What Can I Do With My Old Socks

88 Absolutely Brilliant Uses for Old Socks

These uses for old socks will finally give those lonely orphan socks that you've been accumulating for years a purpose.

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single sock jewelry Ali Blumenthal/Rd.com

Jewelry case

These next 13 uses for old socks can help you around the house. Use it to hold your jewelry when you travel. The sock will provide cushioning and it will also (hopefully) deter thieves.

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Collection of various glasses on bright background, copy space Maria Shipakina/Shutterstock

Protect breakables

Use spare socks when you need to pack breakables like glasses or vases or use them as padding in boxes.

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Midsection of African American woman suffering from knee pain against white background Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock

Knee pads

The next time you garden, put sock cuffs over your knees to protect your clothes and provide a bit of padding.

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Creative Christmas card with golden balls and wrapped present on red background, copy space, minimalistic lay out Maria Shipakina/Shutterstock

Ornament holder

They're also great for storing breakable Christmas ornaments.

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Golden and red wrapping paper on bright background.Top view flat lay group objects Lora liu/Shutterstock

Keep wrapping paper in place

Another holiday tip: Cut off the cuff part of the sock and put it on wrapping paper rolls so the paper won't slide off.

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computer cords PreechaB/Shutterstock

Organize cords

You can use the cuff part to wrangle and contain loose electrical cords.

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Hairy stem and tendrils of a cucumber plant against dark background. AjayTvm/Shutterstock

Guide your plants

Cut a sock into strips to tie your growing plants to stakes.

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The roller for coloring lies in the tray with blue and white paint Ann Bogdanova/Shutterstock

Protect from paint

When painting, slide larger socks over your sneakers and shoes to shield them from splatter.

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Cozy Living Room with Modern Interior, Grey Sofa and Wooden Flooring Lit By Warm Light out of the Window. Top View Camera Shot. Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock

Prevent floor scratches

When moving furniture at home, put socks on the feet of your chair or table legs to prevent scratching the floors.

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healthy raw sweet corn isolated on color background Renu Jain_1/Shutterstock

Keep the cold out

Take multiple socks, fill them with a mix of popcorn kernels and quilt/pillow batting, and connect them! Voila: You've got a nifty draft stopper to put under the door.

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Golf ball and club on light blue background, flat lay. Space for text New Africa/Shutterstock

Golf club protection

Use stray socks to cover your golf clubs.

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Ping Pong balls on the orange background ashadhodhomei/Shutterstock

Ball storage

Keep any stray golf, ping pong, and other small balls together in a sock.

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single sock umbrella Ali Blumenthal/Rd.com

Umbrella holder

These next four uses for old socks can help with car troubles. Put your wet umbrella in an orphan sock to keep the inside of your car dry.

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The image of woody litter tray for cats Uesiba/Shutterstock

Stop the fog

Fill socks with silica kitty litter (which is extremely absorbent), and keep them on rear and/or front window ledge to stop windshields from fogging up. Check out these genius uses for your old cell phone.

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Driving with unfastened seat belt jesuslion/Shutterstock

Prevent burns

On a hot, sunny day, place a sock over the metal parts of seat belts so they don't burn people's skin.

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New car wipers blades, vehicle spare parts ilmarinfoto/Shutterstock

Prolong wipers

In the winter, put them over windshield wipers after you park your car to prevent wipers from freezing and sticking to the glass.

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single sock dog toy Ali Blumenthal/Rd.com

Roll out muscle knots

These next eight uses for old socks can help you with body aches and during your daily beauty routine. Place a tennis ball inside a sock, knot it, and use this to roll out knots in your back or legs.

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High Angle View Of Young Woman Suffering From Stomach Ache At Home Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock

Get rid of cramps

Combat aches and cramps with a DIY heating pad. Just fill a clean, dry sock (use one that's all or mostly cotton or wool, with no embellishments) with white or brown rice (not the instant or quick-cooking kind), dried beans, flaxseed, or barley. Either knot the sock or sew it shut with cotton thread, and microwave it for one minute. If it's not hot enough, up the time in 15-second increments.

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Ice pack on purple background, top view. Space for text New Africa/Shutterstock

DIY ice pack

For pains and itches that require a cold touch, fill a plastic bag with ice and place it inside of a sock to make a softer ice pack.

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Top view laptop computer notebook and wireless mouse isolated on blue background Sorapop Udomsri/Shutterstock

Wrist rest

For an ergonomic wrist rest for your computer, take a sock, stuff it with filling, and sew it closed. Whether it resembles a ferret, cat, another mammal, or no animal at all is up to you and your preferences and skill.

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Close-up profile side view portrait of nice adorable well-groomed attractive stunning lovable fascinating magnificent winsome content cheerful cheery wavy-haired girl isolated over violet background Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock

Hair tie

In a pinch, cut off the cuff and use it as a scrunchie in your hair.

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attractive young woman biting her nails while thinking and looking up on the isolated white background. close up side view photo. copy space UfaBizPhoto/Shutterstock

Sock bun

Follow these steps to create a chic sock bun (don't worry: you'll be the only one to know a sock is in there).

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Beautiful brunette woman with long curly hair. Female fashion model with wavy hairstyle against grey background. Jacob Lund/Shutterstock

Overnight curls

Curl your hair while you sleep by tying up hair with singleton socks. In the morning, you'll have mermaid waves.

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Cosmetic products creamy pink texture smudge nude background Fotaro1965/Shutterstock

Relieve dry skin

When dry hands and feet need extra attention, slather lotion on your extremities, cover them with socks, and go to sleep. Wake up to baby skin. Try out these genius ways to use lemons besides eating them.

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single sock pan Ali Blumenthal/Rd.com

Pan handle cover

These next three uses for old socks can help you in the kitchen. Stash socks in the kitchen where they're surprisingly useful. For starters, when cooking on the stove, slip one over the handle of your saucepan or frying pan; this will not only shield your hand from the heat but also prevent the handle from getting sticky.

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lid for jars and jar on green background Hazal Ak/Shutterstock

Open jars

Use a spare sock as a grip to help open stubborn jars.

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Dipper with honey in woman hand. Space for text or design. Holiday.Photo.Top/Shutterstock

Sticky jar cover

Keep your cupboard and refrigerator clean by deploying single socks to cover the bottoms of bottles or jars containing messy, sticky, drippy stuff like syrup, honey, molasses, and barbecue sauce.

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yellow dumbbells and white socks on a pink background ArtStudioHouse/Shutterstock

Armband

The cuff can also serve as an armband to hold your phone while working out.

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single sock glasses Ali Blumenthal/Rd.com

Eyeglass storage

These next 18 uses for old socks can help step up your clothing and accessory game. Store your eyeglasses in a sock.

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four pairs of different colored socks on a pink background ArtStudioHouse/Shutterstock

Wristband

Cut off the cuff of a sock and use it as a wristband.

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knitting women's gloves mittens without fingers from gray wool yarn, auxiliary needle, braided pattern Vitolga/Shutterstock

Fingerless gloves

Or, make fingerless gloves. If you want a matched pair, use an extra long knee sock.

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front view of smiling kid in hat and scarf isolated on red LightField Studios/Shutterstock

Colorful scarf

By using ten or more socks with complementary colors and patterns, you can even sew together a scarf.

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Night sleep concept with moon, clouds, stars toys and blindfold on yellow background top view 9dream studio/Shutterstock

Sleep mask

Fashion a sleep mask with an old sock, some flat backing fabric, and an elastic band.

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warm knitted women's clothing in brown, white and beige colors in the drawer of the chest of drawers on the background of the wooden floor, top view Elena Mitusova/Shutterstock

Drawer fragrance

Put potpourri or dried flowers and herbs inside a sock, knot it, and stash in drawers to make them smell nice.

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white chest of drawers in white interior Vlasov Yevhenii/Shutterstock

Keep moths away

Fill a sock with mothballs and stow in a drawer, chest, or closet to ward off moths.

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Symmetrical tennis balls on a blue background. Sports background. sergei kochetov/Shutterstock

Soften laundry

To soften laundry without using fabric softener or dryer balls, take a couple of socks, put a tennis ball inside each, knot them, and throw into the dryer before running your next load of laundry.

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violet lavender flowers arranged on bright blue background. Top view, flat lay. Minimal concept. Dry flower floral composition. Pastel colors. sun ok/Shutterstock

Dryer sachet

Create an easy dryer sachet by filling a sock with a mix of lavender and flax seed, closing it, and using it with a dryer load.

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Sexy bra with hanger on yellow background. Top view Vladimir Sukhachev/Shutterstock

Delicates wash bag

A larger sock can make an improvised wash bag to hold delicates like lingerie or stuffed animals.

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Wooden clothes pegs on pink background. Zero waste Bas Nastassia/Shutterstock

Laundry room board

Decorate your laundry room AND help reunite your missing socks by starting a "Clean, Single & Looking" clothespin board.

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Black shoes with a brown sole on a black background Bondar Illia/Shutterstock

Polish shoes

Use as a mitt to polish shoes.

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Suitcase, shoes and tropical leaf on color background. Travel concept Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock

Cover shoes before packing them

Place your shoes inside spare socks next time you're packing your suitcase.

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Select the best ideal coffee beans lay out on a bright orange background that emphasizes the beauty of coffee beans and perfectly blends in colors. Galina Pavelchak/Shutterstock

Deodorize shoes

Fill two spare socks with baking soda or coffee grounds, and leave in shoes overnight to deodorize them.

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Pair of stylish shoes on pink background, top view New Africa/Shutterstock

Make shoes last longer

Stuff a sock into another sock, then put the whole ball inside your shoes when you're not wearing them. This will help them retain their shape (and looks) longer. Check out these things you can clean with a toothbrush besides your teeth.

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Close up of beautiful, stylish leather boots. Page Light Studios/Shutterstock

Boot stands

Take two tall socks, fill with newspaper or paper, and place the stuffed socks into boots to keep them from falling over.

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Luxury winter boots with high heels made from genuine black suede leather on a white wooden background Semenova Jenny/Shutterstock

Boot cuffs

Take a tall sock, and make boot cuffs—these can add a pop of color and design and stop chafing.

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single sock chalk Ali Blumenthal/Rd.com

Clear chalkboards

Check out these next five uses for old socks for some cleaning hacks that can help around the house. Use to wipe off dry-erase boards or chalkboards.

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Wood blinds or curtain by the window. GOLFX/Shutterstock

Clean the nooks and crannies

Put a sock on your hand, wet it, and clean hard-to-reach places, like between blinds, along moldings, and in corners.

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folding rule - metering measurement tool to cave out Andre Helbig/Shutterstock

Dust high places

To dust extra-tall (e.g., on ceilings) or extra-narrow (under appliances or radiators) spots, fasten a sock to the end of a yardstick or a broom, dampen, and clean.

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swiffer Hugo Mauricio Lopez V/Shutterstock

Swiffer cover

Employ a sock as an eco-friendly, reusable swiffer cover by stretching it to go over the swiffer bottom (chenille socks are especially good at picking up dust).

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houseplant Kalanchoe in a decorative pot on a lilac background. V.Lawrence/Shutterstock

Clean houseplants

Put your hand in a sock, dampen it, and use it as a mitt to clean houseplants of dust and other debris.

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single sock pincushion Ali Blumenthal/Rd.com

Pincushion

To get crafty, check out these next seven uses for old socks. Construct a pincushion by stuffing with toy filling (you can find at craft stores) and sew it into a ball. Bonus points for fashioning into a pleasing shape (like this mushroom!).

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Potted plastic plants and flowers for decorations. Container made of aluminium, plastic, ceramic as well as clay. Plants include Cactus, cacti, beautiful green leaves and red flowers. sonandonures/Shutterstock

Flower pot cover

Reserve your more attractive single socks to serve as colorful covers for flower pots or vases.

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Barefoot on carpet. Two feet standing. Gray carpet. Fluffy carpet. Top view. Sense_Thanakit/Shutterstock

Braided bath mat

For those of you with a large number of spare socks and a high level of crafty-ness, cut socks into strips and braid them together into a bath mat or even a rug.

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New Year decoration stuffed toys alexkich/Shutterstock

Christmas decor

You can create a variety of cute stuffed Christmas decorations—from the tabletop (like these snowpeople) to the hanging-from-a-tree variety.

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Different knitted socks on violet background, flat lay. Winter clothes New Africa/Shutterstock

Sock wreath

Combine socks with a variety of hues and patterns to craft a fabric wreath—make one for Christmas or year-round.

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Colorful Easter eggs background Africa Studio/Shutterstock

Easter Egg cozies

For Easter morning breakfast, dress up hard- or soft-boiled eggs with adorable egg cozies. For this, you decorate baby socks with felt, eyes, and feathers. Check out these household vinegar uses you never knew about.

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Cat and dog friends. Asichka/Shutterstock

Stop shedding

Try using these next six uses for old socks with your pets. When shedding season arrives and you can't find a brush, put a sock on your hand, wet it, and use to remove excess hair from your cat or dog.

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Flat lay composition with accessories for dog and cat on wooden background. Pet care New Africa/Shutterstock

Cat toy

Fill it with catnip and knot it to create a cat toy.

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sock tennis ball Shutterstock (2)

Pull toy

Put a tennis ball or chew bone inside a sock, knot it, and you've got a pull toy for a dog.

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Cute sitting Yorkshire Terrier puppy dog in a Christmas - Isolated on a white background. A small dog in a sweater. Mikhail Bezdenezhnykh/Shutterstock

Puppy outfit

If you can sew and have a miniature or teacup dog, you can actually make a fetching sweater and cap ensemble from just one sock.

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Adorable grey kitten with yellow green eyes laying in a blue bed, paws over side looking longingly at viewer. Mustard yellow background. Sheila Fitzgerald/Shutterstock

Pet bed

You can also make a pet bed for a small dog or cat. Construct a stuffed snake, coil it, and sew it into an oval.

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hamster muzzle in sleeve closeup isolated on white Oleg Kozlov/Shutterstock

Hamster sleeping bag

Hamster owners: there's a craft for you, too. You can make a sleeping bag for your wee one.

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single sock flask Ali Blumenthal/Rd.com

Flask jacket

Use the next five uses for old socks for your drinks. Use a bigger, prettier sock to make a jacket for a flask. Check out these brilliant ways to repurpose old books, too.

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Aluminum can with straw on pink background. Minimalism concept 5 second Studio/Shutterstock

Can coozie

Use the cuff as a soda or beer can coozie to keep your hands dry and your beverage cold.

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Plastic bottles with pure water and ice on yellow background top view space for text 279photo Studio/Shutterstock

Prolong cold water

When you go on a hike or day trip on a hot day, pack a frozen water bottle and put a sock over it to keep the water cold longer.

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single sock wine Ali Blumenthal/Rd.com

Wine holder

Next time you give someone a bottle of wine, wrap it in a cute sock (not a white athletic sock) to dress it up and cushion it.

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Cute sock puppet on blue background Africa Studio/Shutterstock

Sock toys

For help with your kids, check out the next 18 uses for old socks. Socks can be turned into a chestful of soft toys for your kids. The most easiest and most basic is the sock puppet.

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Easter decoration, two cute bunny rabbits, made of textile gray socks with ribbons and eyes. Wooden and light background. Handmade decoration, children joy and activity at home. Easter concept. Miglena Pencheva/Shutterstock

Sock animals

By taking a sock, stuffing it, and sewing it, you can turn it into a zoo's worth of animals, both real (monkeys, rabbits, chickens, owls, sheep, lions, octopi, bears) and imaginary/extinct (dinosaurs, monsters, dragons). Look on Etsy and Pinterest for ideas.

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The row of multicolored hobbyhorses - children toys. Elena Noeva/Shutterstock

Horse head

Use a stuffed sock as the head for a homespun hobby horse.

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Diy koi carp fish on blue green background. Gift ideas, decor for the Chinese new year. Kid handmade. Carp koi fish of paper, toilet roll, googly eyes. Step by step. Process children crafts. Top view. Olya Detry/Shutterstock

Stuffed fish

Craft a school of stuffed fish from socks, put magnets in them, make a fishing pole from a wooden dowel from yarn or ribbon and a washer, and presto! You've got a sock fishing game. (Note: Please be careful about playing with magnets around young children who could accidentally swallow them).

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Asian newborn baby smile in a bed with fish and animal mobile. for mom, mother, family concept anek.soowannaphoom/Shutterstock

Fish mobile

Remove the magnets and attach the fish by strings to a frame, and you've got a fun mobile.

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rattle, beanbag on a pink background Dmitriy Shtankov/Shutterstock

Rattle

Put a bell inside a baby sock, add polyfill stuffing, sew shut, and embellish to make a rattle.

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hacky sack sbarabu/Shutterstock

Hacky sack

Construct a hacky sack by filling a single sock with rice or lentils or sand, shaping into a ball, and sewing it closed. Here are some other simple kid crafts to try.

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used sock isolated on a white background balled up ben bryant/Shutterstock

Indoor snowballs

Furnish the fixings for an indoor snowball fight by constructing stuffed snowballs from athletic socks.

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Different socks for baby on laundry line against color background New Africa/Shutterstock

Advent calendar

Put together an adorable, 3-D advent calendar for a child. Use babies' or children's socks in attractive colors or patterns, attach numbers, enclose gifts, and pin up.

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Fashion Concept. Crochet grey blouse and powdery pink tulle skirt with fur handbag, jewelry, shoes, magazines, cup of coffee, bouquet of flowers. Hand-made clothes for 11-inch doll. OlgaBEK/Shutterstock

Doll clothes

With scissors and pins, you can make all kinds of clothes for all kinds of dolls, whether they're Barbies, American Girls, or others.

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single sock fish Ali Blumenthal/Rd.com

Soap case

Since soap can be slippery for small hands, put the bar inside a clean sock and knot it to make it easier for kids to use. Also, check out these amazing uses for WD-40.

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funny baby boy sitting on white background AnemStyle/Shutterstock

Crawl guard

Cut off the toes from a sock and use the cuffs to protect baby's knees when they're learning to crawl.

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Baby socks on orange background. Top view Bowonpat Sakaew/Shutterstock

Scratch protector

When your baby has chickenpox or insect bites, put socks over their hands to stop them from scratching themselves. (And don't miss these other genius parenting hacks.)

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Sponge puff, shampoo bottle, purple towel, soap, yellow rubber duck on a blue background. Cosmetics for bathing babies. Flat lay bath products, top view photo. Free space for text, mock up learesphoto/Shutterstock

Washcloths

Cut up spare adult socks to use as baby washcloths.

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Baby socks with hearts on a pink background MirasWonderland/Shutterstock

Baby socks

One adult sock can be stitched into a pair of socks for a baby.

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Baby accessories background: small hat and pants for newborn baby, dummy and bear toy over light green background with copy space; top view, flat lay Lithiumphoto/Shutterstock

Baby leggings

You can also sew together two adult knee socks (use colors or patterns that go together) to make leggings for a baby or toddler.

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Children warm sweater on a white isolated background elbow patch Nadia Cruzova/Shutterstock

Patches

Since kids are frequently ripping their clothes, spare socks can provide comfy material for patches. You can also use a spare sock to add pockets to their clothes.

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Girl legs in rainbow striped socks on a colorful background with color blocking simple shapes. Abstract geometry flat lay Dina Belenko/Shutterstock

Sock art

Depending on how many socks you have and how big your imagination is, you could use them to craft a portrait or an art installation.

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Lots of socks on a yellow background. Colorful socks scattered on a yellow background. Clothing in the form of socks. Knitwear and jersey for autumn and winter. Evgeniya369/Shutterstock

New ideas

Finally, why not use your socks to find the next big business idea? After entrepreneurs Arielle Eckstut, Jason Dorf, and Jonah Staw noticed that teens and tween girls were wearing mismatched socks due to the missing sock problem, the trio founded the company Little MissMatched, which began selling socks in colorful packs of three (each with a different color or design). They've since expanded into clothes and bedding. Next, check out these extraordinary uses for household staples you already own.

Originally Published: October 09, 2019

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What Can I Do With My Old Socks

Source: https://www.rd.com/list/single-sock-uses/