What to Do With Old Socks? Household Uses and More

Knowing what to do with old socks is an important way of promoting green living. Follow this guide on sustainable uses for old socks and join all those looking to reduce their environmental impact, one sock at a time.

1. Use Old Socks as Cleaning, Wiping and Polishing Rags

Using old socks for cleaning is particularly useful when you need to get into small cracks or under appliances and furniture. Simply slip your hand into the sock and wipe away.

They also work wonders on cleaning glass and mirrors. Try coupling your old sock cleaning rag with our own easy DIY cleaning solution to make your household cleaning regime as sustainable as possible.

2. Old Socks as Delicate Washing Protectors

Save yourself the money and hassle of buying a delicates bag for your precious pieces and use an old sock instead. 

3. Old Socks as Shoe Protectors While Painting

Arts and crafts with the kids? You can use your old socks to help keep things neat. Simply slip an old sock over each of your shoes to protect them from any splattering. 

Looking for sustainable art projects? Try making this non-toxic homemade finger paint or your own potato prints. 

4. What To Do With Old Socks: Make Door Snakes

Keep your house warmer this winter and save on heating by keeping the cold air out. Fill long socks with rice and use them as door snakes to keep out drafts. 

5. Protect Your Valuables while Traveling

Old socks are great for wrapping around valuable and delicate items when traveling. Cameras, camera lenses, perfume bottles, and watches can all be wrapped in old socks to stop them from getting damaged. 

6. Bird Feeder Made from Old Socks

The prices for bird feeders can be shocking, as feeders become fancier and fancier and intricately designed. But who says a bird feeder needs to be complicated? Just fill an old, thinning sock with bird feed and seeds and hang it in the garden and enjoy endless birdwatching sessions. 

Feed your feathered friends with our recipe for homemade suet, and watch as the birds keep coming back for more.  

7. Old Sock Potpourri Bags

Fill a clean old sock with potpourri and tie it with a ribbon. Throw it in your cupboards or closets to enjoy fresh-smelling clothes and underwear.  

Read on: All Beauty Fades? How to Preserve and Dry Roses

8. Old Sock Whiteboard Eraser

No need to spend unnecessary money on whiteboard erasers. Or worse yet, single-use paper towels. An old sock will do just as well to wipe away writing and sketches from a whiteboard. 

Why You Should Avoid Throwing Your Old Socks Out

Figuring out what to do with your old socks instead of throwing them away is one small step you can take to help reduce the massive amount of waste that humans produce each year, and it doesn’t have to stop there. To do even more to help protect the environment, check out our guide for figuring out what to do with old clothes. 

Textile production and manufacturing are hugely damaging to the environment and to people. Socks are most often made from a polyester and cotton blend. Polyester is made from crude oil, while cotton production requires vast amounts of water and pesticides to produce. 

To make things worse, socks release methane gas into the air as they decompose and seep microplastics and chemicals into the environment.

By reusing and repurposing old socks, you can help break the chain of fast fashion and contribute to a greener, healthier planet. 

Read more:

• Visible Mending: Giving New Life to Old Clothes 
• What Causes Holes in Old Clothes – And How to Fix Them
• 12 Vegan Clothing Brands That Are Also Eco-Friendly

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Tags: Clothing Green Living Guide