Genius Ways To Use Old Socks For A Cleaner Home

It's estimated the average lifespan of a pair of socks ranges between 3 and 12 months, depending on their overall quality as well as wear-and-tear. The reality is that even well-cared-for and properly laundered socks can get dirty or develop holes in them much faster. Like most people, you may have a drawer full of worn-out socks you'll never wear again, or even numerous single socks that used to be in pairs. Before you toss these items, though, you may consider giving them a second life by adding them to your cleaning routine in the form of rags.

Not only does using socks for cleaning help to reduce unnecessary items from ending up in a landfill, but this can also save you money: Why buy separate towels and cloths for cleaning when old socks will do? Before we get started, though, one major caveat to consider before using socks to clean your home is their composition. Always use natural fibers, and look for ways to recycle synthetic socks instead of reusing them for cleaning. You'll also want to make sure these are clean old socks, too. From there, once you've armed yourself with a few old cotton socks, you can tackle everyday cleaning jobs, from spills, to dusting, to even mopping(!).

When there's a small amount of dirt, grime, or oil in need of cleaning up, you might be in the habit of reaching for a paper towel or perhaps a commercial cleaning towel. If you have old cotton socks on hand though, these can work just as well for such purposes. Using cotton and other natural fiber-based socks may work well as rags to clean up dirt around the house or even assist in de-griming cooking spaces because of their absorbency and soft textures (these are the same reasons why some people also like using old cotton T-shirts for household cleaning, too).

To tackle everyday spills, simply apply a sock to the area until the liquid is fully absorbed before wiping up clean. You can also dampen socks with water to wipe dirt from various surfaces of your home, and even use them as gentle tools to help scrub caked-on grime. Some people even recommend keeping old socks on hand in various parts of their home for quick cleaning access. This includes the kitchen, garage, bathroom, and any other area you might need a cleaning rag.

Several years ago, feather dusters were replaced in many home cleaning supply kits by commercial disposable cloths you can place on plastic wands. While these products are arguably more mainstream now, they certainly have their drawbacks. Their disposable nature is marketed as a healthy and hygienic aspect, but this also means you will constantly need to buy wand refills. As an alternative, you might consider other potential cloth-based dusters before spending more money on single-use dusters. If you have old socks that are no longer in use, these could become potential dusting cloths.

Like commercial hand-held dusters, old socks can be used to dust multiple items around the house and to address and fix how dusty your room is. You can place a sock over your hand and dust virtually any surface, including shelving, furniture, baseboards, and objects. This also makes a good technique for dusting tight spaces — such as accordion blinds, which are often difficult to clean. If you already have plastic wands used with commercial dusting kits, consider placing socks over them before buying refills. You can also attach them to the end of small brooms for dusting items that are out of reach, such as elevated shelves, on top of doorways, or ceiling fans. Instead of throwing the socks out, then, you can wash them for future dusting purposes.

Commercial canisters of disinfecting wipes are undoubtedly convenient for addressing germs on-the-go. However, experts believe you shouldn't rely on these types of products for everyday cleaning. These can not only get expensive, but they may also contain ingredients that can cause respiratory harm over time. For everyday home cleaning that does not require disinfecting, you might consider making your own DIY cleaning wipes.

You may have seen recipes for DIY reusable wipes made with old t-shirts and cloths. It turns out you can do the same with old socks you are no longer wearing. First, gather up clean and unwanted socks and place them into a large glass jar. Prepare a solution of 4 ounces each of water and white vinegar, along with a small amount of dish soap and several drops of whatever essential oils you enjoy the scent of. Examples include tea tree and lemon essential oils, but it's really up to you: Whatever smells clean in your book. Mix all the ingredients together and place in the jar with a lid sealing it shut. You can repeat the process after you have used all the socks.

Before your socks became rags for dusting and cleaning, they spent most of their time on the floor — and with the next hack, you can bring them back to the floor, even though you won't be wearing them on your feet anymore. How so? Well, socks are said to make for effective and economical floor cloths to tackle dry-dusting and wet mopping. They can also be reusable if you wash them and dry them after each floor cleaning session. For such reasons, you might consider giving this option a try over buying disposable the usual mopping heads, or reusing a dirty broom or mop.

There are a few different ways you can try this hack. First, if you have a flat mop head, you can attach several socks for a quick dry floor dusting tool. You can also use this method alongside your favorite wet-mopping product or homemade floor cleaner tailored to your floor type. Yet another option is to use socks to help sweep up dirt into a dustpan, either by hand, or with a smaller flat mop head. Some blogs also suggest you can literally dust or mop the floor while wearing old socks, but if you're thinking about this, know that it can be a dangerous and slippery method. Instead, it is probably best to just use the socks as an addition to your existing floor cleaning tool.

Just as it is important to know how to repurpose old socks for cleaning the house, it is equally useful to determine when it is time to give up and recycle them. As previously mentioned, old socks that are not made with natural fibers are not the best for household cleaning. Polyester and nylon, for example, may be suitable sock materials for certain activities, but they tend to wick away moisture. What's more, these may not be soft enough for use around delicate items around your home, such as glass or electronics. You can also go ahead and recycle and socks with excessive amounts of holes, or those that were previously used for cleaning but are now too worn for these purposes.

You'll note that we said recycle socks, not throw them in the garbage. Why's that? Because while it's easier to throw socks out, it's worth taking a little extra time to try to recycle everything in your house, including old socks. There are a few prominent textile recycling companies, like Smartwool, which offer programs wherein you can directly mail recyclable textiles to be used for products like dog bed stuffing, or drop off at participating retailers. That said, also look at local options, which include a city or county recycling center that takes textiles, or perhaps a nearby drop-off box.