Duct tape is undoubtedly one of the most useful items you can keep in your home. It’s flexible, resists tearing, and sticks to just about anything! People have been using duct tape to fix and make things for decades. It’s likely that you already know some helpful uses for duct tape, but today I want to share a few you may not have tried yet!
I could spend hours listing all the different ways you can use duct tape, but then we’d be here all day. :-) So instead, I decided that I would choose a few of the most useful and practical tips to share with you.
I think that by the end of this list, you’ll agree that it always pays to keep a roll of duct tape handy! :-)
11 Practical Uses For Duct Tape
1. Fix A Tent
Don’t let a damaged tent ruin your camping trip! Use a few pieces of duct tape to patch up tears in the fabric of your tent. You can also use duct tape to temporarily fix a broken tent until you can buy a replacement.
Related: 10 Clever Ideas That Will Make Camping Easier And More Fun!
2. Remove Splinters
One of the reasons why duct tape is so useful is because it’s so sticky! In fact, it’s so sticky that you can use it to remove small splinters if you don’t have tweezers handy. Just stick a small piece of duct tape to the area where the splinter is, then slowly peel the tape off. You might need a couple of tries to get it out, but it’s definitely possible!
3. Hide Valuables
Use a piece of duct tape to hide small objects in a place that’s hard to see or reach. Duct tape is strong enough to secure keys, money, credit cards, and more!
4. Patch A Hose
Use a piece of duct tape to temporarily patch holes in garden hoses and vacuum hoses. It won’t be a permanent fix, but you’ll at least be able to finish what you’re working on!
5. Catch Flies
If flies are driving you crazy and you don’t have any fly paper on hand, grab your duct tape! You can hang up a long piece of duct tape to act as a piece of fly paper in a pinch.
6. Temporary Hem
Use duct tape to create a temporary hem on too-long pants. Simply fold the excess fabric under, and use a small piece of duct tape to secure it in place.
7. Remove Lint
Use duct tape to make an impromptu lint roller! Take a long piece of duct tape and wrap it back around itself so the sticky side is facing out. Then just roll the tape across your clothes to remove lint and pet hair.
8. Keep Your Feet Warm
You can use duct tape to help make your winter boots retain more heat. Just wrap duct tape around the insoles of your boots (or buy some cheap insoles to use for this project). The reflective surface of the duct tape will help reflect heat back into the soles of your feet, so your feet will stay nice and toasty! :-)
9. Remove Warts
Many people have successfully removed warts using duct tape! The theory is that if you keep a wart completely sealed off for several days, that you cut off the oxygen supply and suffocate it. To give it a try for yourself, place a piece of duct tape over your wart for 6 days. Leave it alone – no peeking, no water, and no air!
10. Protect Your Floors
Place duct tape on the bottom of the legs of your furniture. The duct tape layer will help protect your floors from scuffs and scratches.
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11. Open A Jar
Struggling to open a jar lid? Use a piece of duct tape to get it done! Wrap a piece of duct tape around the edge of the lid, with one edge left unstuck. Pull on the unstuck edge and the lid should twist off with minimal effort.
What’s one of the best ways you’ve ever used duct tape?
I used duct tape to get rid of some old warts. One had been burned off three times and had gotten bigger every time. But I used an emery board to file down the wart as much as I could stand, then covered it and left it for three days. Then remove, file, re-cover for three more days. It took a couple weeks but it’s worked on 3-4 warts and they never came back.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Years ago 2 of my siblings actually made wallets with duct tape. They didn’t have them at the same time. It was interesting . I remember their friends thinking it was cool.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.to carry a cardboard box loaded with stuff: use long strips going from one side to the other, with a strip of tape underneath the handle part of the tape. A few rolls of duct tape make a useful gift.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have a black Fitbit and the rubber band broke in half quite a while ago, so I have been using black tape on it, and it has been working well. The tape blends in. Once in a while it comes apart, so I just put new black tape on it, and it keeps band going for another few weeks.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I do have to be careful I don’t get too much water on it.
Great idea, Darlene! Thanks for sharing this. :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.my handle on microwave broke..I got black duct tape out of tape box and wound the tape around the part of handle that had broken…Cannot find another handle. In meantime bought inexpensive counter top microwave, but 6 months later the black duct tape is still holding my handle together . Have had friends and relatives over and they never noticed.. AND continue to use it moreso than the counter top..
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Also jigger rigged my broken shovel handle..put 2 nails to hold handle together then duct taped around and around the broken handle. Again, several months of digging and Voila. duct tape saves again!!!!
I always have trouble with wooden handles breaking. Find a PVC pipe that will fit over the handle. drill and screw the pipe to the wood. Voila, strong handle! Boo no Grip, duck tape to the rescue. wrap band where you need to grip- perfect.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I never travel without a roll of duct tape in my luggage. Years ago, in NYC, my husband and I were in a hotel fire. We were able to get out safely, but if we had been forced to stay in our room, a roll of duct tape to seal the door and air vents would have helped keep smoke out of the room until it was safe to leave.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.As a teacher I like to color code notebooks. Duct tape serves two purposes for me. It color codes the spiral notebooks and keeps the spiral wire from coming apart or snagging onto clothes. Now kids can use any colored notebook and I can still have it color coded with the duct tape.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.wondering, if duct tape can be useful getting rid of warts, how about skin tags? Any ideas regarding spider veins, was using a cream for fading them but the company discontinued making it.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’ll have to start researching skin tags and spider veins – this tip is specifically for warts! :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.the splinter idea is something I have used and encouraged friends to do, but a important fact is to pull the tape the opposite direction of the splinter entry!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks for the tip!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Super suggestions!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have used the duct tape on my “too long” pants before. It was good for the immediate need, but then left a residue on the pants. It did work, though! I love the idea of using it to remove a splinter. I think a child would be less intimidated by a piece of tape than tweezers:)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I used duct tape on my vacuum hose, and it outlasted the vacuum! I had a friend who had a far piece to drive to work, and she carried duct tape in her truck just in case. It’s a good thing she had it when her windshield wiper broke (in the rain, of course), and she taped it until she got home to really fix the problem.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you for the hint about using duct tape to hide credit cards, money and other small objects! That one was new to me and will be very useful!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great post, thank you! I just wanted to mention a fairly recent discovery about getting rid of pesky flies: spray them with a shot of window cleaner (I use Windex) and they drop like a rock.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks, I have been using hair spray!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.If you find the bottom of your house slippers very slippery stick some tape on the bottom of them and they will be safer to walk in especially going up and down stairs that are carpeted. I know from experience.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks for you tips. I wanted to add to this duck tape blog, I carry it with me when I hike in the woods here in the Ozark Mountains to take care of ticks I find crawling on me. It is the best solution to take care of the little pesky critters.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I did a field internship in a past life on a barrier island known for its tick population, and every day after work we would go over our pants with duct tape to remove any “seed ticks”.
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