Sandpaper can be found in most garages and workshops, but what else can it be used for besides sanding wood? You might be shocked to learn that it can be utilized for a variety of small tasks!
Make sure you don’t throw away yours. Now is the time to try some of these amazing sandpaper uses around the house.
1. Sharpen scissors
Are your scissors struggling? Blunt scissors can easily be brought back to life with the help of sandpaper. Simply cut into a sheet of fine-grain sandpaper a few times to bring them back to life.
2. Remove rust
Want to know how to remove rust? Rusty tools can be made shiny again in seconds. Just sand down any parts that show signs of rust. You might want to take care because coarser grains can scratch the metal’s finish.
3. Slippy shoes
Now, this is a great little wardrobe hack! Smart shoes can be treacherous on slippery floors. If yours could do with a little more grip, take a piece of coarse sandpaper and rub them on the bottom of the shoe to roughen up the surface.
4. Open jars
Some jars can get the better of us, but not when you’ve got some sandpaper lying around. You might have tried to open stuck lids with a tea towel, but sandpaper will give you a much better grip. Place the sandpaper over the lid and twist it off as normal.
5. Safer steps
Outdoor steps can get pretty dangerous in wet or icy conditions. Use some sandpaper to create a grip at the end of each step. It’ll also help the edge of the step to be much more visible.
6. Flowers in a flash
If you want to see faster results in your garden, rub down your seeds with sandpaper before planting. If you thin out the tough seed casing, the plant will be able to break through a lot faster.
7. Remove bobbles on clothing
You might have heard about using a razor to remove bobbles from clothes, but did you know that sandpaper works just as well? Use a fine-grit paper and carefully rub it over bobbles in a circular motion.
8. Stop cats from scratching your furniture
If your cat is scratching up the furniture, leave some sandpaper in those spots. They will hate the feel of the paper on their paws and they should learn not to dig their claws into those areas.
9. Clean up your grout
It doesn’t take much for grout to look a little bit on the dingy side. Stains from shampoos, dyes, and mould can get stuck to the surface. No amount of scrubbing and cleaning products will ever get it looking like new, but sandpaper might!
Fold a piece over so that you have a thin edge to work with. Rub the edge into the grout, being careful not to scratch the tiles in the process. The stains should dissolve away in no time.
10. Replacement emery board
No DIY manicure is complete without perfectly filing your nails first! If you don’t have a nail file, use fine-grit sandpaper to achieve the same results.
11. Sharpen needles
Sewing is much harder with a blunt needle. Poke your needles through a piece of sandpaper a few times until they’re good as new.
12. Freshen up suede
Have your favourite suede shoes got a few scuffs? There’s no need to go out and buy a new pair! Take a piece of fine sandpaper and gently buff away the scuffs. To bring the texture back, use an old (clean!) toothbrush or a nailbrush and rub over the spot in a circular motion.
13. Clean your headlights
Car cleaning isn’t easy at the best of times, but with this trick, it can be! If your headlights are looking dingy, take some specialist fine-grit sandpaper and get to work with help from the video above. Be sure to clean them thoroughly first for best results.
14. Remove burnt-on food
For those times when burnt on food just won’t budge, take a piece of sandpaper and rub until it is removed. Sandpaper may scratch some materials, so don’t try this on precious glassware or fine china!
15. Keep chopping boards cleaner
How many germs are lurking in the cracks and crevices on your chopping board? Get your chopping boards thoroughly clean by sanding it down before washing. You can also sand down your wooden spoons and utensils if you wish.
16. Dead skin
This may sound a little bit unusual, but sandpaper is effective for removing dry skin from your feet. Take fine-grit sandpaper and gently rub areas that require treatment. The tough skin will be gone in no time.
17. Deter slugs
There’s nothing worse than finding an army of slugs trying to attack your garden plants, but did you know that sandpaper makes a great deterrent? Cut rings larger than your plant pots and place at the base. You can also protect individual plants with miniature rings placed around the stems.