While your new fall wardrobe may never see an old wire hanger, you probably still have some hiding in the back of your closet. Most of my clothes are hung (when they are hung!) on wooden or plastic hangers. The back of my closet, and admittedly, the floor, still overflow with old wire ones. It's time to put them to use.
- Shoe hanger
Bend up each end of the hanger and it will nicely hold a pair of shoes. This is particularly useful for some of your nicer shoes that you don't want scuffed around on that hall closet floor. You'll need to allot them some closet space but it will keep them clean and organized.
- Go fishing
I'm not suggesting you use an old wire hanger as a fish hook! You can use it to make a net. Bend the hanger into a circle and stretch old pantyhose around it. The children can take this to look for little fish in a stream, or sift out seashells at the beach.
- Unlock car doors
While this is most successful on TV, it will still work on some older model cars. Stretch the hanger as long and straight as you can with a hook on the end. Reach down between the window and door until you feel the latch. Pull it up and you'll unlock the door.
If you've locked the keys in the car with the window slightly open you can use the hanger to fish them off the seat and bring them through the window.
- Unclog drains
Wire hangers are great for unclogging drains, both toilet and sink. You can go fishing around in the drain and try to remove the obstruction.
- Radio and TV antenna
I'm sure many college students are tinkering with their old TV, trying to get reception where it doesn't seem possible. Wire clothes hangers are great, and unlike regular antennas they can be manipulated in just the right way to optimize reception. Adding tinfoil will go a long way here too.
- Mobile
This could be a really fun project for an older sibling to make for the new baby. Use the hanger as your base and attach string and decorations. Colorful ribbons, or bells and seashells would work well. You might also like to hang pictures of family and friends from the mobile. I know you don't need me to say it, but I just can't help myself: Make sure you secure everything really well so baby doesn't choke.
- Bubble wand
This is another fun one for children. With your help the hanger can be bent into any shape and used as a bubble wand. Pour bubble soap into an old ice cream lid or other large shallow dish, dip the wand in and have fun.
- Hang your clothes
While it sounds like wire hangers are a thing of the past, there really isn't any harm in using them on most of your clothes. It may distort the shape of a delicate sweater, but if you're like me, there are far more T-shirts than pretty sweaters in the closet, and wire hangers will do just fine for those.
Those are just a few of the uses for wire hangers. I spared you the slingshot and modern art, but I have to leave something for the comments. Let me know what uses you've found for the old hangers kicking around your house.
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Reader comments (Page 3 of 3)
Someone should have told Joan Crawford. NO WIRE HANGERS EVER!
ReplyI use one to hang up paint brushes to dry... just cut it open below the hook... and slide the wet brushes on to dry.... hang over a bucket...sink...or even off a clothesline until dry...
ReplyI use wire coathangers to make candy wreaths. Shape the coathanger into a circle and close the hook into a tight loop. Tie individually wrapped candies to the coathanger until it is as full as you can make it. I like to use red and white starlight mints. Tie a small pair of scissors to the top loop with a length of narrow ribbon so the candies can be cut off.
ReplyHere is an idea where the wire hanger not only serves as a functional item but also for a decorating item.... When you are opening all of those Baby Shower or Wedding Shower gifts, collect the bows and ribbons and use an opened hanger to string the bows on... very attractive .. humm... wonder where mine ended up after 10 years of marriage and 2 kids.
Replyleaving the hook as is and making the body of the hanger round just tie with a knot and a bow any color yarn until the hanger is tightly full and intersperse with bows and then add glitter on some ,and christmas decorations or easter or any holiday with appropriate color yarn and you have a relly nice window wreath or door wreath.
ReplySince work uniforms come every week with new hangers I've had several ideas. My favorite is to grab the hanger at the neck & middle bottom & pull it like a bow & arrow & "snap" the 2 ends together so it looks like a flyswat with a hook. Straighten out the hook a little bit & you have the best back scratcher ever made in less than 30 seconds.Word of caution---very sharp!! When you get the hang of it you'll be impressed. Also untwist,straighten out & take care if that itch under your arm or leg cast--Still be careful of sharp edge or get a file & dull it up a little!
ReplyI have used hangers for many things. The best thing was for cooking hotdogs or marshmellows at a camp fire
Replyto replace hangers on the muffler of my car until i could get it replaced. the wire held real good and saved me the cost of a tow.
ReplyI use them for dying bras as they should not be put in dryer. Also use
Replythem for drying used plastic zippered food baqs; One great way to
dry handbags made of cloth.Your handbags contain millions of germs
from being on floors and dusty places.Use hangers after washing in a low fill from the washer. Men wear their suspender for "years", a great
way to sneak them out and wash and hang them on hangers.
ruhary@aol.com
Ruhary@aol.com
Hey Larry - You stole my comment - but seriously, if you do a bit of soldering as well, try this. coil a length of hanger wire around the tip of a self-igniting propane torch & use it to position a short piece of small dia. copper tubing in the flame. crimp one end of the tubing to the wire (and closed) and leave the other end open. You now have a handy small solder pot that works wonders for soldering connections. I've been using this rig to solder connections on underground sprinkler systems for years!
ReplyThere are so many uses that a craftsman can find for this material - its a good idea to straighten out a few of them just to keep around the shop as needed
ReplyTHE HANGERS ARE GOOD FOR FISHING CLOTHES FROM BEHIND THE WASHER OR DRYER.BEND IT SO THE HOOK IS STRAIGHT.,
Replyi dont know how to do it, but a very old friend of mine (who has since passed on--here's to you Esther) crocheted around the wire, great for lingerie and thin straps..i still have them after 25 years.
ReplyAnyone have a big entertainment center that you can't reach behind? I have one, and with all those cords from the TV, DVD, stereo, etc., it's hard to reach the cords to plug them into the outlet. I use a straightened wire hanger, with the hook at the end, to pull the cords from the back of the entertainment unit to the outlet. Works well for me. I even took it with me when I moved, so I wouldn't have to dig up another hanger to make a new one. And I just store it behind the ent. center, so it's always handy whenever I need it.
ReplyAlso checkout http://www.wirehangerexchange.com it looks pretty cool.
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