I love finding creative ways to use cheap products.
Now that we're heading into the summer, you'll be seeing foam pool noodles everywhere.
I always buy a bunch from the dollar store and put them to good use in my house.
Check out these 15 clever ways to make the most out of pool noodles! You'll save so much time and money.
1. Prevent Clothing Creases
I tell my kids to hang their clothes up to prevent wrinkles, but sometimes coat hangar creases are worse.
The pointy tips of hangars damage the shoulder areas of most shirts and the bottom bar creates a crease on your pants.
Slide a pool noodle onto the bottom bar to prevent that line forming on your pants.
For your nice shirts, cut the noodle so that it's the same length as the two top sides of the hanger. Then cut the sides and poke the hook through the middle.
2. Protect Your Furniture
If you need to temporarily baby proof your home, pool noodles will do the trick.
Place the cut-up foam on the corners of your sharp furniture to prevent kids from getting hurt.
Also, pool noodles are perfect for keeping your furniture from scratching against the wall.
If you tend to stub your toe on a particular piece of furniture, using a piece of a pool noodle will solve that problem.
3. Keep Your Tall Boots Upright
The first pool noodle hack I learned was this one. I was frustrated by how fast my winter boots wrinkled and tried to find a solution.
Well, lucky for me, the solution only costed me a dollar!
Cut a pool noodle to the length of your winter boots to keep them upright and wrinkle-free.
4. Card Holder
Cut a small piece of a pool noodle and make a slit on the side to hold up your cards.
You can also cut a pool noodle into 1-2 inch circles, making a slit around the sides. This way you can make up to 50 card holders using just one foam noodle.
5. Door Draft Stopper
The space underneath your door welcomes in unwanted air, dust, and bugs.
If your house has hardwood floors or tiles, save money by making your own draft blocker using a cheap pool noodle.
Cut the length of the pool noodle to the width of your door, and then cut halfway through the foam until it's the same thickness as the door.
To make your makeshift draft stopper look more professional, secure two noodles under the door using fabric.
6. Fill A Bucket
If you've ever tried to fill a bucket in your sink, you know it's not an easy task. Most buckets don't fit any sink in your home, so you'll have to get creative.
Instead of going to your garage and filling up a bucket using a hose, attach a pool noodle to the tap and put the other end of it into the bucket.
No spills guaranteed!
7. Create A Door Guard
My one-year-old daughter just learned how to run and her favorite thing is to go around slamming doors shut.
While I love running around with her in the house, I can't keep an eye on her every single second.
I wedge a piece of a pool noodle in the side of the door to prevent her little fingers from getting slammed.
8. Wrist Rest
You could go buy an expensive foam wrist rest that'll lose its softness in a matter of months or you could make your own.
Pool noodles are the perfect firmness and you can adjust it to the height you like without feeling bad about destroying something expensive.
I change my foam noodle wrist rest ever few months and have saved a lot of money.
9. Hold Paint Brushes
Painting can get really messy.
Cut slits into a piece of a pool noodle to hold your paint brushes.
10. Perfect For Games
These water toys can generate a lot of fun outside the pool too.
If your kids ever complain about being bored in the summer, you've got to teach them these pool noodle hacks.
You can bend them into a soccer net, play ring toss, or arrange them to become a massive tic-tac-toe. The possibilities are endless!
11. On Your Shopping Cart
My little girl still has a habit of chewing grocery shopping cart handles.
According to research done by the University of Arizona, cart surfaces have more bacteria on them than toilet seats and flush handles.
They carry some of the most harmful bacteria, which is why I always put a pool noodle on cart handles for health reasons.
The bonus here is that these foam noodles are easier to grip and are soft on your hands.
12. Makes Carrying Things Easier
Have you tried carrying a pail or a bunch of grocery bags for more than five minutes? It's a struggle.
Before you hurt yourself, attack a piece of a pool noodle to your bucket handle or grocery bags to relieve some of the tension.
13. Protects Your Car In The Garage
My garage fits two cars and my husband and I refuse to park outside in the winter, which means we have to find a way to park both cars without damaging the car doors.
Cut pool noodles in half and attach them on the walls to prevent your bumper and the sides of your doors from getting damaged.
14. Keep Your Garbage Bag In Place
This hack comes in handy when you're camping, but it can also be used in your home.
If your garbage can doesn't have a lid or the garbage bag keeps slipping off, cut a pool noodle and place it around the bin.
15. Float Your Beverages
I know I said these pool noodle hacks have nothing to do with water, but I couldn't resist including this one because it's my favorite.
Make your summers more enjoyable by using this cheap foam to create a "raft" for your drinks. Your drinks will also stay cooler for longer!
Cut a few small pieces of a pool noodle and tie the pieces together with string or rope.
Which pool noodle hack will you try first?
For more hacks, check out unusual ways to use duct tape or rubber bands.