Life Hackery

The garden hose is one of the most common gardening tools in a typical home. You usually replace it with new models from time to time since it may become brittle, leaky, or just too stiff to handle.

After replacing your old hose with a new one, you don’t have to throw it right away. You can recycle it in many other ways instead to save money and help the environment.

Here are a few things you can do with your old garden hose:

Inside your home:

• Bucket Handle. Make your heavy buckets more comfortable to carry around by using your old hose as a handle. Simply cut a length of the hose that is about as long as the metal handle of your bucket. Slip it over the metal handle for a softer grip.

• Door Stopper. Do you need to keep your doors open on a windy day? You don’t have to visit your local hardware store to buy a door stopper. Simply cut an old hose about two to three inches long and cut it in half. Jam the half under your door by stepping on it slightly until your door is on top of it.

• Baby-’proofer’. Do you have a baby or a toddler in your home? Use the old hose to cover any sharp corner in your house so your kids will be safe from harm’s way.

• Drain Cleaner. Use your old hose as a tool to unclog a drain by removing the cover and inserting it through the pipes. This works best if you have a flexible hose along with a good drain unclogging chemical.

• Temporary Door or Cabinet Handle. Did you just bust your doorknob or your cabinet’s handle? Use the old hose as a temporary handle until you have the chance to buy a replacement. Cut a small length of hose long enough to serve as a handle and nail or screw it to the door or cabinet.

In your garage or outside your home:

• Blade Guard. Cover the sharp edges of your axes, saws, and other bladed tools so that they won’t get dull. Just slit the side of the hose and place it over the sharp edge so you too can avoid accidents.
• Gas Siphon. You never know when you might need one, so better keep one handy. Place one in your car and another one in your garage.
• Swing Chain Cover. If you have a swing in your lawn or garden, cover it up to avoid getting fingers or hair stuck between the links. You can either slip the chain through the hose or slit it at the side and cover the chains. If the chains are too big for the hose, cover it up with duct tape after wrapping the hose around it.
• Plant or Tree Support. Old hoses make good support for young plants and trees that they grow in the direction you want. Simply slip a rope through the hose and tie it to your tree. Anchor your support to a tree or any sturdy structure.
• Doormat. An old hose also makes a great doormat. Cut your hose into several pieces by at least one foot in length. Cut them in half line then parallel to each other until they are wide enough to be a mat. Stitch them together using a staple gun or super glue.

These are just some of the many things you can make out of your seemingly useless old garden hose. If you are the creative type and you have some extra time to spend, you can even make them into useful decorations inside and outside of your home.