I love finding new and interesting uses for the everyday items I have around the house. It makes me feel like my house is just brimming with possibilities! Plus, it just makes good financial sense to be able to do more with what I already have, instead of going out and buying something new to get the job done.
Today’s post is a perfect example of a common household item that is more than meets the eye. I’ll be sharing 10 surprisingly useful things you can do with a humble rubber band. And if you’re looking for even more use for common household items, check out some of the links below! :-)
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10 Uses for Rubber Bands
1. Open Jars
Use a thick rubber band to help open a jar with a stubborn lid. Just place it around the perimeter of the lid and twist! The rubber band will increase the friction between your hand and the lid, making it much easier to remove.
2. Keep Apples Fresh
Apple slices are a classic lunchbox snack, and a rubber band can help you keep them fresh! Slice up your apple, then “reassemble” the fruit. Wrap a rubber band around it to keep the slices in place, and you’ll be able to enjoy perfectly fresh apple slices later on.
3. Protect Books
Many people carry a book with them in their bag or purse that they can pull out when they have a few minutes to kill during the day. I usually just pull up the Kindle app on my smartphone, but plenty of people prefer physical books for their reading material.
If you keep a book with you in your bag or purse, you can use a rubber band to help you protect it! Wrap a large rubber band or two around the outside of your book before putting it in your bag. The rubber band will keep the book closed, which will help prevent the pages from getting bent or crushed while it’s in your bag.
4. Identify Drinks
We ask each other a lot of questions when we’re working at the studio, but one of the most frequently asked questions isn’t even work-related. Diet Coke is the beverage choice around the studio, so our constant refrain is, “Wait, whose Diet Coke is this?”
But we recently discovered that small, colored rubber bands can provide an easy solution to all the confusion. Now we each just thread a colored rubber band through the tab of our can. We each use a different color, so all it takes is a quick glance to determine whose can is whose.
5. Keep Ribbons Spooled
If you’re having trouble keeping ribbon on the spool where it belongs, grab a rubber band. Wrap the rubber band around the ribbon to secure the end, which will keep everything in place. No more unraveling ribbon or tangled messes!
6. Stop Slipping
Using a cutting board that has a tendency to slip and slide around is dangerous! If the board moves while you’re cutting something, you could easily cut yourself. But there’s a simple remedy to a slippery cutting board: rubber bands.
Grab two large rubber bands and wrap one around either end of your cutting board. The rubber bands will add friction to the bottom of your board so it won’t slip around on you. It’s an easy fix, and it could save you from an unfortunate knife accident!
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7. Keep Doors Open
Loop a rubber band around a doorknob so that it forms an “X” shape across the latch. The band will keep the latch pressed in and keep the door open for you. This handy little trick is useful in a number of scenarios, like if you’re making several trips in and out of the house, or if you’re trying avoid disturbing a sleeping baby.
8. Remove Stripped Screws
Trying to remove a stripped screw can be a huge headache. Before you go to the hardware store for special screw-removing equipment, try using a rubber band first!
Place a rubber band flat over the screw head, then press your screwdriver into the screw head. Many times, the rubber band will give your screwdriver enough extra grip that you can remove the screw without resorting to more drastic measures.
9. Improve Hangers
When I buy hangers, I generally just get the plastic ones. They’re cheap, and they generally get the job done just fine! However, there are a few types of clothes that just won’t stay put on your average plastic hanger. But rather than splurge on fancy non-slip hangers, you can use rubber bands to “upgrade” your plastic hangers!
Just wrap one or two small rubber band around both ends of your hanger. The rubber bands will “catch” your clothes and make it less likely that they’ll slip off. I have several hangers that I’ve “upgraded” using this method, and they work just as well as other non-slip hangers!
10. Save Spoons
To keep a spoon or ladle from sliding down into a pot, wrap a rubber band around the end of the handle. The rubber band will provide enough grip to keep the spoon from sliding all the way down.
Do you have any tips or tricks for using rubber bands?
NEW! Can you guess the 5-letter word related to today’s post?
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I had to try to use a rubber band to keep a door open. Door would close all the time because of the weight of the shoe hanger on the back of it. I was disappointed as that did not work. Then I tried two bands which almost worked and then three bands which did work. My great granddaughter suggested a ponytail holder as it was thicker and stronger. Yeah, one of those worked great. Thanks for the original idea.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Using a rubber band to keep a spoon from sliding into a pot is one way, or, you could just get a spoon with a hook on it so you can hang the spoon on the side of the pot. My grandmother had a spoon like that. I still have it.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.For me, rubber bands are essential for securing plastic fruit cartons. When dropped, they tend to pop open and berries fly everywhere.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I put a towel under my cutting board to keep it from sliding. Rubber bands are scarce in my home.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I always bake mine. get medium sized pumpkin, cut in half, clean out the inside. Put foil on a cookie sheet, put pumpkin cut side down bake 350° til fork pierces the skin easily. cool scrape out the “meat” ready to use or freeze. I usually run through a colander of some kind to make it smooth. so easy and better than canned.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.See more in como fazer salgadinhos para vender
I clean out the pumpkin after its baked, much easier then. I put a bit of water in my roasting pan place my pumpkin halves in cut side down, put the cover on and bake at 350 until fork tender. Pie pumpkins take 3/4 to 1 hour. Clean out the seeds when cool. Then I cut the pumpkin in wedges and just pull off the peel if it will come or run under the peel with your paring knife. Quick and slick.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.These are all great uses for rubber bands. I use them for securing lightweight dishes in my dishwasher. I secure a rubber band to the side of the rack (whichever side/s you want), and when I’m ready to run the dishwasher I just stretch the rubber band over the dish to one of the prongs(?) inside the shelf. I usually use two top (one each end) and two bottom. If I don’t have a rubber band that’s long enough I put enough together, end to end, to reach into the interior of the shelf. It has saved me the aggravation of opening up the dishwasher to see a bowl turned upside down and full of water.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I recently discovered your blog & enjoy it. TY. I keep a few rubber bands around my wrist so if I find things that go together, ie. Uno cards, I can connect & hold to put away. Also I keep a couple wrapped around my wallet so it doesn’t “slip” out of my back pocket. They r easily accessible in drawer for closing cereals, snacks even pancake boxes. So handy.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great ideas. Thank you.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THESE GREAT IDEAS
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Love these! I also use them constantly to reclose frozen foods or pancake mmix packages, etc. Keeps everything airtight!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Good stuff! I will use some of these tips.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Love the ideas
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I knew all but the spoon one. That’s genius. Thank you for sharing.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.What brilliant ideas. Some I already use but some are new to me. Great!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use a rubber band around a glass in the summer, it makes it easier to hold when the glass is “sweating” and it is slippery.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I watched a video that showed you could attach your phone to your dash using a rubber band. Here in California it’s the law that we can only put our phone in the lower left portion of our windshield or somewhere on the dash.
You just slip a rubber band through one of your air vents and pull the other end through with something like an open paper clip. Then you put your phone between the vent and rubber band. I tried it and it works like a charm. No need to buy those phone holders that fall off when you hit your brakes.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use rubber bands for sorting and filing! All bills banded together. Same for the donations, mag. renewals, misc. and etc. After paying bills, etc., all credit card statements are banded together with utilities, medical, bank statements and etc., handled in like fashion. Makes it easier at tax time and when trying to locate something later on! A rubber band will save the day when used on a weekly pill box when accidently dropped!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use rubber bands to keep my plastic lunch containers together during transport into work. I don’t trust the seal on the containers!
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