Ingenious Pool Noodle Hacks You Never Thought To Use Around The House
Pool noodles are the ideal accessory to help you relax and float in the water, splash around and have fun, or even help develop swimming skills. However, did you know that their uses extend far beyond the swimming pool? They can be used around the house in several ways that you may never have imagined. From home organization, cleaning, decorating, and even furniture making, these flotation devices are actually quite versatile.
Pool noodles make a great DIY tool for several reasons. Their foam design makes them easy to manipulate. You can bend or twist them in different ways, which opens the door to several DIY possibilities. Moreover, these tubes are also inexpensive. You can often find them at dollar stores or even on clearance at the end of the summer swim season. If you have old swimming noodles that you no longer need, you can keep the foam material out of the dump (it isn't recyclable) by upcycling them and giving them a second shot at life. Continue reading to learn more about the various ways these tools can help you make your home more functional, aesthetically pleasing, and more.
Make a faucet extender for filling buckets
Have you ever tried to fill a large bucket with your kitchen or bathroom faucet? Chances are the bucket was too tall to fit under the spout, making it nearly impossible to fill, or at the very least, hard to fill without making a huge mess. Rather than going outside to use your garden hose or taking forever to fill the bucket one cup of water at a time, you can use a pool noodle to greatly simplify this task.
The tube can work as an extender, essentially turning your kitchen or bathroom faucet into a hose that is long enough to reach the container. Simply place one end of the noodle in the bucket and slide the other end over the head of the faucet. When turning the water on, it should flow through the open center, sending it directly to your container. No more trying to hold the bucket at an awkward angle or splashing water all over the sink and floor.
Help tall boots maintain their shape
If you have one or more tall boots, you know how difficult they can be to store. The tall sides are constantly flopping over, taking over all of your closet space and leaving it looking like a disorganized mess. When the tall sides of a boot flip over, it can cause the leather to wrinkle, or possibly even crack. Placing something inside the boot to keep the sides upright is important to protect your investment and help keep your space tidy.
While you can buy boot shapers specifically designed for this task, they can get expensive, especially if you have multiple pairs of boots. Fortunately, a pool noodle can help you achieve the same benefit while costing just a fraction of the price. Just cut the rod into two pieces that are slightly taller than the height of the boots. Place one piece in each shoe to keep it upright when not in use. Voilà! No more worrying about your boots flopping over.
Make an armrest for outdoor chairs
Wrought iron chairs and benches are highly durable and long-lasting. Because the iron material is so heavy, these furniture pieces are also very sturdy and unlikely to blow away, even with stronger winds. However, compared to some more padded patio furniture options, some people find that wrought iron furniture isn't the most comfortable choice. The armrests, in particular, can dig into your arms as you try to sit and relax.
Did you know you can use a pool noodle to make a more comfortable armrest for a wrought iron chair or bench? This hack will take a little creative cutting, but is a very affordable and quick way to transform your outdoor furniture. You will need to cut the foam in a spiral pattern so that it expands when you pull on either end. Cutting it in such a manner will allow you to open it up and wrap it around the wrought iron arms. You can carefully draw a winding spiral line from one end of the noodle to the other. Then, cut it using an X-Acto knife. If that seems too complicated for you, you can also buy a wider noodle that will comfortably fit the armrest, cut it down the middle, and place it over the arm.
Hold and dry paint brushes
Whether you spent years in school perfecting your painting technique or just like to pick up some paint and brushes when you have a little spare time, you might get frustrated by the mess that can be left behind. Paint and water can drip off the brushes and onto your table or floors. They can also take too long to dry once you've finished for the day, and it seems like you can never find a good spot to put them when you're not working with them.
Well, if you share any of these frustrations, you may be surprised to learn that a swimming aid can come to the rescue once again. All you'll need is a small piece of the foam pipe — about 8 inches long. Cut a vertical slit along one side of the piece (cut down to the center hole). This cut will allow it to rest on the edge of your bowl of water. Next, use your knife to cut shallow horizontal slits along the noodle (about 1 inch apart). When you place the foam over your bowl of water, you can slide a paintbrush into each slit. Doing so will send water drips into the bowl, not your furniture. It will also help the brushes dry more quickly and keep them easily accessible when you need them again.
Make a wedge to keep toys and small items from sliding under the couch
If you have children or pets, you may feel like you're constantly digging toys out from under the couch. Small items easily slip under, whether your sofa is several inches off of the ground or just slightly elevated. To save yourself the hassle and keep your human or fur children from getting upset about their missing toys, you can use a pool noodle to make a wedge to block items from slipping under the couch.
Simply cut the rod down to the width of the couch (or use multiple noodles if needed for a wider sofa). Then, push it under the front of the couch to create a barrier. Depending on the space between the floor and the base, you might find that one of the wider "jumbo" noodles will work better. Before wedging the foam under the sofa, you can paint it to match the color of the fabric or leather.
Babyproof your home
Parents of young children know what a hazard the sharp edges of tables can pose for babies learning to crawl or walk. Rather than spending money on foam or rubber edge protectors, you can put the swimming aids you already have to good use. Start by measuring the length of each edge you need to cover, and cut the foam to a corresponding size. Then, cut a vertical slit from the top to the bottom of the rod (all the way through to the center hole). After these cuts are made, you should be able to slide the noodle over the sharp edge to create a bumper to protect little heads and bodies.
Even if you do not have young children of your own, this hack could come in handy whenever you have guests over with young children. Because the noodles are so easy to put on and remove from furniture, you can use them as a temporary fix to keep young guests safe. Depending on the color of the tube you choose and the color of the furniture piece, you might want to paint it to match. Just make sure to use non-toxic and child-safe paint.
Store extension cords
Storing extension cords without them tangling and turning your shelves into a jumbled mess is no easy feat. Here's another opportunity to put a pool noodle to good use in your home. Start by cutting it down to about the length of the wound-up cord. Then, use your X-Acto knife to cut a slit down one end, all the way through to the center hole. When you open the foam up along the slit, you'll find the perfect spot to store an extension cord. Simply slide the cable in the opening, and move your fingers to let the slit close back up.
When you use this hack, be sure to leave the two ends of the extension cord sticking out a little past the edge. This will allow you to easily see what's inside and help you find the cable when you need it. You can also use this hack to keep other cords and cables organized and easy to find.
Create a draft stopper
Does your home have drafty doors? This is a common problem in many homes and occurs because the doors don't sit flush on the floor, leaving a gap for cold air to rush in. While you can purchase a door sweep designed to close this gap and keep air from getting in or escaping, they often don't fit right or may rub off with an unlevel door opening and closing. Your trusty pool noodles can help remedy the problem.
To make a draft stopper, begin by cutting the tube down to the width of the door. Then, use a piece of decorative fabric to sew a cover for it. Add two fabric or elastic loops to the edges of the cover, then slide it over the rod. Attach small hooks on the base of the door (placed to line up with the loops you added to the cover), and attach the noodle to the bottom of the door. Now it should stop air from flowing through. You should also save money on your electric bills since you won't lose as much hot or cold air from your home to the outdoors.
Keep pants crease-free when hanging
If you're tired of pulling your dress pants off of the hanger only to find that they have a deep crease where they were resting, it is time for a change. You don't need to spend your precious time in the morning ironing your pants; you have enough other things to do. The solution also doesn't have to involve spending money on special hangers. That's right; your pool noodles can help you avert a crisis.
With just a few cuts, you can place a piece of a pool noodle over your existing hangers to provide a larger and rounded spot for your pants to drape over. With this surface, your pants won't develop the deep creases they may when laying over the thinner bar of a standard hanger. Even better, this hack takes just minutes of your time. Simply cut the foam into sections that are just slightly shorter than the width of your hangers. Make one additional cut across the tube (down to the center hole) so that it will slide over the bottom bar of your hanger. That's it; now you're ready to carefully fold your pants and drape them over the foam.
Keep brooms and mops upright
Do you store your mops and brooms in a corner or closet? Do they always seem to slide down and crash onto the floor? Are you looking for a storage solution that is more attractive and will still keep the cleaning tools easily accessible when you need them? If so, it's time to grab a flotation device once again. You can use it to make a wall-mounted rack for storing brooms, mops, dusters, and other cleaning supplies.
The first step for this DIY project is to determine the appropriate width for your storage rack. Consider the number of tools you want to hang and the available wall space in your home. You should also try to limit the number of brooms and mops to two or three for each noodle rack to avoid placing too much weight on them. If you need to store more cleaning supplies than this, you can make multiple mounted racks.
Once you've determined the ideal size for the rack, cut the rod to that length. Then, use a sharp knife to carefully cut the noodle horizontally in half. You want to make a flat surface that will sit flush on the wall. With the foam pipe flat on the table in front of you, cut two or three equally-spaced slits across its width. Then, cut out a small triangle on both ends of the slit to make a slot for broom and mop handles. Finally, attach the flat edge to the wall using mounting tape.
Protect garage walls and car doors
If space in your garage comes at a premium, getting out of the car may be tight once you park. If there is a wall right next to where your door or one of the passenger doors open, you might find yourself accidentally bumping the door against it when getting in or out of the car. Frequently hitting the car door against the wall can cause damage to both the vehicle and the wall.
Cut a pool tube down and use it to block your door from slamming into the wall. Once you've determined how long you want the buffer to be, trim off the back to create a flat base. You can then use double-sided mounting tape or Velcro strips to attach the flat side to the wall along the area where your car door opens. Now, when you open the car door, it will bump the softer foam rather than the hard wall. This will save your vehicle door from getting damaged and keep your garage walls from being covered with dings and divots.
Make it easier to lift buckets
Carrying a heavy bucket can be hard on your arms and back. It doesn't help that many buckets only have a hard and thin plastic grip covering the thin metal or plastic handle. Trying to lift the bucket, let alone carry it for any length of time, can be very uncomfortable. After just a few moments, your hands are hurting and ready for a break.
A more comfortable handle can make all the difference. Carrying the bucket suddenly becomes a much easier task. If you guessed that a pool noodle could also help you with this need, you're right. Simply cut off a 4- to 5-inch piece and cut a slit across one side. Then, place the piece over the container's handle and use it to make lifting and carrying much more comfortable. You can also use some duct tape to secure the foam handle in place for a more permanent solution.