Why You Should Never Throw Out an Old Garden Hose
When your old garden hose springs a leak or two, don't throw it out! Here are five clever ways to put it to work all around the house.
Make a snake decoy to scare birds
If flocks of annoying, messy birds are making a mess of your pool (or stealing berries from backyard plot!), try replicating their natural predator to keep them away. Cut a short length of hose, lay it on the grass—poised like a snake—and the birds will steer clear.
Stabilize a tree
A short length of old garden hose is a good way to tie a young tree to its stake. You’ll find the hose is flexible enough to bend when the tree does, but at the same time, it’s strong enough to keep the tree tied to its stake until it can stand on its own. Also, the hose will not damage the bark of a young tree as it grows.
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Cover swing set chains
To avoid kids getting hurt on a backyard swing, put a length of old hose over each chain. This will prevent little hands from getting pinched on the swing chain. If you have access to one end of the chains, just slip the chain through the hose. Otherwise, slit the hose down the middle and slip it over the swing-set chains. Close the slit hose with a few wraps of duct tape.
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Protect your ice-skate blades (and handsaws!)
Keep your handsaw sharp and safe by protecting it with a length of garden hose. Just cut a piece of hose to the length you need, slit it along its length and slip it over the teeth. This is also a good way to protect the blades of your ice skates. You can even try this technique on your kitchen knives when you pack them for a camping trip.
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Make a paint-can grip
You don’t want a heavy paint can to slip and spill. Plus, those thin wire handles can really cut into your hand. Get a better grip by cutting a short length of hose, slitting it down the middle, then encasing the paint-can handle.
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