Pool noodles aren’t just for lazy days spent at the pool anymore. In case you don’t know what a pool noodle is, they are a soft and flexible polyethylene foam tube. They are generally hollow in the middle and can be used in many different applications. Today, I, Mark Roemer, will think outside the box and share with you a few different ways you can use your pool noodle for something other than summer days at the community pool.

Planter Filler

Usually, when people are potting their plants, they place a small number of rocks at the bottom. Doing this is essential to keeping your plants and flowers healthy. Too much water at the bottom of your plants and flowers will eventually cause root rot and kill off your plants.

Potting rocks can be quite expensive. If you happen to live in an area with many stones around, you could always use those. As most people don’t like to have extra rocks just lying around, they are forced to buy rocks. Potting stones can be purchased at most nurseries and even hardware stores. The price tag for these rocks is about six bucks. Why not save yourself a little money and buy a pool noodle instead? A pool noodle will only set you back about two dollars and will do the same job.

The main goal of placing something at the bottom of your pots is to provide air pockets for the water to drain while simultaneously keeping your roots from sitting in extra moisture. All you need to do is take your pool noodle and cut it into pieces. I think this is a better way than rocks. The air pockets are more extensive and will allow more water to escape if you happen to overwater your plants or flowers.

Kneeling Pad

No matter if you are gardening, cleaning the floors in your house, or working on your car in the garage, there will come a time you will have to kneel for an extended period. Kneeling on hard surfaces for a long time begins to take its toll on your joints.

Instead of forking out up to sixty-five dollars for a kneeling pad (made from roughly the same material by the way), you could cut a pool noodle into sections and use that instead. All you need to do is measure your pool noodle and cut it into three or four equal quarters. Then, using string or glue, you can fashion them together to make an excellent kneeling pad.

I came up with this idea this summer when I went to my local garden supply shop and saw the astronomical prices they asked for a small piece of polyethylene. Not wanting to spend that much money for something so small, I decided to figure out how I could get the same thing done for less. I tried several different ways before I landed on pool noodles. The more I look around, the more uses I find for these wonder water toys.

Ergonomic Wrist Support

As a blogger, I spend countless hours sitting at my keyboard. After several hours, I find myself needing to take a break. My wrists hurt from typing or moving the mouse all the time. I looked at getting conventional wrist supports from the local computer store. I was amazed at the prices they wanted for them. Even looking at the low end of the spectrum, I was facing a bill of about fifty dollars. While a fifty-dollar price tag is certainly worth the money to save me from getting carpal tunnel syndrome, I just knew there had to be a better way.

Again, I turned to the pool noodle. To construct these cheap wrist supports, all you need to do is take the pool noodle and cut it to the desired length. When I made mine, I measured the area in front of my typing keys only. I rarely use the number keys, so that wasn’t important to me. I also cut a small three to four-inch portion that I could put by my mouse. Being round was not an option. Not only would it have elevated my wrists to an unnatural position, but it also wouldn’t be stable. I cut the pool noodle in half to give it a flat base and bring the height better in line with a standard wrist wrest you could get from the store. Using double-sided tape, I fixed my new wrist rests to the desk. Ever since I have not needed to take as many breaks. If anything, I have to take a break to use the restroom, make a meal, or give my eyes a rest. Now all I need to do is figure out how the pool noodle can fix those problems, and I will be set!

Corner Cushions

I am not sure how, but my kids always seem to find the corners of the coffee table and counter. After several injuries, I decided it was time to do something. I didn’t want to pay someone to come into my house and childproof the place. They end up costing hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars to do something I could easily find a solution for.

I looked at how thick the surfaces were and decided to use a pool noodle to round the corners. The way that I do it is I measure for inches on either side of the corner. I add an extra two inches so I can cut the pool noodle and bend it around the corner.

Since installing these, I have had very few accidents. When a new corner is found, I take out my tools and construct another corner cushion.

Conclusion

Since COVID-19, many people have found themselves out of a job. I, Mark Roemer, was looking for a solution that could help people trying to save money. When a pool noodle only costs about two dollars, it is the perfect replacement for several things. All you need to do is be a little creative, and you, too, can find replacements for expensive products. Pool noodles aren’t the only thing you can use in alternative ways. Take a look around, and you can save yourself a lot of money by inventing new uses for old products.