Have you ever thought about using pool noodles in other ways? These versatile tubes are more than a fun toy to use to stay afloat in the pool. This humble piece of foam is a DIY workhorse and here are five creative ways you can use pool noodles around your home. 

1. Plant Protection in the Garden 

Pool noodles can be a helpful accessory to purchase for your garden. If you have a green thumb and enjoy harvesting fresh vegetables from your garden, plants that need support can benefit greatly from pool noodles. Foam pool noodles are the perfect tool for protecting delicate plants like tomatoes or plants that climb like cucumbers or beans. When using a trellis or cage in your garden, a pool noodle can provide cushion from metal edges. In particular when using a round cage for tomatoes, gardeners can simply cut pool noodles to fit the diameter of the circle and then slice the noodle down one side with a knife to make a slit. This foam barrier will protect the plant and prevent crimping or vegetable damage caused by the metal cage. If you are using climbing trellises, fences, or wire, a pool noodle can be slit down the side and placed around each of these. When the plant grows and climbs upwards over a trellis, fence, or wire, vines can get crimped, or stems can get cracked from weight. Pool noodles can provide the much needed support for your garden this season.

2. Keyboard Wrist Rest

You can easily prevent wrist fatigue during a long workday by making this simple pool noodle wrist rest. First, cut your noodle to the size of your keyboard. To determine the most comfortable and ergonomic fit and for the wrist rest shown, make the noodle height slightly less than half the full noodle diameter. You could cut the noodle exactly in half and make two equally sized wrist rests as well depending on your comfort. 

3. Boot Shape Holders

Do you have a favorite pair of boots? Boot lovers know the dreaded flopping and creasing that can happen when boots are not kept upright during storage. To keep boots looking like new, you can use a pool noodle to help maintain its shape. By measuring your boot height and cutting a pool noodle to fit to size, you can create a simple filler that when put in longways will hold a boot securely upright. This easy hack will prolong the life of your boots while keeping them tidy in a closet.

4. Baby Proofing

Little bodies need protection against hard furniture and pointy corners. When children begin learning how to walk, their balance and coordination is iffy at best. Pool noodles can be cut to fit around table edges, brick fireplaces, chair legs, cabinet corners, doors, or any surface where a child could get hurt by bumping into it. Using a knife, cut a pool noodle to size and make a slit lengthwise. Cover hard edges by wrapping the pool noodle around the surface and adhering with tape or glue.

5.Prevent Door Dings

This hack is great if you have a vehicle that you park inside a tight garage. When getting in or out of your car it can be easy to swing your door to hard or too quickly resulting in it hitting against your garage wall. Opening and then banging your car door into a wall causes door dings and can chip paint off your car. By simply cutting a pool noodle in half lengthwise, you can create a cushion to adhere to your garage wall to protect your door from damage.