Most of us have a box or a pack of cotton swabs at home. We use it to clean our ears, but not everyone agrees with this practice. Some people say that using cotton swaps may further damage your ears, but most people still use them, with caution, of course. But what are cotton swabs used for aside from cleaning ears?
This tiny stick with a piece of cotton has so many uses, in fact, we have gathered 20 uses for your cotton swabs.
Clean kitchen molding
Wiping down your kitchen cabinets doesn’t always get them clean. Make sure to clean every nook by using a cotton swab.
What are cotton swabs used for: Use them to apply stain to woodwork
Most people use a paintbrush to stain woodwork. However, paintbrushes aren’t always ideal for details like swirls or creases.
Try using a cotton swab to apply or remove excess stains from this area. You can also use this method to stain over chips and imperfections in the wood. You’ll see how q-tips cotton swabs can make a difference.
Apply skin ointment
Some ointments can be over-drying to your skin. Medications, such as wart creams or acne treatments tend to dry your skin.
To avoid drying out your surrounding skin, use a q-tip to apply the medication to an isolated area.
Portable eye shadow
This hack is genius for when you don’t want to carry a full eye shadow pallet around with you. Just dip the cotton swab in some eye shadow and place it in a plastic baggie.
You can use the cotton swab to reapply when you need to. If you have heard of reusable cotton swabs, then this could work just as well.
Clean small electronics
Is your remote control filthy? Don’t worry, you can easily clean it.
Just soak a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and use it to clean in between the buttons on your remote. You can use this method for your keyboard, computer, phone, and tablet.
Calm puffy eyes
This is a great trick to soothe puffy eyes. Get those large cotton swabs and run them under some water then dip them in some eye cream.
Toss it in a plastic bag and put it in the freezer overnight. Roll it under your eyes to reduce swelling. Add this to your beauty regimen.
Light a short wick
Is the wick on your candle low? Don’t burn yourself!
Get a cotton swab and dip it in alcohol. Ignite it and carefully light your candle wick. It’s that easy!
Fix battery contacts
Is your remote control or laptop not working right? Is the battery dying too quickly?
There’s a quick solution to that. Just wipe the battery contact with a cotton swab and some alcohol to clean it. This will help restore the battery’s contact with the device and should make it normal.
Clean your hair dryer
Lint buildup in the back of your dryer can break it. It can block the airflow, make it work less efficiently, and cause a fire hazard.
Don’t worry because you can use a cotton swab to clean that entire gunk out.
Smooth out foundation
Makeup foundation can get stuck in our fine lines and wrinkles. Yikes! That’s not the glow-up that we want.
It makes those imperfections more noticeable. Use cotton swabs that have been dipped in moisturizer to smooth this area out.
Free a stuck zipper
Is your zipper stuck? Get a cotton swab and dip it in shampoo, oil, or petroleum jelly and smooth it over your zipper. Wiggle the zipper a bit to loosen it so it becomes free.
Get crafty
Have you ever wondered why are they called q tips? Here is a fun fact!
The “Q” in q-tips actually stands for the word quality. The tips are cotton swab tips.
Now that you know the history, try using cotton swabs as a tool for your craft time. Need to paint some polka dots? Use a cotton swab!
Keep eyebrows in place
Are your eyebrows looking crazy? Don’t worry; you can use q-tips or a reusable cotton swab to tame your unruly brows.
Just dip it in some petroleum jelly and run it over those unruly brows.
Make perfume wands
Have you heard about perfume wands? Stay smelling great while you’re on the go. Just soak some cotton swabs in some perfume and put them in a plastic bag.
Run them over your wrists or neck when you want to freshen up.
Painting for kids
Kids make a mess when they paint. Sometimes toddlers are too small to hold paintbrushes. Here is a mommy hack that will help you. Let them use cotton swabs instead. Actually, adults can do this too.
Portable aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is great to help us relax and keep calm. Dip some q-tips in lavender or your favorite essential oils and put them in plastic bags.
If you need a little whiff, just get one. Easy to pack and a must in your bag!
Fix a manicure
Did you attempt to give yourself a manicure? Did you make a mess? Use a cotton tipped applicator and nail polish remover to clean it up.
Car detailing
Use a cotton swab to detail your car. We’re not kidding, it works great!
Spray it with some interior cleaner first. Then use it to wipe down hard-to-reach places like vents, gear shifts, and buttons.
Clean jewelry
Sometimes putting your jewelry in cleaner doesn’t do the job. Did you know that a q-tip can help you?
If you need to scrub your jewelry, q-tips are great for wiping your clean jewelry down.
Glue stuff
Using glue can be really annoying if you’re not careful. You can get glue your fingers together or suffer that annoying sensation of having glue stuck to your skin.
Instead of your bare hands, use a cotton swab to apply glue and avoid this.
Takeaway
Now that we know the answer to the question of what are cotton swabs used for, you’ll never want to run out of stock.
From manicures, and jewelry cleaning, to arts and crafts, you’ll definitely enjoy using them!