smell. It'll start to stink to high heaven with all the diapers in it and there's not much you can do except hold your breath when you get within a few feet of it. Unless you grab a dryer sheet of course.
All you have to do is place a dryer sheet on the bottom of the trashcan and it'll help eliminate the odor that diapers cause. So save your coin and don't buy a deodorizer trashcan and, instead, just rely on dryer sheets.
Keep The Deer Away, Dear
If you live out in a rural area, you know how magical it can be to look out into your backyard and see a deer walking through it. They're really amazing creatures and we're fortunate to have them, but sometimes you don't want them walking through your property if you have dogs, small children, or are constantly using vehicles.
Deter deer by cutting up small strips of dryer sheets and hanging them around your property. They're not hazardous, but the smell will repel any deer that come near.
De-Grease Your Pots And Pans
Easily de-grease your kitchenware using only a little hot water and a dryer sheet. The sheet will pick up any errant grease that's sticking around long after the food scum has left. So ditch the scrubby pad because dryer sheets have you covered and will leave your cookery looking brand spanking new.
Dryer sheets are truly a mysterious household superhero because even though they don't disinfect anything, there's something in their chemical makeup that helps them stand up to grease on pots and pans.
