Uses For Single Socks

By

Vaylmer

03/18/2012

With solid color ones you can make little sock dolls. First, stuff the foot and heel with batting. Next, tie it off at the leg of the sock and fold that part down to make a little hat. Lastly, draw or stitch on a face. They're cute, cheap, and great for little ones to hold.

By

Rowel.1

05/06/2011

As a 71 year old pensioner I always purchase 12 identical pairs of sock. I don't often find I have an odd sock!

By

villagecraftsmith

05/05/2011

I would not do the egg carton candles. That dryer lint is flammable. I made candles for many years and can tell you when you add flammable items to candle wax it can cause a spitting type action that could spit flames out of the container and cause fires.

As for the lone socks these are things I have done with them:

- fill it with rice to heat in the m/w and drape over a sore neck or shoulder
- slide it on your hand and use it for dusting, cleaning glass or blinds, etc
- add them to handles on exercise equipment for cushioning
- fill it tightly with polyfill to make a "ham"; a rounded item for pressing
- seams on sleeves and rounded areas

One clean white sock? slide a 3" styro ball into the toe, follow with a roll of TP. Now tie a bow between ball and TP, add a scrap of knit or fabric for a hat and a couple of black buttons down the TP - instant snowman for the bathroom.

I use them when I oil my hands. Once a month I cover my hands and feet with olive oil, cover them in old socks and head for bed. It makes them very soft.

By

fletc3her

05/04/2011

I always try to buy the same color socks so they always match. Or, you can make mismatched socks a fashion statement.

By

Rosemay

05/04/2011

You can also cut the bottom to the heel off and slide them over the bottle of oil to catch any drips. Also good for holding bandages in place and to keep them clean.

By

CaterpillarWings

06/28/2010

Let the kids have 'crazy sock' days were they wear mismatched socks. You could do it on the weekends.
Not much help.
I wonder, I looked up how to make fire starters the other day and saw that people stuff dryer lint in the paper egg cartons, cut them apart, tie them with some string and dip them in melted wax. I wonder if you could stuff small socks and the bigger ones could be cut in half or thirds, etc, baste and tie up the ends and dip them in wax. Does burning clothing give off harmful fumes? Hmmm....

Melissa

By

ladyblue

05/28/2010

I use single socks to dust and clean glass mirrors with. And I let the kids put on old socks and skate around the floors after I wax them and the wax dries it's a
great way to bluff the floor.

Uses For Single Socks

I have a zillion socks that have NO mates. I hate to throw things out and have been wondering if anyone out there can give me some ideas on how to recycle them into useful items or gifts or whatever! No hand puppets though, already did that. Thanks in advance!

Linda from Lower Adirondacks in NYS

---

RE: Uses For Single Socks

Just today, I was on my pc having a webcam chat with my sister who was cleaning/organizing her room. She showed me a basket full of single socks that she was going to throw away as she knew not what to do with them as well, and I gave her a few of ideas. I told her that I save things like that to fill pillows, or I stuff smaller socks into a bigger sock and knot on the end, it makes a good neck pillow. Filling a sock with uncooked rice and knotting the sock end is great for relaxation therapy by placing the filled sock into the microwave for 20-30 seconds and placing it onto tired muscles. Another relaxation therapy tool is taking an empty air freshener can and placing it into several pairs of socks, it makes an excellent massager to roll under your feet while sitting at your pc. I have one under my feet right now. You can also save your single socks to wear during the winter weather as a first layer of socks if you want to wear 2 pair for extra warmth. Since they are under a matching pair, no one will see that they have no match. Hope this all helps (07/22/2008)

By sbb1

RE: Uses For Single Socks

You can make a "fetch" toy for a dog by stuffing several socks into one and knotting the end. Old socks make good "stuffing" for pillows and toys. And there's the old standby....Dust rags. (07/22/2008)

By MartyD

RE: Uses For Single Socks

You can put your hand inside the sock and use it as a dust cloth. (07/22/2008)

By Harry

RE: Uses For Single Socks

We have a teething puppy who adores our leftover socks! They're great for tugging and chewing. I just tie a knot on either end (if it's a long one) or in the middle (if it's an ankle length) and let him at them. My husband was raised to dust with them, but that just makes me feel weird. Maybe because our old socks do NOT look like they would make anything they touch clean. I think that makes them even tastier to the dog. (07/22/2008)

By Beth - MA

RE: Uses For Single Socks

My cat loves 'em stuffed with catnip! Just stuff and tie a knot at the top. (07/22/2008)

By cubangirl

RE: Uses For Single Socks

My husband and I made the absolutely cutest and crazy sock monsters for our daughters for Christmas (19 and 15) they were crazy excited about them. We even attached little adoption tags with a story about where they live and what they like to eat and evey gave each girl a bag of the "candy" their sock monster would eat (our daughters fav candies). Lots of fun and really cute. We did purchase the book at barnes and nobles. Check it out. we used childrens socks from the dollar tree store. pretty neat (07/22/2008)

By Jeanne

RE: Uses For Single Socks

I use my single socks for dusting and cleaning.

I also use them in our motorhome to keep glasses and cups safe from breaking during travel. I cut the foot off of the cuff and used the cuff part as a sleeve around the glasses and cups. They can be packed into the cupboard next to each other without clanking and cracking. (07/22/2008)

By RVGypsyJJ

RE: Uses For Single Socks

I use mine on my swiffer instead of buying the dry replacement pads (07/23/2008)

By imaqt1962

RE: Uses For Single Socks

if your socks are longer ones you can use them to tie up vining plants in the garden, like tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. Sometimes I'll cut the length of the sock on both sides down to the toes and then leave the toe uncut to make the length of the strip longer. I use nylon hose in the garden all the time. Little girls can cut them up to dress their dolls. My mother used to hide her valuables inside of an old left over sock in her sewing box. (07/23/2008)

By suzin

RE: Uses For Single Socks

I use old socks as brushes for cats. I put the sock on my hand and just rub the purring cats. I also use them either on my foot or hand to dust in difficult to reach spots. It is quicker and lighter than setting up the vacuum cleaner and also very efficient. (07/23/2008)

By Ginelou

RE: Uses For Single Socks

turn them into potholders. Zig (07/23/2008)

By Ziggee

RE: Uses For Single Socks

Check with your local elementary school to see if any teachers could use them for as erasers for white boards/dry erase boards. I have done this for several years and our teachers were most appreciative. (07/23/2008)

By kimbers867

RE: Uses For Single Socks

I always keep a half full bottle of water in the freezer so I can fill it up it Iwant to take a bottle of water with me. The ice cools the water as it melts. This causes moisture on outside of bottle, so I put it in a sock. Roll sock down to size of bottle. (07/23/2008)

By WIsgal

RE: Uses For Single Socks

Have you ever heard about a rice sock? Rice Socks are great things to have on hand when you have aches and pains. Fill the sock about half-full of plain raw rice.( do not use instant rice ) Sew the end shut. Heat the rice Sock in the microwave up to two minutes.

Drape the heated sock around your neck, or an elbow, or knee; just where ever the aches and pains are. Some people use dried pinto beans, or the dried corn that is fed to ducks, chickens, and birds. Either of these work well. The rice is smaller and drapes easier. But the corn holds the heat longer.

These are often sold at craft fairs. Folks fill the sock, sew the end shut, and then make a "sleeve" of fabric. Flannel is good to cover the old sock. Some of those old socks don't look too pretty, but can be recycled for this very easily. Have Fun (07/23/2008)

By Barb in Tennessee

RE: Uses For Single Socks

Stuff them, sew them together end-to-end, then wind them into an oval and stitch together into a pet bed. You can make it any size you need. (07/24/2008)

By susanmajp

RE: Uses For Single Socks

I also make cat toys by adding crinkly cellophane paper and just a little catnip to mine. Cats really like the crackly noise. I also keep a small basket of them in the laundry room. If I forget to take something out of the dryer and it gets too wrinkly, I dampen 2 or 3 socks and add them to dryer and run it for 5 or 10 minutes. They give just enough moisture to unwrinkle my item for me. I have also stuffed them with a mixture of rice and foam peanuts and sewn two long gym type socks together in the middle to make door and window draft stoppers. I use old flannel shirt material to make sleeves to go over them so they look nicer and can even be given as gifts! (07/24/2008)

By katklaw777

RE: Uses For Single Socks

Some socks' tops make really good pony tail elastics when cut off. Or cut off the ankle part and sew beads, sequins, buttons, etc. on to make a pretty cuff style bracelet. (07/24/2008)

By tardev

RE: Uses For Single Socks

My children like to have bean bags to play with, so we cut the foot part off, sew one end, fill with beans or rice, sew up the end. We have a bean bag. Depending on the size of bean bag you want-cut the sock the size you want. also for the smaller sock, I cut the cuff part off, sew a little lace on and you have a dress for a small doll. I uses a sock to help keep my hand for getting cold by my iced water bottle, the bottle slip right into the sock. dusting is made easier for the kids, they put a sock on they hand and away they go. They enjoy dusting with a sock on they hand. I find if I hide my money in a sock no one can find it. The list is endless of what to do with the sock the washing machine forgets to eat. (07/24/2008)

By Rose.

RE: Uses For Single Socks

We keep a bag of them in the house and out in the garage for those dirty jobs or nasty spills--wipe it up and throw the sock away. I always have a damp one tied to my ladder when painting--I rinse it out and reuse it until the job is done. Many charities would be glad to have them too because they get paid by the pound for clothing that is unusable. Pat V (07/25/2008)

By Mommapatty

RE: Uses For Single Socks

I cut the foot off and glue to aluminum cans to make pen/pencil holders as desk accessories. (07/26/2008)

By Mere

RE: Uses For Single Socks

We have a baby chihuahua and as babies they don't fit in much of anything as far as doggy attire. For chihuahuas it is not all about making them look cute. They are short haired, small and cold blooded. After purchasing several extra small puppy clothes that she was far to small to fit into. I finally came up with a plan, I took old tube socks which had gotten small holes in the toe area. Cut the toe area off completely. This portion of the sock will be the bottom of the shirt, measure your puppy from neck to the back of the front arms. Measure your tube sock from the ribbed ankle portion down towards the toe and mark the measurement you got while measuring the puppy.

Cut a hole on both sides of the socks where you marked the measurement these holes will be the openings for your puppy's front legs. Now slip over the puppy's head, place front paws threw the holes and your puppy has a sweater that fits and will keep him warm! You can dress the sock up if you like, with fabric paints. (08/04/2008)

By GROSJACQUES1

RE: Uses For Single Socks

Put on rubber glove with a sock over and use to apply paste wax to car, polish silver, apply shoe polish, furniture polish, etc. (08/05/2008)

By Fran.

---

Uses For Single Socks

A couple more uses for those single socks. Cut the cuff section plus 3 inches or so and slip it cuff end up over the top of dish detergent bottles. Keeps wet hands from dropping the bottle and catches drips. Just throw it in the wash now and then.

Another use has served me well with all the time on the computer the skin on my wrist has gotten very sore. I cut the cuff plus the heel off, then cut a hole for my thumb out of the heel, slipped it over my thumb cuff first and wrist and viola no more sore wrist.

I also use the toe end for a cozie on bottles or cans. My sister even sewed lace to the top of a black sock.

For years I have put that last small bit of bath soap in the toe end of a sock, now I am using both ends.

Source: Necessity is the mother of all inventions someone said!

By Ann from Loup City, NE

---

RE: Uses For Single Socks

They also made great rags to stick your hand in and wash your vehicles, use when filling your gas tank (throw it away or keep it for next time, wash and reuse it). Storing winter onions in, just hang from a nail and drop in the onions. Sock puppets are super fun to make with the kids. Mittens in an emergency box in the trunk of your car. Storing marbles or other small toys and extension cords. (12/13/2009)

By latrtatr

RE: Uses For Single Socks

Really good ideas! However, personally I would not use around a dish soap bottle. The thought of having just washed poultry or fish then picking the bottle up to wash my hands and possible bacteria growing on the fabric before the next hand washing kind of creeps me out :-( The thought of even picking up the bottle at all bothered me enough a long time ago that I use a pump dispenser and use my wrist to dispense the soap. (12/13/2009)

By Deeli

RE: Uses For Single Socks

All 3 of you have some wonderful ideas! Thank you all for sharing them and have a very Merry CHRISTmas! God Bless, Sheila in Springfield, IL (12/13/2009)

By GrammySheila