Most people have duct tape sitting somewhere on a shelf or workbench in their garage, unaware that it is one of the most practical and useful items to have in a home. Its flexibility, tear-resistance and sticky adhesive make it suitable for fixing almost everything.
Besides its regular use in sealing ducts and packaging, duct tape offers numerous solutions in the home environment. Here are ten clever life hacks using duct tape:
1. Fix a Tent
Don’t let a slightly torn tent ruin your camping trip. Patch up the tent fabric with some few pieces of duct tape, and you’re good to go. This fix is temporary until you’re ready to buy a replacement.
2. Trap Bugs
Enjoy camping free of bugs using duct tape. Hang several strips of tape from the trees around your tent. The tape will act as flypaper and trap the insects and flies. You can also apply this hack on your patio, garage or basement.
3. Remove Splinters
The sticky adhesive on duct tape makes it a great splinter remover. Patch a small piece of duct tape over the pricked area and gently peel off to remove fibreglass, wood or glass splinters from your finger.
4. Protect Blisters
In case you don’t have a bandage for your blister, duct tape would do just fine. Clean the blister, place a gauze over it and wrap it with duct tape. Trim off the corners to ensure the tape stays in place.
5. Hide Valuables
A duct tape’s flexibility and tear resistance make it very strong. Use a piece of the tape to hide small items like keys, credit cards or even money. These can be hidden under tables, kitchen counters or behind drawers.
6. Hang Pictures Without Nails
Stick the tape backwards to itself, so it becomes a double-sided sticky tape. Stick one side to a wall and the other to the picture or poster. Do this on all corners of the picture to give it more support.
