40+ Rubber Band Hacks To Make Life Easier Around the House

Rubber Bands are a great invention, and they have so many uses around the house that you might never have thought of using them for until now. If you have been living in one particular place for some time, you must have a drawer full of rubber bands for sure. Needless to say, these rubber bands do come in handy in many different everyday scenarios. You can even use them for decorating your home! Who would have thought of that, huh? There are actually a lot of ways in which you can use a rubber band. In this article, we will look at the multitude of ways in which a rubber band can be used around the house. These fantastic rubber band hacks will amaze you to no end!

1. Keep Apples Fresh for a Longer period

Sliced apples are definitely better than biting into a whole apple. Not only does one avoid the seeds more efficiently, but also it is easier to eat. Plus, children prefer sliced apples to whole apples. But there is one inherent problem with this.

Apples get brown really fast! One good way of delaying this process is to fasten a rubber band around a whole apple after it has been sliced. This way, your kid will get his sliced apples, plus they will be totally fresh as if you just cut them!

2. Don’t Get Locked Out

Auto-lock doors can be really convenient and super annoying all at the same time. If you have these auto-lock doors, you must have been locked out once or twice, and it can be such a tricky situation to find yourself in. 

Especially if you have kids or pets, finding yourself locked out can happen more often than you think. Here is where a rubber band can come in handy. Just tie a rubber band around the locks both in and out, and voila! Problem solved.

3. More Efficient Hangers

Clothing hangers help keep all your clothes together. Not only do they look great in your closet, and well organized, but they are an efficient way of keeping clothes wrinkle-free too. However, clothes don’t always stay the way you leave them.

Tops with spaghetti straps have a tendency to slip off the hangers, and then all the dry cleaning and ironing goes to waste. You can prevent this by adding a few rubber bands at the end of the hangers. A neat solution, isn’t it?

4. A Cool Tea Hack

Picture this: It is a nice sunny afternoon, and you are sitting on your deck with a cup of tea in your hands. You are dipping the tea bag into the water, and the teabag suddenly falls into the cup. Ugh. That can be rather irritating, to say the least.

Fortunately, there is a way to avoid this with the help of a rubber band. Just tie a rubber band around your cup and hold the string of the teabag in place. That’s it! No more fishing out the teabag out of a cup with a spoon.

5. Turn Your Rubber Bands into Jewellery 

Most likely, you have never thought of this: turning your rubber bands into fun jewelry! How can this even work, you might be wondering? Well, bejewelling them is one way to go. You can wear them as either bracelets or anklets. 

There is a company called Rags to Coutour which does exactly this. It looks so simple yet really elegant! You can buy such items from this company or have a fun DIY Sunday to experiment and make your own. 

6. Measuring Drinks in an Efficient Manner

Parties are super fun, and alcohol can also raise the fun quotient of the party. However, it can be tough to measure drinks at parties. After a while, you tend to forget and really regret it the morning after.

Guess what; a rubber band can help here too! Every time you have a drink, just add a rubber band around your glass. This way, you can easily follow the number of drinks you have had, so you will know when to cool it down a bit. Also, if you use bands of the same color, you will always know which glass is yours.

7. Storing Books While Travelling 

If you love reading you must be aware of the bad consequences traveling has on books. The pages get torn, the spine of the book gets deformed and sometimes there might even be some scratches on one of your beloved books.

This is where a rubber band can come in handy. Just wrap a rubber band around your book to keep all of your book pages in shape and in place. This way, the book will not flip open accidentally, and neither can the pages get torn.

8. Opening Jars

Probably the most loathsome part of shopping is coming back home and opening those stubborn jars! It can get really difficult, and if you live alone, you can find yourself struggling in vain. This entire process can tamper with your mood as well.

An easier way of opening jars is to place a rubber band or two around this lid. This will help create more friction on the lid, and the jar should be open in no time! Only if we knew this half of our adult life.

9. A Rubber Band Used as an Eraser

Stationery items tend to get lost—especially those smaller items such as sharpeners and erasers. When you have to write out a card or fill out an envelope, one is in a real hurry to find these items of missing stationery.

Rubber bands can be really handy in this case. All you need to do is wrap a few rubber bands around each other and they act as an eraser! Yup, you may not have realized but your erasers and rubber bands have the same ingredients – rubber!

10. Avoid Those Nasty Paper Cuts

A bibliophile knows how nasty paper cuts can be. And for someone who loves reading, they are almost unavoidable. Plus, there are other problems with someone who flips pages too fast – pages getting stuck together. There is an easy hack for this.

All you need to do is place a rubber band on the tip of your finger. This will help you to read papers faster, plus you can avoid those painful paper cuts as well. Who knew a simple rubber band could be such a handy thing.

11. An Easy Tripod

Ever tried taking pictures of yourself on the phone from afar? Balancing a phone on an object can be the toughest thing to do. Plus, you do not need a selfie all the time. If you love clicking photos for the gram – you will love this hack.

You can use a rubber band to tie your phone or tablet to anything you like. Like a water bottle or a jar, and it can act as a great tripod for you. You can try this trick when you are traveling too, and this will really up to your game on social media.

12. Protect Your Cash

Having a wallet is a great way to protect your cash and cards, but it is incredibly inconvenient to carry around a wallet everywhere. A more efficient and easy way of carrying cash is to roll it up and put a rubber band around it.

Not only will it save tons of space in your purse or pocket, but everything will safely remain in one place. You can do the same with all your credit cards as well. This is especially great when you are going to another country.

13. Rolling Up Measuring Tape

Things like measuring tapes almost always unravel and need to stay rolled up to ensure they don’t get creased. No matter how many times you roll up the measuring tape, it rarely stays in place and even ends up getting lost. There is a way to make it stay in place.

Just simply fasten it with a rubber band to keep it from unrolling. This will keep the measuring tape in place and the other things in your drawer neat and tidy. Plus, it will be really easy to find the tape next time too.

14. Sealing Your Watering Hose

Garden hoses can be really helpful while watering the garden, but they can develop small leaks after a period of time. Since a long hose is not that inexpensive, it can be a pain to replace it just because of one leak.

You can use a rubber band around the pipe to seal the leak, after which the pipe should work as usual. You can tie one or more rubber bands around the leak, depending on the width of the leak. Do try this hack and see.

15. Cutting Board

Cooking can be a really therapeutic experience, but not when you encounter bloody fingers while cutting vegetables or fruits! Sometimes the cutting board itself tends to slip on the counter causing all kinds of injuries which could have been easily avoided.

There is an extremely simple way of avoiding this – tie two rubber bands on each end of the cutting board. This will help the board stay on the counter and not slip. This way, you can also cook in the piece without any accidents.

16. Controlling the Soap Pump

If your kids love to pump huge amounts of liquid soap in their hands, then this hack will definitely be of interest to you. This will not only prevent wastage of soap, but it will be cost-effective on the whole as well. 

All you need to do is wrap a rubber band on the base of the soap pump. This will prevent the pump from going in all the way, and thus less liquid soap will come out in each pump. So simple and yet so effective.

17. Protecting Your Remote

Remotes are one thing that is constantly either lost or dropping on the floor for no rhyme or reason at all. Either they are left at the edge of the sofa or on the table, which leads to them falling on the floor.

After a few hard falls, the remote obviously starts to break. To avoid this, just tie one or two rubber bands on the remote. The rubber on the remote will help break the fall and protect the TV remote. 

18. Stabilizing the candles

Everyone loves a few candles in their home. They add to the exuberance and warmth of the room. Scented candles especially emit a really nice fragrance and are fantastic to keep in the house. After burning the candles a bit, they become a bit wobbly, though.

There is a simple solution to stabilize the base of the candles. Just wrap rubber bands around the base of the candles which will help the candles to stay in place. This way you do not have to get rid of the candles beofre they are finished.

19. Keep Bed Slats In Place

Beds sometimes become a little unstable over time. This is because the bed slats become loose. Unsound sleep can cause many problems in your body, like back issues, and even make you feel more stressed after a sleepless night. There is a simple way not to let this happen.

What you can do is tie a few rubber bands on the bed slats to keep the bed in place. Though it is a temporary solution, it will definitely help you have a sound sleep. Isn’t it amazing how a humble rubber band can do so many things? 

20. Insulate Exposed Wires

Exposed wires can look pretty bad, plus they can even cause some serious injuries if left unattended. If you have kids or pets, you would know how dangerous that can be. For a temporary measure, you can put rubber bands around it. 

This is until you call the electrician and get it properly fixed. But, the rubber band can be a real lifesaver in this case. So, do keep this amazing rubber band hack in mind the next time you have an exposed wire in your house.

21. Mark your Wine Glass

When you are at a party where there is wine served to each guest, it isn’t easy to keep track of your own glass. Especially if you are going in for a refill. There is an easy way to distinguish each guest’s glass, though.

What you can do is add a different colored rubber band to each glass. This way, the guests can be free to keep their glass anywhere they want instead of holding on to it every time. Plus, there will be no confusion either. 

22. Pack clothes tight

It is easier said than done when talking about being a light traveler. One tends to pack too many clothes even for a short trip. But, it is tough fitting in all the clothes you want in one suitcase. 

A great way of conserving space is to roll up your clothes. Sometimes though, still your rolled-up clothes tend to unwind. Then they end up taking more space than usual. You can use rubber bands to keep your clothes tightly rolled. 

23. Scrape Paint Brushes

People who have a passion for painting know how tough it is to keep looking for surfaces to wipe off the extra paint. Many people end up scraping the paint lid, which then ends up dripping on the floor.

You can avoid this nuisance by tying a rubber band across the paint can. The rubber band itself can then be used to scrape off the excess paint, which will eventually fall in the paint can itself! A great hack indeed.

24. Keeping track of liquids

While using hand soap and bathing gel is just amazing, everyone hates it if the soap suddenly runs out. Since the bottles are opaque, one cannot see how much liquid is left. There is a solution to this persistent problem.

Whenever you use your liquid detergents or such liquids, just tie a rubber band at the same height as the liquid. As you keep using the liquid, keep adjusting the band to see how much of the liquid is left.

25. Keep track of wires

In this electronic day and age, every person has tons and tons of wires. Some wires we do not even know about! It is really easy to jumble up the wires and then struggle to find the right one. A rubber band can help in distinguishing them.

All you need to do is place different colored rubber bands on all the different wires so that you are never confused. To prevent confusion, you can also name the wires by writing what it is on each rubber band. Trust us, this hack really works.

26. Sealing your folders

It is a totally great idea to keep all of your important papers organized in different folders. Sometimes, folders end up causing your documents to get dog eared, which is really not great for all those important papers. There is a simple hack you can use here.

What you can do is tie a rubber band lengthwise and another around the width of the folder. This will keep your papers in place and prevent them from folding too. Try this hack once and see how miraculously it works.

27. Keeping Toilet Paper in Place

If you are a pet owner, you know how dogs and cats like to show their displeasure when you leave them alone at home. They destroy your cushions, papers, and even toilet paper! There is one thing you can do to prevent this.

Just tie a rubber band across the toilet paper. This way, your pet will try really hard but not be able to destroy the toilet paper. Plus, your toilet paper will be in place always. Isn’t this rubber hack just marvelous?

28. Giving your broom a new life

As some time passes, the bristles on a broom tend to fan out, reducing their efficiency. This happens because the broom is constantly being used to sweep the floor, so the bristles start losing their shape, which is why it ends up spacing out.

To increase your broom’s life a little, just tie a few rubber bands over the bristles. This will keep the broom together, which will help your sweep more efficiently. You can at least increase your broom’s life for a few months.

29. Dropping Bottles in the Shower

Soapy hands are not a great mix when you are in the shower. Not only is it dangerous if you slip, but all the soap bottles slipping out of your hand is super annoying. Who knew that there is a simple hack for this too.

You can just wrap one rubber band around the soap and shampoo containers. This will help you have a better hold on the bottles when you are in the shower. Even if they are glass bottles, you do not need to worry.

30. A substitute for Glue

As parents of small kids, there is really no end to all the arts and crafts sessions that happen at home. And sometimes, you run short of important items, such as glue. Maybe it’s late in the evening and all the stores are closed.

If it is a glue emergency, you can melt some rubber band to stick to whatever you wanted. While it will not be like super glue, but it will definitely work for a homework emergency. No more panicking now!

31. Shorten the Wire Cords

All those long and endless wires around the house can look a little unpleasing to the eye. Plus, you might end up tripping over those long wires too. There is definitely a way to get rid of those long cords.

All you need to do is wrap the long wires and wrap a rubber band around it. Additionally, you can also stick those long cords to the back of a table, so they do not look so bad. No more tripping!

32. DIY Pencil Grip

Slippery pencils can be really annoying, especially for kids still learning how to write. They might even cite these slippery pencils as a way out of doing their homework. Well, worry, not parents. We have a straightforward solution for you.

Tie a few rubber bands on the kid’s pencil, and it will not be slippery anymore! If it feels loose, just keep on tying it around the pencil. We are certain that this rubber band hack will work like a charm. 

33. Designer Easter Eggs

Easter is a time of great fun and games. Kids and adults alike love to paint some Easter eggs. While painting them with different colors is surely great. But with rubber bands, you can take the idea to the next level.

Loosely wrap some rubber bands around the eggs and dip them in colored paint. It will look unique, yet it will be super easy to colour. You can even try more ideas using rubber band as stencils to make the eggs look fun yet unique.

34. Tie-Dye

The process of tie-dying is not as difficult as you think. You can easily color your clothes in different patterns of colors with rubber bands. Just wrap a few items of clothing together and hold them in placewith rubber bands.

It will look like you just walked out of the ’60s! And if you plan to get rid of some white teas, this tie and dye routine will make it look like these clothes are entirely new. Who knew that a rubber band is capable of so many things. 

35. Opening Stubborn Nail Polish Bottles

Women love painting their nails, which means that many nail polish bottles get accumulated in a drawer. Between so many nail polishes, it is easy to forget a few colors. The bottles will get stuck after a while if they arent opened often.

To easily open any nail polish bottle, just wrap a rubber band around the lid so that it acts as a grip. There is no need to throw away a bottle of nail polish if it is stuck. Such an easy hack, but so useful too.

36. East At-home French Manicure

Thinking of getting that french manicure but without those exorbitant salon prices? A french manicure is surely tough to do, but there is an easy rubber band hack that you can use. It involves placing a rubber band on the edge of the nails.

All you need to do is place a rubber band at the edge of your finger and paint the outer edge of the nails white. Do dry the base layer completely before taking it off. You will be really pleased by the results.

37. Decorate your home

Rubber bands come in various types of colors and look really amazing. These rubber bands can be used for decorating your home too. Never thought of that? If you have empty jars lying around then this hack is for you. 

Buy some colorful rubber bands and wrap them around empty jars. Then use these jars as lanterns! When light hits the jars, your room would be cozy plus colorful! Ask your kids to pitch in and decorate the jars for a fun Sunday.

38. Sealing Chips

If you do not have chip clips and need to seal a bag of chips, we have a fun hack for you. You do not have to always look for a container to store your chips in this situation. A container tends to take up too much space too.

All you need to do is fold the open part of the bag. Next, you can tie a rubber band around the entire chips packet. Your food will remain fresh and it will not spill out as well. So easy, yet efficient.

39. A Solution for Stripped Over Screw

Sometimes a screw can become stripped over time which can lead to them not being easy to remove. It is natural to wonder how would you unscrew it if needed. A rubber band can be of great help here. Let us explore how.

All you need to do is place a rubber band over the screw and remove it with a scre driver as you normally would. A simple solution to a tricky problem with only a rubber band. Isn’t it a great hack to know?

40. Grips for Kids Cups

Children can be a little careless with glass mugs and cups. Therefore, it is always advisable to avoid those. But, if you cannot do that for some reason, there is a way to reduce those unwelcome slippery messes on the floor.

Wrap a few rubber bands around the children’s cups the next time you give them a drink in the glasses. While it is not a foolproof solution, it will cut down on the annoying messes on your counters and carpets.

41. Keeping Spoons Out of Pans

Cooking can be a great source of comfort and joy. But, how annoying is it when the spoon falls right into the pan when the food is ready. The entire spoon gets dirty, plus it is a real struggle to remove it from the food.

You can tie a rubber band on the edge of the spoon. So that anytime the spoon becomes super slippery, the rubber band will prevent it from falling into the pan and the food. Try this neat trick next time you are cooking.

42. Control your shower caddy

While a shower caddy is a super helpful tool to store all your bath and shower essentials, it tends to slip off the shower. No one likes to install the entire shower caddy again the first thing in the morning. 

Loop a rubber band in front of the shower caddy. This will help create a barrier and prevent it from slipping the entire way. No more shower caddy accidents in the bathroom, hurrah! Isn’t it great? Try this the next time and see how it goes.

43. Rebind Books

Old books can be a treasure. But, they tend to fall apart after some time because their binding gets loose. Instead of taking it to a binder every time this happens, all you need to do is clip it together with a rubber band.

To do this, you need a paperclip and two rubber bands. Guide the rubber bands through the paper clip and then wrap the rubber band with all the loose pages. Now attach both the ends of the rubber bands in the clip, and you are done. 

44. Secure Food Containers

Picture this: your friend has called you to a potluck party, and you are taking some 20 food containers with you in the car. The scenario that you do not want is to spill all of your food containers all over the backseat.

You can just wrap rubber bands all around the food containers so that the food is secure. Now you do not need to drive super slow to prevent all the food from spilling! An easy solution to a potentially messy situation.

45. A DIY Candle Holder

While purchasing candle holders and home decor items can certainly be easy. But making your own fun DIY is certainly more fulfilling. All you need is a few glasses which you do not intend to use anymore. Plus, of course, a few rubber bands.

Wrap a few rubber bands around the glass in a different fashion. Make sure there are patterns all over the glass. Next, take some frosted spray and spray it all over the glass. After that, you can get rid of the rubber bands and you have a new candleholder!