Rubber Bands to the Rescue

Rubber bands may not seem to have many magical powers but those stretchy things that we find wrapped around the mail or at the bottom of the junk drawer have much potential. Check out these 10 uses for rubber bands, some will surprise you, others may be old news, but all are useful.

1. Temporarily stop a water leak in a garden hose. Wind a thick rubber band around the hole in the garden hose to stop the leak until you have time to replace it. The rubber band is waterproof and will plug the hole.

2. Stop the cutting board from moving. Place rubber bands around each end of the cutting board to prevent slipping. The rubber grips the surface making it easier to chop.

3. Use as an eraser. Fold a rubber band in half a few times and use it to erase pencil markings.

4. Car visor receipt/paper holder. Wrap a few rubber bands around your cars driver-side sun visor. Conveniently holds miscellaneous papers, parking stubs, etc. under the rubber band.

5. Toddler proof your cabinets. Stretch a few rubber bands tightly between the left and right cabinet knobs to lock them in place.

6. Waist expander. Especially great for pregnant women who aren’t big enough for maternity clothes but can’t fit into their regular clothes. Take a rubber band and loop it through the button hole and fasten to the button, giving you an extra inch or so.

7. A bookmark. Wrap a rubber band around the front cover and through the middle of the book to whatever page you finished on. Next time you pick up the book the first page that isn’t rubber-banded will be the page you left off on.

8. A handle grip. Wrap several rubber bands around the end of a pole or stick to create a handy grip. You can wrap rubber bands around just about anything that you need help gripping.

9. Use as an adhesive. It’s not glue, but a melted rubber band makes a darn good adhesive.

10. And rubber bands make great pony tail holders.