We hate wasting anything here at LittleThings, and that includes tennis balls!
Tennis balls are one of those strange odds and ends that almost everybody seems to have floating around the house — from old washers and manuals to stuff you no longer have.
It’s hard to say exactly why they can so often by found accumulating in coat closets and under the cellar stairs, since not that many people really play tennis.
We’re guessing it has more to do with the non-tennis uses for the bouncy acid-green spheres, because tennis balls really are darn useful!
They’re good for just about everything, from keeping an inquisitive pup entertained, to helping avoid scratches in your hardwood floors.
And even if the tennis gear in your house does actually get used on the courts, tennis balls eventually lose their “bounce,” and need to be retired.
When that happens, we have plenty of ideas for how to recycle them to get the most out of your money!
Use #1: Prevent Scuff Marks
Having extra guests over for Thanksgiving dinner?
Don't worry about your backup folding chairs scratching the floor; it's an easy problem to banish with a few old tennis balls.
Just use a box cutter to slice a large "X" into the center of the ball, then push each leg of the chair into the tennis ball to keep the metal edges from damaging the floor!
Use #2: Remove Scuff Marks
Tennis balls are a great way to protect your floors, but they're also an excellent way to clean them up again if you do accidentally get a smudge or a scuff marring your linoleum or hardwood.
The friction and felted surface of the ball act like velcro to help grab the rubbery stain and pull it straight up and off the tiles.
To put this method to work, just apply the surface of the ball to the scuff or streak, and use a little elbow grease to buff the mark away.
Use #3: Pad Sharp Corners
If you have little ones in your life — or anyone else accident-prone — it's always a good idea to keep your space "baby-proofed."
Most parents live in a semi-permanent baby proofed state, working around rubber corners and baby locks at every turn, but for grandparents, babysitters, and people who don't always have small people in the house, it's nice to have a more temporary solution.
Cut X's in the center of a few tennis balls, and then go around the house covering up all the sharp corners of coffee tables and bookshelves!
Use #4: Open Tricky Jars
There's nothing more annoying than a jar you simply can't get open!
We all have a few fail-safe methods, like using a rubber globe or whacking the jar with a knife to break the seal, but nothing beats the tennis ball method!
For small jars, just cut away an oval shaped piece of the ball, then use the rubberized inside the grip the edges of the jar and twist — it's like magic!
Use #5: Hide Valuables
Tennis balls make a great secret hiding spot for valuables when you're traveling or need to keep something secure in your house.
Like we noted before, lots of people have a few stray tennis balls rolling around the mudroom, so they're an inconspicuous place to hide something.
Even better, they're hollow inside, so you can just cut a small slit in the side, and pinch the ball open to stash a spare set of keys or an emergency supply of cash.
Use #6: Fluff Up Laundry
When you wash your clothes, especially your fluffy linens like towels and duvets, you might notice that they start to lose some of their oomph and fluffiness over time.
Tennis balls can put an end to that problem for good — just stick a few in the dryer next time you run a load!
The spheres will bounce around in the laundry to pound the air back into the linens and fluff them up all over again. Just make sure you pick clean tennis balls!
Use #7: Hold Memos Or Photos
If you're constantly losing important business cards and bills, a tennis card makes an excellent memo holder.
Cut a tennis ball in half so it sits flat, then cut a slit in the top that papers and envelopes can fit into.
Next time you go through your mail, make sure your handy memo holder is right beside you to catch important info and put it front and center!
Use #8: Relieve Sore Muscles
Sore muscles are a real pain in the neck, so to speak.
It can be hard to effectively massage your own sore spots to work out the stiffness and cramping, which is why a tennis ball is a useful tool to have on hand.
You can rub a single tennis ball against the arch of your foot or a painful spot on your shoulder, or tape a roll of them together to tackle your legs or the small of your back!
What do you use tennis balls for around the house? Did we miss any? Let us know in the comments and don't forget to SHARE with friends who love repurposing odds and ends!
