Clever Ways To Repurpose Rubber Bands Around The House
When you open your junk drawer, you may find a bounty of colorful rubber bands. You probably never purchased these stretchy loops, but somehow, you've ended up with an overload of this material. This is because they typically come tied around lettuce heads and bundles of mail. If you've been saving these materials, you may be wondering what to do with them. Most rubber bands are partially made out of synthetic materials instead of entirely from natural rubber, making them non-compostable and hard to recycle. Therefore, reusing these miscellaneous items is the best way to give them new life, and luckily, there are plenty of ways to repurpose rubber bands around the home.
While rubber bands may seem like they're only used to tie things together, they are actually practical items that can make a large number of household chores easier. These elastic bands are great for increasing organization, simplifying clean-ups, and preventing messes. They are durable, flexible, stretchy, and shock-absorbent. Plus, you can reuse them several times before they eventually pop. Indulge in a few rubber band hacks to make life around the house trouble-free and more eco-friendly.
Make your hangers slip-resistant
Tying a rubber band to each end of your hanger will make it slip-resistant so that your garments will stay in place. Even silky fabrics, which are prone to sliding, will be secured with this hack. It works for most hangers including those made out of wood, plastic, metal, and felt. You'll be relieved to have these elastics in your closet when you realize that none of your clothes mysteriously drop to the floor anymore.
Get a grip
A simple rubber band is a great way to improve traction on slippery surfaces. Add an elastic around tough-to-open jars to get a better hold and open them, or wrap a band around tool handles like your hammer or mallet to eliminate slippage and potential accidents. Another idea is to upgrade your water bottle by adding a rubber band or two around the item, which will create a non-slip grip.
Help the cutting board stay in place
Dicing and slicing is tedious as is, but trying to do so on a cutting board that won't stop sliding around is almost impossible. If your tray won't stay in place, all you need are rubber bands. Add the elastic on both ends of the board to instantly give it a non-slip track. It will also act as a barrier to keep your chopped goods from falling off the edge, which will help minimize food waste.
Conserve more soap
Your hand soap can last you twice as long as it does now with the help of a rubber band. To cash in on the savings, wrap the elastic around the neck of the soap bottle to shorten the pump's length. It will still dispense enough soap to lather your hands but without going overboard. This will conserve your soap and reuse those rubber bands that have no other use.
Keep electrical cords tangle-free
Rubber bands are the trick to keeping your electrical cords tangle-free. When wrapping them up, simply add an elastic band around each wire bundle to stop it from mingling with the others. You can then label the cord by writing its use on a piece of paper and sticking the label under the rubber band. This will transform the mysterious black plug into the TV adapter. This is an easy hack for organizing your cords and chargers when storing them all together in a bin or basket.
Remove stripped screws
Over time, a screw's head can wear away. This makes it hard to remove the screw, as the tip of the screwdriver has no way of locking with the drive in the screw's head. However, placing a rubber band onto the screw's head before using the screwdriver adds friction and fills the worn areas. Then, you'll just need to turn the tool counterclockwise to pop the screw out.
Create a utensil anchor
Get ready to stop spoons from sliding into pancake batter and straws from drowning in your iced tea. A small rubber band wrapped around the top of any utensil anchors it to the glass or dish to prevent it from slipping. Now, you can prop cutlery against pots and pans without them accidentally getting lost in the sauce.
Reseal food packages
A common way rubber bands are repurposed is to reseal food packages. It is simple and effective, and there's always a stretchy loop around to do the job. You don't need to buy snack clips or fancy vacuum seal bags, just secure your chip bag or frozen pea container with the elastic. Your food won't go stale and will be protected from the elements. Plus, you can keep reusing the same rubber band.
Clean excess paint with ease
Renovating just got a whole lot easier thanks to the rubber band. After you've cracked open a can of paint, stretch a band around the can vertically — it should wrap around the opening and the bottom. After dipping your brush into the colorful liquid, wipe off the excess paint by scraping it along the rubber band. The extra paint will drip back into the can, and you won't dirty the sides of the container. This is a painting tip that even HGTV stars swear by, so you can guarantee that it's going to be helpful.
Give your broom a boost
Your broom works best when the bristles are packed tightly, but after continuous use, the hairs naturally spread apart. A rubber band is a simple fix that will restore your broom's durability. Wrap one to two bands around the bristles to tighten the fibers and make a stiffer broom. In fact, this hack will make the bristles so stiff you might even be able to use your broom to clean the carpet. You'll breathe new life into both the duster and the rubber bands, which will save you money and help the environment.