We often use cotton balls in small cosmetic tasks like removing makeup, applying toner, or removing nail polish. Some organic cotton balls uses also include first aid like dressing wounds or applying disinfectant. But the uses of these versatile tools don’t end here. From cotton ball crafts to other utilities – here are other ways to use cotton balls.
Use Organic Cotton Balls to Keep Ant Off Patio
Stop ants and spiders from making pests of themselves by introducing them to cotton balls soaked in peppermint essential oil.
Just place the balls in problem areas, like kitchen cabinets or near the front door, and they’ll leave you alone. Rumor has it that they can’t stand the smell!
For a more permanent fix for the ants, soak cotton balls in a liquid solution that includes a tablespoon each of hot water and sugar, plus a half teaspoon of borax. The sugar will attract them, and the borax will destroy them.
Cotton Ball Uses: Padding For Travel Containers
Ever wonder why vitamin and aspirin bottles come with a big wad of cotton that you have to remove? It keeps losing items from rattling around and breaking.
Use cotton balls to protect small items while you travel. You can also use jumbo cotton balls for larger containers.
Protect Jewelry While Traveling
Spread cotton balls around jewelry and other small delicate items to cushion them against damage while traveling. You can later reuse these cotton balls to clean the jewelry after use.
Best Smelling Garbage On The Block
Even if we take out the garbage every day, the trash bin can still acquire an “interesting” scent over time. But, that’s an easy problem to solve!
Just drop a couple of cotton balls soaked in lemon or tea tree essential oil onto the bottom of the trash can, underneath the garbage bag.
It’ll help disinfect both the bin and the surrounding airspace all at the same time.
Separate Your Toes
Place a cotton ball between each toe to keep freshly painted nails from getting all caught up in each other’s business.
This is one of the simple but effective cotton balls uses to try out.
Help Seasonal Blooms Last Longer
Most of us would rather not have to deal with water retention, but it’s actually a good thing for daffodils and other hollow-stemmed flowers, like amaryllis and delphiniums.
When you first get the flowers, cut the stems at a 45-degree angle, then flip them over and fill with water. Next, plug the ends with a cotton ball, and place them into a vase filled with water.
They’ll stay fresh for much longer than they usually would.
Speaking of nature and nurturing, try scoring organic cotton balls as they don’t use pesticides or too much water while growing. The Earth will thank you later.
Battle Mildew
Sometimes it’s really hard to get rid of the mildew that collects in the corner walls of your shower. That’s an easy fix!
Soak some cotton balls in bleach, and then place them in the hard-to-reach areas of your bathroom. For the vertical caulking that also tends to collect mold, stretch out the cotton balls until it’s long and thin. When it’s soaked in bleach, it’ll stick to the wall.
Let it sit for a couple of hours, then rinse it with warm water when it’s done.
Clear Up Blemished Chrome Fixtures
Are the chrome fixtures in your kitchen or bathroom sporting some unsightly water mark stains?
Then try this: soak some cotton balls in a solution of equal parts water and vinegar, then place it on top of the stains for a few minutes. It’ll be clean and clear in no time!
Upgrade Your Carpet Freshener
Carpet fresheners are full of chemicals, and if you have kids or pets, that’s the last thing you want is for them to rub their noses into it.
The next time you vacuum the carpet, place a cotton ball soaked in your favorite essential oil inside the vacuum bag. It’ll add a subtle scent to your home while you do chores.
Sprout Seeds Indoors
Even if the weather is icky outside, you can still get a head start on your gardening project by taking it indoors with this DIY.
Cotton balls are the perfect medium for germinating seeds, and all you need to get started are some seeds, a few cotton balls, and a container for the seeds to sprout in.
Place a cotton ball that’s been moistened with water onto the bottom of a Ziploc bag, then place a couple of seeds on top of the cotton ball. Seal the bag and tape it to a window that gets lots of sunlight.
When it has sprouted, you can transplant the whole thing, cotton ball and all, into the soil!
Animal Stuffing
You can use cotton balls to patch up your doggy’s chewed-up toy. It also works for kids’ toys, too!
You can use colored cotton balls to help blend them into the toys if needed.
You can also paint with cotton balls, which is another fun activity for the kids!
Takeaway
So what are cotton balls used for? Well, a lot of things! Make sure to always stock up on organic cotton balls because you’ll never know when they’ll come in handy. Whether used for tinder, wick, plug, or filler, this versatile tool is truly helpful!
Source: The Purple Alphabet, Buzzfeed, American Fiber & Finishing