18 Genius Unexpected Uses of Duct Tape
As the old saying goes, if you can’t fix
something with duct tape, you’re simply not using enough of it. Truly,
there are a million and one ways you can use duct tape in your home, in
the garden, on a camping trip, and even on yourself. Some of these uses
border on ridiculous, with people fashioning kayaks, tuxedos, and other
strange contraptions out of the tape. However, these strange uses of
duct tape are a topic we will keep for another day, as in this article,
we decided to show you how to use duct tape in 18 unexpectedly easy and
useful ways.
1. Fashion a DIY Lint Roller
You can get rid of lint and pet hair from your clothes, furniture, and
carpet quite easily, even if you don't have a lint roller at home.
Simply stick some duct tape sticky side up on a paint roller, et voila -
you have a DIY lint roller ready at your service. This trick is perfect
for cleaning the couch from pet hair, as the paint roller is much
larger than a regular lint roller and will cover a much larger surface
area more quickly.
2. Make Your Shoes Warmer
Here is a handy trick for those cold months. You can use duct tape to
make your boots warmer. In order to do so, all you have to do is just
wrap a solid layer of duct tape around the insoles of the shoes (cheap
insoles available in supermarkets can be likewise used to spare the
original insoles of your shoes). The plastic surface of the duct tape
will help seal the heat and reflect it to the soles of your feet, and
you will feel much warmer wearing these DIY insoles.
3. Open a Jar That’s Stuck
You can use this trick to open jars and
bottles that are stuck and difficult to open. Simply stick a piece of
duct tape on the lid, leaving a piece loose so that you can pull the jar
open. Because duct tape is so adhesive, it will grip a lot better than a
kitchen towel and make opening the pesky jar much easier. Click on the
play button in the video above to see a step by step guide and
demonstration of this technique.
4. Hide a Spare Key or Other Valuables
With the help of duct tape, you can hide
away valuables, such as keys, credit cards, etc., in the most
inconspicuous places. No more hiding the spare house key under the
doormat - simply stick it to a piece of duct tape like in the image
above and attach the key somewhere unexpected, like under the seat of
the patio bench, for example.
5. Conceal Unsightly Cables
It's terribly annoying when cables are
dangling freely behind electronic devices, not to mention - dangerous,
especially for pets and small children. To secure the cables and make
sure they don't get pulled on accidentally, you can attach the wires
with the help of a small piece of duct tape to the wall, floor, or even
furniture, making them less visible and dangerous.
6. Protect Floors From Being Scratched
Hardwood floors are so fragile - any little
scratch can damage the topcoat, which introduces humidity mold and
endangers the integrity of your floors. Of course, you can revarnish
them here and there, but too many coats of varnish and constant
refurbishing aren't good for your floors either, not to mention that
it's quite expensive and troublesome.
So why not learn to prevent your floor from scuffing instead? Just
attach a small piece of duct tape onto the bottom of the chair's legs
and you're done, simple!
7. Patch Up a Wound Temporarily
This scenario happens way too often: you're
messing around in the shed or garden, using sharp tools, and suddenly,
you get a cut on your hand or arm that starts bleeding. If you don't
have a bandage or band-aid near you, simply reach for the silver roll of
duct tape and seal the wound to stop the bleeding. Needless to say,
this is not a permanent solution, as you do need to clean, disinfect,
and dress the wound properly afterward, but in a pinch, duct tape gets
the job done, too.
8. Catch Insects
No need to purchase special sticky pads or
rolls, or to buy expensive sprays laden with chemicals to get rid of the
pests invading your home. All you will need is a piece of duct tape and
a smidge of peanut butter. Fold the sides of a small piece of the duct
tape so that you can handle it conveniently, and put a little amount of
peanut butter in the middle of the tape.
Try not to disrupt the sticky surface if the tape, as this is exactly
what will be trapping the bugs. Put these pieces underneath your kitchen
cabinets, near the trashcan, and any other places in your home you see
the pests. After just a few days, you'll find that the bugs have stuck
to the tape and you'll have to throw the tape out and replace it if
necessary.
You can also use the tape to trap flies - simply hang strips of tape
from the ceiling and you have DIY flypaper.
9. Create a Cup
Do you need an extra cup, but all you have
available is some duct tape? Lucky you, as duct tape is just the thing
you need to create a makeshift glass. To make the glass, simply wrap
several tightly layered pieces of duct tape around a can, a glass, or a
bottle, remove the vessel, cover the sticky side of the cup with another
layer of tape so that the surface of the cup isn't sticky, and you're
done. Best of all, you can even put this collapsible cup into your
pocket and reuse it when necessary!
10. Make a Clothesline in a Pinch
One of the simplest and most useful
contraptions you can make using duct tape is a clothesline. This will
come in handy when you're camping, when you're traveling, or whenever
you want. Simply connect the sides of the tape to any two facing walls
(or any two tall objects, really) so that the tape is pulled taut, and
your DIY clothesline is ready for use.
11. Patch Up a Tent
Duct tape is a happy camper's best friend,
as its multifunctionality comes very handy in a situation where you have
to fit all your gear in a backpack. We already listed a few ways you
can use duct tape while camping, but another way you can make use of the
silver tape is by patching up a leaky tent. We typically even cover the
areas with small openings with duct tape after setting up the tent to
keep all the insects outside.
12. Create a Temporary Hem for Pants
Wearing pants that are too long is not very
neat, that's certainly true, but it's also very uncomfortable, as you
can step and even trip on the excessively long pants. Still, actually
getting the pants tailored can be quite costly and can take a while.
Luckily, there's also a quick solution, and it, of course, includes duct
tape. Simply follow these steps:
Turn the pants inside out, put them on to see what you're doing, and
roll them up evenly to the required length. Then, stick a few little
pieces of duct tape on the hem, and you're done. You can machine wash
these pants without worry, and they typically stay taped and hemmed for
several months.
13. Banish Warts
Another neat trick you can do with duct
tape is to get rid of warts. Simply stick a little piece of tape over
the area and keep some on for at least a few weeks, regularly replacing
with a fresh piece of tape. The tape will cut off any oxygen to the
wart, and it will simply die off, and one day, you'll just find that the
wart will peel off on its own as you remove the tape. Many people are
convinced this is the best and least invasive way of getting rid of a
wart, as pointed out by the American Academy of Dermatology.
14. Make an Arm Sling in an Emergency
Emergencies happen, and when they do and
you have the knowledge to help someone, it's always a very pleasant
feeling. If someone is suspected to have injured their arm, for example,
you can use duct tape to stabilize the joint in the place of injury by
wrapping the tape around the arm and then creating a makeshift sling.
This should be more than enough to transport the person safely to the
emergency unit.
15. Make Shoes Slip Free
If you find that a pair of shoes you love
is way too slippery, be it due to poor design or wear and tear, this tip
is for you. Simply attach a piece of tape to the sole of the shoe, and
this will instantly give it some extra grip. This will not only make the
shoes more comfortable but also safer, as slippery shoes can be the
cause of falls and leg injuries.
16. Remove Glue from Surfaces
Have you added a few stickers to your car
window that you're starting to regret, but you still don't want to get
rid of them because of the hideous glue residue they will leave behind?
If that speaks to you, you need some duct tape and some window cleaner.
After removing the sticker as best as you can, apply a piece of duct
tape onto the surface with glue residue, be it wood, glass, or metal,
and then pull.
Repeat a few times with a fresh piece of tape every time until little to
no glue residue remains. The duct tape is so sticky that it typically
removes the majority of the glue from surfaces, but to finish the job
and give shine to the surface, wipe it down with a cloth dampened with
some window cleaner as a finishing touch.
17. Remove a Splinter
The sticky surface of duct tape is so
strong it is actually capable of pulling out even a very deep splinter
from your skin in a matter of minutes. The procedure is as follows:
first, clean and disinfect the area, then apply a piece of duct tape and
wait for half an hour. After 30 minutes, pull on the tape, and as you
do, the splinter will probably be pulled out in an instant. You will be
able to see the splinter on the duct tape when you're done.
18. Protect Feet From Blisters
Who knew duct tape has so many medical
uses? One more way you can use it is to prevent and treat a blister.
Simply cover the area of concern with a few layers of duct tape before
putting on your socks and shoes, and you'll be good to go, as the tape
will stop your skin from rubbing against the shoe and will prevent any
blisters.
If you already have a fresh blister, however, you can use the tape
instead of a band-aid as well, but keep in mind that this is a short
term solution, as your skin is unable to breathe under the duct tape,
and it may slow down the healing process if you're not careful and keep
the tape on for too long.