15 great things you never knew you could do with tennis balls

The tennis ball can be just as useful off the court and around the house. When these balls lose their bounce, often they end up the bin. However, they are actually an extraordinary little tool with multiple other uses you have probably have never considered.

Let’s take a look at the best 15 alternative uses.

1. Protect your precious floors: just cut an x into the tennis ball and insert the leg of the chair. It’ll protect your precious floors

This can also be a great option for protecting corners of sharp tables especially if you have grandkids running around the house.’

Image source: Instructables.com

2. Stress ball: squeeze a tennis ball in your hand when you have a few extra minutes to increase hand strength and de-stress.

3. Garage indicator: even with daily practice, it can be nerve-wracking pulling into the garage if it’s a tight fit. Hang a tennis ball to mark where to stop. Simply hang a string from where you think it will hit the centre of your windshield then attach to it to the tennis ball.

Image source: Instructables.com

4. Packing material: tennis balls are perfect absorbing cushions. They can be great to take up empty space in a packing box.

5. Jar opener: cut a tennis ball in half and you will easily be able to pop off the lid of a tricky jar.

Image source: instructables.com

6. Remove scuff marks and dust: put a tennis ball at the end of your broomstick and use it to clean cobwebs in hard to reach places, such as on the ceiling. As well, rub the ball over scuff marks on your wood floors; they’ll come right off!

7. Pool cleaner: apparently if you float a tennis ball in the pool, it absorbs body oils from people who swim in the water. You’ll need to replace the ball every few weeks.

Image source: Hln.be

8. Door knob stopper: cut a large slit in a tennis ball and slide over the knob of the door, it’ll stop the knob from smashing and damaging the interior wall.

9. Dryer sheets: toss in a few tennis balls as a replacement for fabric softener, it works especially well to make your towels fluffy. It also helps to make your laundry load dry faster.

Image source: inspirationformoms.com

10. Windshield wiper protectors: place tennis balls under the wipers of vehicles that will be stored for a long periods to help the blades last longer.

11. Remove a broken lightbulb: if the bulb has broken off in the socket, carefully clear the broken glass and then push the tennis ball against the light socket and twist to remove the bulb’s stem.

12. Storage: cut a slit in the tennis ball and stash spare change or whatever else inside.

13. Arm weights: cut small slits into two balls. Fill with sand or coins then seal with tape. Take the weights on your next power walk.

14. Soothing massager: use a tennis ball as a pressure ball for a back/shoulder rub. Lie down on the tennis ball or lean against the wall and wriggle around. It is a great tool to release knots on your sore back. Alternatively, massage your feet by rolling them beneath your feet when sitting down.

15. Bug repellant: coat a tennis ball in vaseline and hang it from a nearby tree or bush to attract bugs.