35+ Ways To Get In And Out Of Any Sticky Situation With Duct Tape

We’re back with another series of hacks that are guaranteed to make your life easier. This time, the hacks utilize an unassuming product, one that you may be quick to shove aside in the drawer in favor of other, more powerful tools. Yes, the star of these following few hacks is none other than the duct tape. They may not be your adhesive of choice as they are bulky and very obvious-looking once you’ve taped them over something. But you would be surprised at just how much duct tape can fix. Oh, you use it for everything already? You are still about to learn something new. So please sit back and start scrolling as we introduce to you the many wonders of duct tape.

Protect your wood floors

Out of its many uses, duct tape can help prevent marks on your wood floors caused by the wheels on your chairs. Whether you’re placing legged chairs or wheeled ones on your hardwood floor, you’re going to need this hack.

In order to keep your hardwood or laminate flooring scuff-free, wrap duct tape around the parts of your chair that are in frequent contact with the floor. This way, your wheels or chair legs won’t cause any damage as you move them around.

Holiday gift wrapper

Who says that you can only use wrapping paper to wrap presents? Duct tape can add its own aesthetic to your gifts. A bit unconventional, but you’ll see what we mean. All you need is rolls of duct tape and festive ribbons.

To achieve this same aesthetic, put the gifts in used boxes first. Then wrap the package in silver duct tape. Finally, wrap your ribbons and bows around the present. And there you have it – the coolest set of Christmas gifts.

DIY luggage tag

Going on a trip and realizing that you don’t have enough luggage tags for your belongings? Duct tape to the rescue! You may not even consider using any kind of tape to solve this problem, but this photo will change your mind.

You can use any duct tape you have available—it doesn’t have to be cutely designed. Fold the tape into itself, punch a hole on the top, and use thinner strips for the strap. Then, write down your details on that bad boy using Sharpie.

Hem fix

When you think of adjusting your clothes, you immediately think of going to a tailor. But the solution doesn’t have to be that expensive. If all you need is to bring in a hem, use pieces of duct tape for the job!

Turn your shirt, jeans, or skirt inside out. Fold the hem inwards, and stick it down with duct tape. Flip the item of clothing back the right way, and voila! You’ve got an adjusted hem without having to sew anything.

Easy DIY sled

Yes, you can also use duct tape to fashion a makeshift sled. If you don’t have one and you are dying to play in the snow, a used cardboard box and some duct tape can go a long way.

Lay the cardboard box flat and cover the entirety of it with duct tape. The surface of the tape protects the cardboard from the moisture of the snow. The best thing is that you can customize your sled however you like!

Temporary glasses fix

Bespectacled people will know the struggles of wearing glasses with a broken frame. Sometimes it’s not possible to rush to the optician to get it immediately fixed, so you’re going to need a temporary solution. Duct tape is an excellent tool for this.

Simply take small measures of duct tape and wrap them around the broken parts of the frame. We admit it’s not the best look to be wearing glasses held together with tape, but we all know it’s better than nothing.

Weatherproof your boots

This next duct tape hack is perfect for those outdoorsy people out there. Even if you’ve got appropriate hiking boots on, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Especially if they are wearing thin, a bit of duct tape can help weatherproof your shoes.

The duct tape material can make your boots waterproof for a considerable period of time. To give more protection to your shoes and, more importantly, your feet, simply tape up the parts of your shoes that are wearing off with duct tape.

Help you open jars

From pickle jars to spaghetti sauce jars, these things can prove to be such a struggle to open if you’re living alone. But if you have duct tape on hand, you may still be able to have pasta for dinner.

Just as this photo shows, apply duct tape around the lid of the stubborn jar. Leave a little for you to grip. Hold the jar with one hand and pull on the tape with the other. You should be able to get it open without too much effort.

Customize your helmet

If you’re looking for ways to make your safety gear your own, duct tape can be a great option. It comes in a variety of different colors and takes minimum effort. Forget the spray paint; use the duct tape lying around the house.

This is a great example of customizing your helmet with duct tape. Of course, you don’t have to stick to the robot theme. The great thing about duct tape is that you can do virtually anything with it as long as you let your imagination run free.

Reworked chair

Got a broken folding chair that’s just sitting on the porch unused? You’d be surprised by the way duct tape can turn the damage around. Take away the cushions and the back of the chair to leave just the frame, and get to work.

You may be thinking, “Wouldn’t that be a sticky chair?” But if you fold long pieces of tape into itself, it won’t be sticky at all! In fact, duct tape will be able to support your weight too. It will take a while to complete, but it will be worth it.

Customize your pencil cases

A cheap alternative to buying pencil cases from the stationery store is to use freezer bags. They’re perfectly secure for storing your school supplies, and customizable with some duct tape and Sharpies. Check out the photo below for inspo.

Just stick the tape all around the freezer bag. You can use different colors or use a single colored tape for a different kind of aesthetic (i.e., monochrome!). The look of your new pencil case is completely up to you!

Prevent your shoes from slipping

Brand new shoe soles are notorious for being shiny and slippery. While the shoe looks good, it can also be a little dangerous when you’re walking around without traction. Who knew that the fix to this all you’d need is some good ol’ duct tape?

To prevent your shoes from sliding all over the place, apply some duct tape to the underside of your heels as shown above. This can help significantly in walking on slippery surfaces as it gives the soles a bit of traction.

Emergency cup holder

This hack doesn’t make use of the duct tape per se, but it does make use of the entire roll. If you ever find yourself needing a cup holder in a moving vehicle that doesn’t have one, you can use the roll of tape to hold your coffee.

Just place the cup of coffee inside the roll of tape like so, and you have yourself a makeshift cup holder. There’s no guarantee that your drink won’t spill, but if you use a thicker roll of tape, there is less chance of that happening.

Hair and lint remover

If you have pets around the house, you know that it can be pretty tricky to clean furniture when they’re shedding. Dog and cat hair sticks to couches and beds and can’t be removed with a simple feather duster. But try breaking out the duct tape.

Apply some tape around a used paint roller, and just use it like a lint roller on your hair-covered surfaces. The duct tape will pick up all the hair, and at the end of the day, you can just remove the tape and dispose of it.

Aglet replacement

Did you know that the plastic bit at the end of your shoelaces is called an aglet? You learn something new every day! And here’s another something new: you can use duct tape to replace the aglet if it somehow breaks.

Just roll duct tape around the end of your shoelaces where the aglet used to be. That’s it! Your shoelaces are good as new. Of course, this is a temporary fix. You will still need new shoelaces at some point, but this will work for a while.

Bug trap

Do you struggle with bugs in the house? There are more substantial options to trap and kill bugs, but if you do not have those brands on hand, duct tape can always help. It’s not perfect, but it does trap those pesky critters.

All you need to do is take strips of duct tape and lay them sticky side up on any desired surfaces. Whether it’s the corners of the floor or your countertops, the bugs dirtying up your house will soon be stuck there, making it easy for you to dispose of them in the morning.

Maximize your toothpaste

It’s annoying when the toothpaste starts running out because you know that there are still a few brushes left in the tube, but it’s too difficult to squeeze anything out. Instead of throwing the whole thing out, try this duct tape hack.

Stick a piece of duct tape at the end of the toothpaste tube and roll it up so that you’re pushing all the remaining paste towards the top. The duct tape should help hold the toothpaste in, and you can use every last drop of paste in that tube.

A more comfortable grip

Using tools all day can be damaging to your hands. While tools like pliers and screwdrivers are great in assisting in day-to-day repairs, the longer you use them, the more uncomfortable the grip gets. But some duct tape can easily fix that.

Wrap duct tape around the handles of your pliers, hammers, and other hardware tools, and you’re pretty much done. A smoother grip can prevent your hands from getting unwanted cuts and blisters, making it safer for you to use these tools.

DIY waterproof wallet

Sick of using the same old wallet? Here’s a way you can get a new wallet without spending the big bucks. It features, you guessed it, trusty duct tape. You can use any color you want, and best of all, the wallet will be durable and waterproof.

Use pieces of duct tape and stick the adhesive sides together. You can customize your wallet however you want, from the colors to the number of slots it has. It can even be just a cardholder if you’ve gone mostly cashless.

Immortal roses

You know how flowers can be inordinately expensive? Well, if you’re looking to woo someone but are on a budget, you can make everlasting roses out of duct tape instead of purchasing real ones. But a word of warning: it takes some time.

You can even create a bouquet by just fashioning multiple kinds of roses. Just choose your duct tape color and draw on the surface to create different patterns for each rose. Then just sit and watch as the receiver reacts.

Duct tape arts and crafts

As seen in previous hacks we’ve shown, duct tape is a great arts and crafts material. It’s inexpensive and versatile and allows you to do whatever you want. This guy unlocked the duct tape’s many potentials with this pixelated Bowser.

How impressive is this piece of pavement art? Cutting the duct tape into small rectangles and squares creates that classic pixelated effect found in the graphics of old video games. Here, he used the colors red, white, green, yellow, orange, black, and a bit of grey.

Prevent blisters

Outdoors enthusiasts unite. Here’s a hack that is meant for you, especially if you’ve just bought new hiking boots that haven’t been properly broken in. Wearing brand new boots can result in nasty blisters, but it’s nothing some duct tape can’t fix.

If you stick duct tape over the sensitive parts of your feet, it can lessen the friction between the inside of the shoe and your skin. This way, you can guard yourself from getting any painful blisters on your hike.

Duct tape bag

Yes, that’s right. You can make an actual bag out of duct tape. How cool is that? This messenger bag is made almost solely out of duct tape, down to the straps. And because it’s duct tape, you know it’s secure!

Get the most colorful tape you can find (or monochromatic ones if that’s your aesthetic), and get started! The tape is your canvas, you can literally do anything you want with it. Let your imagination run wild with this project.

Home studio

Now that smartphone cameras rival professional cameras, people are doing more and more photoshoots with their phones. But even with the advanced technology, your product photos still need a little bit more oomph to look marketable. That’s where this DIY home studio comes in.

Using Styrofoam, some desk lamps, a roll of paper, and, of course, duct tape, you can construct a lightbox that lets you take your product photos on a plain background. Position the lamps the way you want, and you’re all set.

Branch sling

Did you know that you can use duct tape in gardening? There really is nothing that duct tape can’t fix. It can even help fix a broken branch by acting as a sling, holding the pieces together as the branch heals!

All you have to do is wrap the duct tape around the two branch pieces that have snapped. Keep the tape there while you continue to monitor the healing progress. Of course, this isn’t a solution that will work every time with every branch, but give it a try and see what you discover.

Sanding protection

If you’re usually around power tools or are sanding on the daily, then you are probably familiar with the hazards of not handling hardware properly. Good tip: if you’re sanding, duct tape can help guard your hand from the sander.

Use duct tape as guards for your fingers. Wrap some tape around the digits that, from your experience, get grazed on the sander the most. This ensures better safety, and can prevent any injuries to your fingers. Stay safe out there with this hack.

Properly seal your products

Oftentimes, home repair products don’t get used up in one go. We often lose the caps to these products. If you’ve got a tube of glue or a bottle of caulk about to go dry, some duct tape should do the trick.

Use the duct tape as a seal over the lid of the products. You can stick two pieces together, with the sticky sides against each other. This way, you can keep using the product without having to throw it away.

Mark your car seat position

Do you share the car with other members of the family? If you do, then you know how annoying it is when you want to use the car after someone else has driven it. The mirrors aren’t at the right angle, and the seat is not adjusted to what you’re used to.

To make sure you get the perfect driver’s seat position every time, mark the exact points in the car using duct tape as shown above. This way, you won’t have to spend too long adjusting your seat before you leave the house.

Handmade shoes

A messenger bag isn’t the only fashion item you can create out of duct tape. You can make shoes and slides too! And some have testified to how they’re actually super comfortable to wear around the house. We’ll take a pair or two.

Just like other DIY projects you can make with duct tape, the shoes you make are easily customizable, from colors to style. Maybe these won’t last if you wear them out and about, but they’re an excellent replacement for house slippers.

Bike improvements

If your bike is getting old and beginning to show signs of wear, you’d be surprised at just how much duct tape can help. All you need is rolls of it in the color of your choice. Then, get to work!

For your handlebars, wrap duct tape around them to give you more of a grip. You can also attach some safety lights on the spokes of your wheels to make your bike visible to oncoming drivers. Trick your ride, y’all!

Make your own hammock

Yes, it is possible to make a hammock out of duct tape, the same way it is also possible to make a folding chair out of the same material. Why spend a lot of money when you can DIY, right?

As it is with the chair, stick long pieces of duct tape together by the adhesive side. Then all you have to do is overlap each color with each other. Us wooden rods at either end of the tape, and then attach ropes to complete your hammock.

Duct tape cap

No, this is not a cap made of duct tape. It is just a hat covered in duct tape to give you extra protection from the sun. The duct tape’s reflective material will help shield you from harmful sun rays.

As usual, you can use whatever color of duct tape suits your aesthetic. The tricky part is to get the folding just right. If not precise, you may be left with some creases because of the spherical shape of the top of the cap.

Dust pan hack

Dustpans are great for collecting dirt and all, but as it wears out over time, it can get harder to sweep all of the dust and trash into the pan. The solution to this? Our best friend, Mr. Duct Tape.

Use some duct tape to secure your dustpan to the floor. Not only does this make for less of a mess, but it also makes for a more effortless clean. All the dust and small pieces will easily slide up onto the pan.

Outdoor pillows

This next duct tape hack is great for those of you who have outdoor furniture. It can be expensive because it needs to be as weatherproof as possible. But one fix is to make pillows out of duct tape for your outdoor sofa.

If you still want the fluffiness of a pillow, then you can also wrap existing cushions in duct tape. The tape instantly makes them waterproof, and you can even customize it however you would like. As seen here, patterns and colors are possible.

Temporary tent fix

Campers and outdoorsmen, we’re sure some of the hacks we’ve mentioned have convinced you that you need to take a roll of duct tape with you on your next hiking or camping trip. And this next hack will convince you even more.

If you find an unexpected hole or gash in your tent, some duct tape can help patch the hole closed while you look for longer-lasting alternatives. This way, at least you won’t have bugs crawling in from the hole, or rainwater blowing through.

Duct tape belt

Okay, maybe you would be caught dead wearing a belt made of duct tape in public. But there is one occasion where that would be acceptable: a Halloween or costume party! If your costume calls for a belt, why not make one?

Duct tape can come in especially handy if you need to be wearing a specific kind of belt that you wouldn’t be able to find in the shops. Just design your own out of long pieces of tape. It won’t even cost you $3 to make!

DIY backpack

A messenger bag is not the only kind of bag that can be fashioned out of duct tape. Check out this trippy but handy backpack made entirely out of purple and yellow duct tape. Thinking about making your own now?

There are plenty of directions online to help you create your own perfect duct tape backpack. Purchase tapes in your chosen color and get to work on following those instructions! Show your new DIY backpack off online for everyone to get in on the trend.

First aid kit

If you got into an accident with no first aid kit on hand, you could use a bit of duct tape to tide you over until you can get proper help. Whether it’s to secure a bit of gauze over a cut, or even construct a makeshift sling, duct tape is there for you.

It is important to note that this is, of course, a temporary fix. It would help if you always tried to find proper first aid tools that are designed specifically for medical emergencies. Let duct tape be your very last resort.

Snack bags

It’s time to get rid of single-use plastic bags and plastic boxes. And what do you substitute those with? Well, DIY snack bags made of duct tape could be an alternative. Just have a look at these little pockets below.

You can use these little pouches for snacks or little sandwiches. And the best thing is you can customize them and bring them to go. These are great to give away at kids’ parties so that each child can have their own little pockets of snacks.

You’ll have to try this yourself

We came across this photo and can’t help but stick this last hack onto this list. Apparently, if you have enough rolls of duct tape, you can fashion a boat. Yes, an entire mode of transportation which you can also get in and row.

This dog does not seem too convinced about the structural integrity of the duct tape boat. We would react the same way. But just to see this boat afloat on the water is impressive. Keep as a fun project, though. Don’t take it on the open ocean!