You have just collected the clothes you have put out to dry and you find yourself in front of a huge pile of old socks, with holes in them and unmatched. You are thinking of throwing them away, but this would be a real waste. In this article, you can find some great ways to recycle those socks - you may never have considered how useful they can be after wearing them for a lifetime!
Steps
Step 1. Make a dust rag
Slip the sock over your hand. Moisten it with water or a polishing product and start cleaning! Socks are great for cleaning window sills, floor stains, TV or computer screens, door handles and blinds.
Step 2. Polish your shoes
Old socks can be great shoe polishers. You can also use them to give your shoes a touch of shine after polishing them.
Step 3. Make a ball
You can make a "hacky sack", which is a ball made from old socks and filled with beads or beans. Cut off about half of a long sock or about ¾ of a short one. Fill the sock with dry rice, dried peas, or beads. Sew the flaps of the opening to create the shape of a ball.
Step 4. Create a bottle cover
A long sock is required for this step. Cut the entire top of the sock. Place it on a bottle to keep it cool (isolated). A shorter sock can be used for cups and cans.
Step 5. Create a coin holder
For this project, you will need a short sock or a ghost. Use the sock in its entirety and decorate it with beads, glitter, sequins or any other decoration available. Sew a strip of fabric across the top to create a handle, or a zipper over the opening.
Step 6. Make a puppet
You can make a monkey or a doll. Fill the sock with beans or rice. Glue, sew or draw eyes, nose and mouth on them. Cut another old sock into small strips and sew them on top for the hair.
Step 7. Keep your pet's paws warm
If you have a bruised pet that is suffering from a cold, you can use old socks to keep its paws warm. You can also use them to create bedding or clothes for small pets, who will appreciate the warm cover of these mini blankets!
Step 8. Sew the two tops of many matching socks together to create a blanket
You can also sew the two tops together by creating long strips and then intertwining them with each other.
Step 9. Build muscle relaxers
Fill a sock with rice or wheat and sew the flaps of the open end. Cook in the microwave with a glass of water for 1 minute. Wrap it around the neck or place it in the painful area for instant relief (N. B.: Always remember to always put the glass of water to ensure the right level of humidity or the package could catch fire having dried after numerous uses).
Step 10. Make a wand to clean the hard-to-reach spots
Take a ruler (the longer it will be, the greater its “reach”) and slip the sock on one end. Secure it well with a rubber band or paper clip. Use this wand to clean under stoves, refrigerators, or any other uncomfortable area. The sock-covered ruler will be able to catch a lot of dust and will be very easy to wash after each use.
Step 11. Make horse bandages
Cut off the foot of a long sock and make a horse bandage. With smaller socks, you can create bandages for dogs or cats (try using baby socks).
Step 12. Make a garden soap dish
Working in the vegetable garden or garden means getting your hands dirty (at best). Slip a bar of soap into the bottom of an old sock and tie it around the bar. Leave the long part of the sock intact to tie it near the garden tap. By doing so it will be ready for use, to be able to wash after any "session" of gardening.
Step 13. Sew a quilt or rug of socks
You will need to look up information on how to do this on the internet, but it is possible to make quilts and rugs out of old socks. In this way you will be able to extend the life of the sock, especially old socks but with nice colors or designs, from which you cannot separate.
Step 14. Wash your car or bike
Slip a sock over your hand and you'll immediately have a cleaning cloth that's soft enough for a car body or bike frame. Use one sock for washing and one for cleaning.
Step 15. Create draft blocks
Fill a long sock (knee-high, or knee-high sock) with beans, rice, or any other stock filler available. Sew or tie the open end and you have an instant draft stop. If you want to improve its appearance, add eyes, nose, mouth or, if you like, antennae or whiskers - choose any animal you can imagine.
Step 16. Insert a tennis ball
By inserting a tennis ball into an old sock you can have a dual use object:
- Create a back and neck relaxer. Tie the tennis ball inserted into the bottom of the sock. Holding the long part of the sock and throw it back over your shoulders by landing the ball on your back. Lean against a wall and rub your back up and down using the ball, which will be crushed on the wall, massaging gently eliminating the pain caused by sports, from having been too long at the PC or from any other activity that may have created tension for you. back. Use a shorter sock for a version that fits the neck.
- Make a dog toy. Similarly, place the ball at the end of the sock and tie it around it. Take the long end of the sock and invite the dog to take it. If your dog is playful or in the right mood, he won't hesitate to try and get her. Read the Warnings below.
Step 17. Make a sock string
It will be enough to tie fifteen long socks and you will have a jump rope! Try using different colors for a more fun result!
- Take a rubber dog bone and put it in an old sock. You can slip it inside a ball and throw it. The dog will enjoy trying to get the bone out. Read the Warnings below.
- Put an empty plastic bottle inside the sock, tie the open end and give it to your dog. Many dogs find it fun to destroy plastic bottles: the sock will allow the dog to have fun without spilling bottle residues around the yard.
Step 18. Set them aside for the move
Put valuable glasses, or knickknacks inside the socks up to the foot and wrap the top around the item. In this way you will give greater protection. Add a label on the sock to remember its contents. Move wrapped items inside a cardboard box or drawer.
Step 19. Make potpourri containers
Place the spices inside a sock and sew it to close. This container is great inside wardrobes and dressers, releasing a sweet scent for months.
Step 20. Make a cat toy
Place catnip inside a sock and tie it up. Cats love it, but watch out for holes.
Step 21. Start a new fashion
Wear two socks of different colors. Make sure both colors match your clothes. Medieval artistic depictions (Les Tres Riches Heures de Duc du Berry - January, around 1330) show that nobles and landowners wore socks and tights of different colors. They were considered very fashionable.
Step 22. Make fingerless gloves
Cut a hole in one heel and cut off the toe area of the sock. Put your thumb through the hole in the heel and your fingers out the other hole. If you want you can turn up the sock in the areas of the cuts or sew a simple edge.
Step 23. Make a “Fox Tail”
Fill the sock with sand (but beans, corn, rice, or beads will do just as well). Once you've filled it up, tie a nice strong knot at one end of the sock (try using grown-up socks for extra fun). FOR USE:
Hold the sock tight by the knot as you swing your arm in a circle. After a few laps, let go, and the “Coda di Volpe” will fly.
Step 24. Make hair bands
Children's socks are great for this use. Make a cut on the short side of the sock to form a simple loop of fabric. You should be able to form several bands from each sock. After the first use as a band, the fabric will tend to roll up on itself making it impossible to connect with its previous sock life.
Step 25. Cut and / or sew an animal or object shape from the top of the sock
You could form more complex figures, like the wikiHow logo, or simpler ones, like a lizard.
Step 26. Make a bottle cover
Cooking oil bottles often leave dirt marks around the kitchen. Stop swiping to clean the tracks by tucking an old sock over the base of the bottle. When the bottle is empty, put the sock to wash before using it again.
Step 27. Insulation for external taps
To prevent the external faucets from freezing or breaking you can use an old sock to cover the faucet and add a layer of plastic to keep the sock dry. This way you can prevent any unwanted splashes caused by faucet breakage.
Step 28. Make a Difference - Donate
Donate your used socks to sites like The Mismatched Sock (https://www.themismatchedsock.com) to make a real difference, one sock at a time.
Step 29. Make a foot massage
Place a golf ball inside your sock and roll your foot on top of it. If desired, overdo it by cutting off the toe area of the sock and sew it with the golf ball inside. Or simply, leave the ball in the whole sock - it won't roll out, gleefully wandering around the floor.
Advice
- You don't have to follow these ideas exclusively - use your imagination too!
- Always wash your socks before using them in any project.
- Make sure your socks are old so you don't waste new ones.
Warnings
-
Sock_war_851 Using a sock as a dog toy container poses 2 dangers: it could teach your dog that every sock is a toy, so make sure it doesn't look like a sock before leaving it to your dog; ingestion of socks can create intestinal blockages, a serious problem for your four-legged friend, so if the sock gets damaged, you should permanently eliminate it.
- Children and teens will likely need help from an adult when sewing.
- Be careful when microwaving a sock containing rice, beans, or corn. Do not cook it for more than 2 minutes and always keep an eye on it, as there may be a remote possibility that it will get too hot and catch fire. To avoid this danger, always put a cup full of water in the microwave with the sock. Keep an eye on the sock when the oven is on.
- You will never, ever have to throw your "Foxtail" at people or animals.
- Always close any holes before proceeding to a project that involves filling. If you don't, of course, the content will come straight out of the hole.
