13 Genius and Inventive Pool Noodle Lifehacks You’ll Wish You knew Before

I'm going to be honest here and say that I have never once contemplated any alternative uses for the humble pool noodle, so I'm quite impressed that our crazy Russian hacker friend managed to come up with 13 legitimate problem-solvers! He's given us some awesome toilet paper hacks in the past, so I probably shouldn't have underestimated him.

Video Instructions:

Video by CrazyRussianHacker.

1. Fill a Bucket

If you've ever had to fill a large bucket with water in an indoor sink, you'll know that you can never fill it to the top, because tilting it to get it out of the small sink always results in a lot of spilled water. In cases like these, you can use your pool noodle like a big hose pipe – attach one end to the faucet and then point the other end into the bucket that's on the floor.

2. Door Stopper

This is actually a really clever way to keep doors from closing and dogs or cats from locking themselves in rooms. Cut off a piece of the noodle and slice it open lengthways so that you can just pop it on to the side of the door; this guarantees that your pet always has a gap to get himself out.

3. Fishing Rod Stand

You can easily make a stand to keep all your fishing rods safe with just a pool noodle and a piece of lumber. Make some holes in the plank that'll fit the handle part of the rods and place it on the floor against a wall, then cut some slits in a piece of noodle—the same distance apart as the holes in the wood—and stick that to the wall. The top of the rods slip right into the slits and remain upright!

4. Line a Kiddie Pool

If you want to make the edges of a kiddie pool safer and more comfortable for the little dippers, cut a noodle open lengthways and just slip it right around the pool. You may need more than one, so just tape the joins together with some duct tape. We have lots of other tips and ideas to keep your kids entertained this summer.

5. Toe Protector

It really seems as though the pain of stubbing a toe (especially the pinkie toe!) against the leg of your bedpost is universally known as one of the worst pains ever – it's right up there with a shin to the coffee table. If you want to make a pool noodle protector, simply cut a piece of the noodle that's the same length of the leg, cut it open lengthways and slip it over the troublesome toe-stubber. If you're worried about it looking strange, just paint it the same color as the bed frame.

6. Makeshift Roof Rack

If your roof rack is broken, you can actually just slip a bungee cord through the hole of the noodle and attack that to the roof of your car. The squishy foam of the noodle will keep both your car and the cargo safe from any scratches.

7. Saw Cover

If you have kids or around, or are just plain clumsy, covering the business end of an unused saw could be quite a good idea. All you have to do is cut a piece of the noodle lengthways again and slip that over the blade like a perfect little cover.

8. Hanger Cover

The pointy tips of hangers can actually damage some of your clothes on the shoulder areas, so you can actually use a noodle to soften it up. Cut the noodle to size so that it's the same length as the top two sides of the hanger, cut it open, poke the hook through the middle and then just slide the noodle over the hanger – a bit of tape will keep it in place. I must say, this is rather genius!

9. Hanger Cover 2

You can also position a noodle piece over the bottom bar of the hanger if you're concerned about creating a line or crease in the garment that you hang over it. Just use the same idea as above to keep your clothing protected.

10. Paint Brush Holder

Using the same concept as the fishing rod stand, you can cut slits into a pool noodle piece to hold your paint brushes. Cut the piece open and slip it onto the edge of the paint tray to keep all your supplies together in one place.

11. Rail Cover

If you have a combined shower and bathtub, you may have a metal bar or rail that runs along the side of the tub for the shower door. If you're worried about either yourself or your kids getting hurt on that awkwardly-place bar when the door is open, just cut a pool noddle open again and place it over there.

12. Boot Protector

We all know that the legs of boots should remain propped up – flopping over when stored can cause damage to your beauties. You don't need a special shoe rack, though, you can just cut pool noodles to size and stick them in there to keep the leg parts straight when you aren't wearing them. Simple as that!

13. Pet Bed

This easy-to-make pet bed is great for a cat or a small dog – larger pooches won't really have enough room. Go dig out an old sweater and slide the noodle through both sleeves; then tuck a pillow or balled-up sheet into the body part of the sweater, pull the noodle arms around the cushioned center and join them with some duct tape. Neaten it up a bit and there you have your homemade little pet bed!