10 Brilliant Uses for Orphan Socks

If hours of typing leave you in pain, skip the expensive wrist rests and make your own! Simply fill a clean tube sock with a few handfuls of dried beans, tie closed, and place in front of your keyboard. The sock will allow you to keep your hands elevated while you type, warding off aches.

Make light work of dusting the blinds in your living room with the help of socks. To do: Slide a clean sock over each end of a pair of kitchen tongs and secure each with a rubber band. Then spritz all-purpose cleaner on the socks, grab each slat with the tongs and slide across. The cloth will collect dust while the tongs make it easy to clean between each blind.

You want to rearrange the living room furniture to make room for your New Year’s Eve bash, but you can’t lift the heavier pieces, and you’re home alone. The fix: Slip a sock over each foot of the couch or chair. The sock will cut down on friction between the floor and the furniture leg, allowing you to push and pull with ease. Bonus: The fabric covering will protect your floors from scratches or scrapes!

You love your fancy suede pumps, but since you don’t wear them regularly and you don’t have a shoe tree, they tend to lose their shape. The solution: Roll two socks into a ball and place inside each shoe. The sock balls will prevent the sides of the shoes from caving in between uses.

You made stir-fry for dinner, but the pot’s handle is too hot to touch and you can’t find an oven mitt! The in-a-pinch swap that works just as well? Simply slip a thick, clean sock over the handle. The fabric will allow you to grab the handle without getting burned.

Oops! You dropped an earring on the carpet and you can’t find it. The save: Slip a sock over your vacuum’s hose attachment and run it over the carpet. The vacuum’s suction will retrieve the item, but the sock will trap it before it gets sucked into the machine.

Unwind after a stressful day with a DIY aromatherapy pillow. To make: Fill a clean tube sock with 1 cup of uncooked rice and 5 drops of lavender essential oil. Tie the sock closed and place in the microwave on medium power for 1 minute or until it’s warm to the touch. Carefully remove from the appliance and drape it over your neck. The homemade heating pad will soothe achy muscles while the calming scent of lavender will help you relax. Aah, that’s better!

You splurged on a ceramic Nativity scene this year and you want to keep the delicate pieces safe when you store them for next Christmas. What can help: Slip each figurine into a clean orphan sock, then carefully place in a storage container. The soft fabric will protect each piece from scratches, plus keep them separated so they don’t clash together in the box.

Chilly winter days mean Buster is stuck inside — and he’s getting into more trouble than usual. To keep him occupied, make him a safe, fun chew toy. To do: Place an empty disposable plastic water bottle inside an orphan sock and tie a knot in the end. Your four-legged pal will have a blast when he chews on the bottle and hears the crackling. And since the sock keeps the bottle contained, you don’t have to worry about him swallowing any plastic pieces.