I couldn’t resist…30 things you can do with Duct Tape from Wiki How-To

September 7, 2010

How to Use Duct Tape

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Duct tape. Ubiquitous. Handy. Probably in your house right now. Apart from using it for sticking things together, there are so many things you can use it for that it would be a shame not to put it to greater use. Here are just some of the many ways you can make the most of duct tape.

Steps

1. Clean the house with duct tape. Duct tape has some fabulous cleaning uses:
   • Remove lint from upholstery and clothing.
   • Remove cat and dog hairs from upholstery, clothing, floors, anywhere that won’t be damaged by the stickiness. A very fast method for grabbing a lot of fur at once!
   • Catch flies with a strip of duct tape hanging from the ceiling.
2. Mend things with duct tape. Instead of tossing out the broken bits, fix them with a strip or so of duct tape:
   • Wrap duct tape around a split vacuum cleaner hose.
   • Remove unwanted window tint from a car or other window.
   • Fix a broken photo frame. Use it to fix broken legs on photo frames.
   • Cover a hole in a wall.
   • Repair a tow rope.
   • Use it to replace a broken shower curtain grommet. Try to only use it on the liner so that it is less obvious.
   • Fix a radio antenna.
3. Get crafty with duct tape. There are many amazing things you can make from duct tape. Here are just some of the ideas:
   • Make a duct tape bookmark
   • Make a duct tape tote
   • Make a duct tape iPod case
   • Make a duct tape bullwhip
   • Make a duct tape bowl
   • Make a duct tape blanket
   • Make a duct tape scrap pillow
   • Make a duct tape dress form
   • Make a duct tape wallet.
4. Use it for nifty help around the home. There are lots of things duct tape can do to help you in the house, from storage to perfect placement of items.
   • Use it to stop people from tripping over cords, wires and cables.
   • Hang Christmas decorations with it. This is better than sticking pins or banging nails into the wall.
   • Hang an unframed picture.
   • Keep picture frames even. Place looped duct tape behind the frame against the wall to prevent the frame from being knocked crooked.
   • Make a whiteboard (dry erase board) with clear duct tape and paper.
   • Keep ornaments in place. Make a duct tape loop of the right size for the base of an ornament, stick it down on the surface and position the ornament in place over it. This will stop the ornaments from falling it accidentally bumped, pulled by small fingers, or rocked by an earthquake. Be aware that the surface you are putting it on might be marked by the tape.
   • Keep your stored Christmas lights together
   • Reuse vacuum cleaner bags – cut bottom of old bag and dump out the dirt. Use duct tape to seal the bottom and reuse the bag!
5. Keep yourself healthy with duct tape. You can get rid of warts using duct tape!
6. Make costumes for Halloween or fancy dress occasions, or just everyday clothing. (Note, most of these articles still need images – if you make one of these items, feel free to add the images):
   • Make a duct tape mini skirt
   • Make a duct tape top hat
   • Make a duct tape viking hat
   • Make a duct tape jacket
   • Make a duct tape cap
   • Make a duct tape fedora
   • Make a duct tape tie
   • Make a duct tape bra.
7. Make play things.
   • Make a duct tape turtle
   • Make a duct tape ring
   • Make a duct tape bracelet
   • Make a duct tape rose tulip
   • Make a long slip and slide.

Video

This video shows how to make duct tape fabric which can then be used in a variety of duct tape crafts.

Tips

• Obviously, duct tape items won’t be to everyone’s liking and the expense of duct tape needs to be taken into account when making large items that could be just as easily purchased for next-to-nothing at the dollar store. Then again, the thrill of making something yourself as well as the reality that dollar stores don’t ever charge all the hidden costs of endless waste and resource usage does tend to make doing-it-yourself a more worthy pastime.

Warnings

• Duct tape removal can also remove paint and other surfaces. Be sure that you don’t mind this happening before using any of the surface application methods. Alternatively, use something like WD-40 or mineral oil to help soften the adhesive before trying to remove.

Things You’ll Need

• Duct tape

Related wikiHows

• How to Make a Duct Tape Wallet
• How to Make Duct Tape Fabric
• How to Make a Duct Tape Rose
• How to Make a Duct Tape Mini Skirt
• How to Make a Duct Tape Viking Hat
• How to Make a Duct Tape Pencil Case

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Use Duct Tape. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.