10 Rubber Band Lifehacks Everyone Should Know

What do we use rubber bands for? Of course, we've used them for rolling up posters, bunching pencils together, banding wads of cash, and maybe even creating a tie-dye t-shirt. But what are some real ways to put rubber bands to use?

From measuring your water intake to helping you open that temperamental jar, these rubber band lifehacks have got you covered.

We've all been there at one point or another: a jar you need has been closed shut just one degree too tight. Instead of struggling to get the bottle of nail polish or jelly jar open, you can use the first of our rubber band lifehacks.

By wrapping the rubber band around any lid that may be giving you some trouble, you will provide yourself with the needed extra grip to pop it open. A simple lifehack, but one you won't forget, this tip is well worth the time saved struggling with a temperamental lid.

Drink Saver

Having friends over is always fun, but when everyone decides to drink the same bottled beer, things can become a bit confusing. To erase this confusion, and avoid the use of 15 different colored koozies, use one of the best rubber band lifehacks instead.

Picking a colored rubber band for each of your party guests is easy. And for the rest of the festivities, each of your friends will automatically know which beer is theirs. If you don't have colored bands, just assign a person with a certain number of bands to slip over their beer, especially if there are only a few of you celebrating.

While painting your room, you might find that there isn't anything you can do to remove the excess paint from your brush. Before even getting started with your paint job, strap a rubber band or two around the can so the bands are stretched across the middle of the opening.

Now, when you go to remove some paint, you have a place to wipe your brush, removing some of the unneeded paint, and returning it right back into the can. A great way to conserve your paint and simply make this task easier, this tip is a must-do for any painters.

Soap Limiter

A simple eco-friendly lifehack, this trick takes the cake as the most environmentally-conscious on this list. Adding a rubber band to your soap dispenser is a great hack to stop using an unnecessary amount of soap. It might not be something you ever think of, but the soap you are pumping out each day is usually excessive. Adding a thin rubber band about an inch under the nozzle on your soap dispenser will stop you and anyone who uses your sink from using too much product.

You'd be surprised how long you can make a hand soap last. And with this simple tip, what's one second of adding a rubber band as opposed to having to run to the store for yet another bottle of soap?

French Manicurist

We have to admit, this one is a bit obscure; who knew that a rubber band could be your next nail tech? Placing a rubber band on your finger will allow you to protect the part of your nail that you do not wish to paint on a french tip.

An interesting way to perfect your nail painting technique, it never hurts to try new options, especially when it comes to nail art; there are endless opportunities to try unique techniques and create designs. Starting with a basic such as a french manicure is a great place to begin—you can even DIY your own acrylic nails at home, and then use this hack for a straight-from-the-salon manicure!

Bookmark

Maybe you've already thought of this one, one of the best rubber band lifehacks is using a rubber band to keep your place in your book. Instead of using something that can easily fall out of your book and lose your page, a rubber band is guaranteed to never lose your spot.

We personally believe this is one of the best ways to use a rubber band, because it's simple, easy, and will actually do what it's meant to each time. This trick can also work on books that you have a hard time closing, like those with a soft cover. This will force the book to a close, and allow the cover to sit correctly closed even without the rubber band after some time.

Lock Block

If you have a door in your house that you like to keep open, but the wind constantly shuts, we've got a unique hack for you. Looping a rubber band around the handles of your door will block the lock and prevent the door from shutting loudly or latching altogether. Simple to do and simple to remove, this hack can be used any time you please.

This can also be helpful for teachers who keep their door open, or just for doors in the family room or mudroom to provide an open layout in your home. It can also help new parents from shutting their children out of their room or, even better, it can prevent you from getting locked out of your room.

Hanger Aid

There's not much that is more frustrating than slippery hangers. Instead of replacing all of your hangers with felt ones, you can add rubber bands to the ones you want to hang on to (no pun intended).

As one of the most practical rubber band lifehacks, simply rap a rubber band to the ends of your hanger, this way it will prevent any slippery clothing from sliding off each time you move the hanger. This doesn't have to be added to all of your hangers—just the ones you dedicate to your robes, skinny tank tops, and silky dresses.

Packing Assistant

If you are in desperate need of packing hacks that will allow you some extra room in your suitcase, rubber bands have got you covered. A productive way to put your rubber bands to use, we're going to include two lifehacks in one. The first has nothing to do with the rubber band. A great packing hack is to always roll your clothing, even your underwear!

Rolling each of your t-shirts into a compact tube-like shape will make a ton of room, but what about when they start to expand once you've packed everything away? That's where the rubber bands come in handy. For a great tool to ensure your clothing is as firmly packed into your luggage as possible, simply wrap a band around your clothing bundles.

Water Measurement

Last but not least of our rubber band lifehacks is perfect for the health-conscious person. Another simple lifehack, much like the beer bottle tip, using a rubber band to mark your water intake is a healthy way to use these versatile products.

An innovative way to motivate yourself to drink more water, you can add rubber band trackers to your water bottles to mark your goals for the day. The closest rubber band to the top will visualize the first mark you should meet by nine in the morning, and so on. This way, by the end of the day, you will be able to say you have drank your necessary two liters of water. Yes, that's half a gallon.