November 29, 2022, 12:12 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
Zip ties are practical! These sturdy plastic bands are no longer just for sorting cable clutter at home. In fact, they can help in seemingly hopeless situations.
Zip ties are mostly associated with what their name suggests: tying cables together. At most, people think of kidnappings or arrests, where they are used as an effective alternative to handcuffs. However, there are numerous everyday situations where they can be a lifesaver. myHOMEBOOK presents seven life hacks with zip ties.
7 Practical Life Hacks with Zip Ties
1. Zip Ties as Heat Protection
Everyone has, in the heat of the moment, grabbed a hot pot lid and burned their fingers. If you don’t have a potholder handy, you can prevent this with a zip tie: Simply attach the plastic as a loop to the lid’s handle and lift the lid by the loop.
2. Holder for the Shower Curtain
It’s annoying when you get a new shower curtain, but the grommets at home don’t fit–or you don’t have any to hang it up. No problem if you have zip ties. You can easily create loops for the curtain and mount it on the rod without any issues.
3. Zip Ties as a Luggage Lock Alternative
Many travelers prefer to secure their luggage with a lock. If you don’t have one, there’s a simple hack with zip ties. Just connect the zipper sliders with the plastic.
4. Zip Ties to Save the Zipper
If you lose the slider of a zipper, it can be tedious to open or close it. Save yourself the hassle by simply attaching a zip tie as a small loop to the slider.
Related: 8 Brilliant Life Hacks with Toothpicks for the Household
5. Zip Ties as Spoon Stoppers
Sometimes spoons are just too short to rest on the edge of a bowl. Instead, they slip into the bowl, causing a mess. You can easily prevent this with a zip tie life hack: If you tightly bind a zip tie loop around the handle of the spoon (the height depends on the size of the spoon), it acts as a stopper when resting the spoon on the cup’s edge.
6. Shoelaces from Zip Ties
If your shoelace breaks and you don’t have a replacement, you can temporarily use zip ties. Just connect each eyelet of the shoe with a zip tie. Depending on how tight you want the shoe to fit, the zip ties need to be tightened accordingly.
7. Save the Kids’ Birthday Party with Zip Ties
This trick can save the mood at kids’ birthday parties–or provide a bit of relaxation. All you need is a bowl with a water-soap mixture and a zip tie, which you form into a small loop. The loop can now be dipped into the liquid and used like a bubble wand.
Note from the myHOMEBOOK Editorial Team:
In the interest of sustainability, try to avoid unnecessary plastic waste. Zip ties aren’t inherently bad just because they’re made of plastic. They just need to be used sustainably. Therefore, it’s not advisable to use them permanently as a luggage lock alternative, as they would have to be cut each time the suitcase is opened, ending up in the trash. This life hack is intended only as an emergency solution.