Do you have some old tennis balls lying around? Maybe, like most of us, you have at least a few. Or perhaps you are tennis obsessed and have a ton of them around the house.
Either way, there are a bunch of things you can do with tennis balls. You can use them to keep things neat and tidy or even go with decorating your home with a tennis theme. The possibilities are endless.
To start with, here are thirty of the best ways to get the most use from your old tennis balls:
If you have any tennis balls that still clean up fairly well in your collection, consider making them a fun part of your home décor. Cut them in half, and they make the perfect sporty cover for candle holders. Now, no one will question your absolute love of tennis!
Is your fabric softener not doing its job? Or do you want to replace it with something more environmentally friendly? Clean an old tennis ball and put it in the dryer with your clothes to do the job of fabric softener at no cost to you or the environment.
The tennis ball will also collect any hair that may still be lurking in your clothes. Bonus!
Just skip this idea if you don’t like noise. Tennis balls in the dryer are not quiet…
Are chair or table legs leaving scratch marks on your newly done floors? Cut an X in several tennis balls and slide them over the bottoms of the chair or table legs. Now, they will glide effortlessly across the floor with no loud noises or unsightly marks.
Tennis balls can be environmentally friendly in quite a few ways! Put a tennis ball in your toilet’s water tank. It will reduce the amount of water used when flushing. After a while, the amount of saved water will add up.
To relieve stress on sore feet, put a tennis ball on the floor and place your shoeless foot over it. Roll the ball around under your foot, and you will be amazed by just how much tension it releases.
Have you ever had a lightbulb break in the socket? Trying to remove it can be downright dangerous and scary.
After removing any excess glass, press an old tennis ball up into the socket and remaining glass. It will attach and make twisting the bulb out easier and a whole lot safer.
Sometimes we need to do work on a delicate surface that we don’t want any dings to show on. Cut an X in a tennis ball and slide it over the working end of a metal hammer. It will help to protect the surface you are hammering and won’t leave any marks.
While it can’t replace pool chemicals, throwing a few tennis balls in your pool will help to make it a little cleaner. The material of the balls will absorb some of the oils that swimmers leave behind.
Do you park your bike off the pavement sometimes? Cut an X into a tennis ball and slip it over the end of your kickstand. It will provide more of a surface area so your kickstand can do its job properly in grass, mud, and sand.
Is your back sore after a long day or working or playing tennis? Throw a few old tennis balls into a long tube sock and tie off the end. Throw it across your back and pull the ends to move it. Your muscles will thank you.
Cut a hole in a tennis ball that is big enough to fit a broom handle end. Attach the ball to your broom (or mop) handle, and you now have a scuff mark remover. Use it on your floors and scuff marks will be easy to erase away without having to bend over or scrub.
Are you tired of trying to judge exactly where your car should go in the garage? Hang a tennis ball on a rope from the ceiling and position it, so it hits the middle of your windshield when you’re in the perfect spot. It will help you to guide your vehicle with a whole lot less guessing.
Are you tired of struggling with jar lids? Cut a tennis ball along the lines. The next time you have a lid that won’t budge, pop the tennis ball over it. It will provide a great grip and make life in the kitchen oh so much easier.
Sometimes wood furniture has some interesting curves and nooks. Wrap sandpaper around a tennis ball to make sure they don’t get overlooked in the sanding process.
Are you working on your breaststroke or teaching the kids how to swim? Holding a tennis ball under your chin while doing the breaststroke will improve your form. Doing this will also help beginning swimmers to catch on quicker.
Do you have sharp corners on some of your tables and toddlers running around the house? Cut a hole in a tennis ball and stick it over any table corner you may find. Soon, your home will be a safer place.
Cut a slit in a tennis ball that is big enough so that you can reach inside of it easily. It’s a simple place to keep change together. It also fits well in a cup holder in the car if you need change accessible for tolls or the drive-through.
Place an old tennis ball between the sofa back and the wall and you won’t have to worry about your furniture loudly bumping up against the wall and ruining the paint when someone sits down. This also works well with chests, headboards for beds, and more.
While it may not solve all snoring problems, this is a cheap (free if you have old tennis balls to recycle) and simple solution to try. Tuck a tennis ball into the back of your shirt before bedtime if you are trying to sleep on your side to reduce snoring.
Whenever you start to roll on your back in your sleep, the tennis ball will be there to remind you not to.
In his book, Upcycling: Create Beautiful Things with the Stuff You Already Have, Danny Seo shows how to create a swing with 50 tennis balls and some nylon rope. We’re impressed by the creativity.
Make an old chair new again by incorporating tennis balls in the design. We’re betting that they feel great on the back when relaxing after a long tennis match.
Do you have padlocks that are kept outside in all types of weather? Cut a hole in a tennis ball and slip it over the lock. It will protect the lock from most of that harsh weather so the it will still work the next time you need to open it.
Do your doorknobs keep leaving a dent in the wall? Do you have toddlers who are trying to access rooms that they shouldn’t be in unsupervised? Slip a tennis ball over a round doorknob and all your troubles will be over.
There is nothing like the crackling of a fire, the opening of gifts on Christmas morning, and tennis ball ornaments hanging from the Christmas tree. String up a few tennis balls, add some glitter or other creative decorations, and you will have the perfect tree for any tennis lover.
Cover a ball in fabric and then tie off the ends to create fabric ropes. Your dog will love it, and they won’t mind that you didn’t spend any cash on a commercial one at the pet store.
Glue a suction cup to the back of a tennis ball, create a slit in the front for the mouth, and add some googly eyes. Now you have a tennis ball helper to hold your keys or anything else.
It will be hard to forget where you left the keys with this adorable reminder.
Make a wreath for your door with a hot glue gun, some ribbon, and a bunch of tennis balls (the dog treats are optional). Now you’re in the holiday spirit!
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Big Bark Crafts
Make a slit in an old tennis ball, fill it full of dog treats, and then let it snap shut again. Your dog probably already loves playing with tennis balls. Now they will really love it.
Instead of new packing materials, throw some old tennis balls into the box to fill up the empty space. You won’t be wasting material and your shipment will arrive safely.
Do you have some old tennis balls lying around? Maybe, like most of us, you have at least a few. Or perhaps you are tennis obsessed and have a ton of them around the house.
Either way, there are a bunch of things you can do with tennis balls. You can use them to keep things neat and tidy or even go with decorating your home with a tennis theme. The possibilities are endless.
To start with, here are thirty of the best ways to get the most use from your old tennis balls:
