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Slice Soft Foods
Unwaxed dental floss can effortlessly cut through soft cheeses, cheesecakes, jelly rolls, and other delicate treats. Simply grab a long piece of floss, hold it across the food item, and press down firmly on both sides to get a smooth slice.
Cut Hard-Boiled Eggs
Use unwaxed dental floss to cut hard-boiled eggs into thin slices. You’ll wind up with picture-perfect pieces for salads or hors d’oeuvres.
Make a Popcorn Garland
To create homemade holiday decor, first thread a needle through a long strand of waxed dental floss. Use the needle to puncture popcorn or cranberries and slide them along the makeshift string. Your simple, festive garland will be infused with the romance of Christmases past.
Related: 12 Christmas Tree Decorating Fails
Hang Delicate Ornaments
Did you lose or break an ornament hanger while trimming the tree? For a quick solution, thread floss through the metal eye on top of the ornament, then tie a loop to create a sturdy support.
Mount Photos
Redecorating your living space? Rely on a few strands of dental floss to mount photographs, mirrors, or other small objects. Unlike traditional picture-hanging wire, it won’t scratch your walls!
Protect Precious Memories
Old-school sticky photo albums preserve precious memories, but your pictures can be tough to remove from the pages, or they can get stuck in the wrong place. For fast removal without the risk of tears, gently slide waxed dental floss underneath each photograph.
Related: 8 Clever Ways to Use Post-It Notes
Replace Kitchen Twine
Unwaxed dental floss can be used in place of twine in your kitchen, and it’s perfect for trussing up your stuffed pork roast, brasciole, chicken, or turkey.
Tie Up Seedlings and Vines
Stash a pack of dental floss in with your gardening supplies. It’s the perfect tool for tying up delicate seedlings and climbing plants, such as tomatoes, morning glories, clematis, climbing roses, and honeysuckle.
Make a Trellis
Make a trellis for your garden by tying lengths of waxed dental floss between stakes. You’ll get the perfect scaffold for climbing vegetables like cucumbers, beans, squash, and peas.
Silence Dripping Faucets
Nothing is more annoying than the steady “drip, drip, drip” of a leaky faucet, especially when you’re trying to sleep. Rather than tossing and turning all night, tie a length of dental floss around the spout of the faucet, and trail the end of the floss down into the drain. The water will trickle down the floss, eliminating the dripping and giving you a good night’s sleep. Then, when you wake up well rested the next morning, you can tackle that leaky faucet!
Fix Squeaky Floorboards
Seasonal changes in temperature and humidity make wood expand and contract, resulting in annoyingly squeaky floorboards. For a quick fix, soak a section of dental floss in wood glue, then gently slide it into the gaps between the squeaky boards. Once the glue dries, snip off the ends of the floss so the strand lies flush with the floor.
Related: 8 Ways to Stop Hating Your Floor—Without Replacing It
Repair Clothing
Thanks to the strength of dental floss, it can be used in place of thread to repair small tears in clothing, hem a pair of pants, or replace a button. Floss can also serve as a substitute for a broken shoelace, or as an in-a-pinch zipper pull.
Temporarily Fix Eyeglasses
Dental floss can temporarily repair a broken pair of eyeglasses. If you lose the small screw that holds your glasses together, thread a piece of floss through the holes and tie it in a knot, trimming off any excess. The floss should hold until you get a replacement screw.
Freshen Up
Who knew a trip to the dentist could leave you with helpful household supplies? Like dental floss, toothpaste is surprisingly handy as a cleaning product.