You may think pool noodles are not very useful. Sure, they float, they are colorful, and they can be toy weapons for the kids, but they don’t have much real utility value. Or do they? Here we have collected a number of cool new ways for pool noodles. From organization to preventing damage, pool noodles can do a lot more than you can imagine.

1. Protect Your Boots

When you first get a new pair of boots, they always look fantastic. It can be tough to store them because any boot that is taller than a work boot is going to flop over. To keep these boots in good shape, a clever hack is to cut a pool noodle into chunks that are just a bit taller than the boot and stuff them in.

2. Hang Your Fishing Poles

Fishing poles are an excellent example to use here because they are light and thin. You can also store items that are a bit heavier, like brooms and dustpans. Just cut a little hole in a pool noodle and attach it to the wall. The items should fit snugly in there, will still touch the ground, and will stand up. Pretty cool!

3. Stop Slamming The Door

Do you have a kid who likes to slam doors? Or maybe a little one who could hurt their hands by getting it slammed in a door? Well, here’s a clever solution. Attach a section of pool noodle to the door. This will keep the door from fully closing as well as stop the doors from slamming shut. In some circumstances, that’s a win-win!

4. Life-Sized Lincoln Logs

Cut some notches in brown pool noodles, and voila! You get a life-sized set of Lincoln Logs. The kids can build forts and houses with them. However, they will most likely just hit each other with them. That’s OK though, because pool noodles are soft and won’t leave a mark.

5. Lawn Chair Protector

Everyone likes taking a nap on the lawn chair, but they can get HOT in the summer. To prevent yourself from getting burnt on the armrests, you can wrap a piece of pool noodle around it. Problem solved!

6. Bathtime Fun

At about the age of 3, most kids start being stubborn about bathtime. The easiest way to get them into the bath is to make it enjoyable. Pool noodles surely can make bathtime more fun for them! Get some pool noodles, funnels, and waterproof tape, and you’ve got a perfect setup for a bath game. You kids will never want to get out!

7. Protect Your Wine

Many people like taking wine as a present while visiting friends, especially during the holidays. But wine bottles in the same bag are easy to clank, and possibly even break, leaving a huge stinky mess. Here is an easy solution: Take a large piece of pool noodle as a bumper and wrap it around the wine bottles. It would protect the bottles from getting damaged.

8. Stop Your Liftgate

Do you have a wagon or an SUV? Most garage ceilings are not high enough to support opening the back door of an SUV. If you try to open it, the chances are that you’ll get a nasty door ding. Putting a pool noodle on the garage door will cushion the liftgate and prevent scratches.

9. Organize Your Cables

Having a lot of random electrical cables around can be unsightly and dangerous. Here is a clever hack. Take a section of pool noodle, cut a slice through it, and wrap it around the cords. Now all the cables will be together, and the noodle is a good insulator too.

10. Make A Raft

A single pool noodle is not an excellent floatation device. However, if you get a bunch of them and string them together, they are much better. You need a PVC pipe as a base. Otherwise, the noodles will be too floppy to support anything.

11. Protecting Bed Legs

Well, that’s a trick we all are thankful for, huh? All you need to do is to wrap the pool noodles around the bed legs, which will surely protect them from being damaged.

12. Draft Dodger

Utility bills are much higher in the winter. It is a huge challenge to keep an area draft-free and keep the heat from costing you an arm and a leg. If you take a pool noodle, put some weight in the middle, and then prop it up under a door, it will help get rid of drafts. It’s not the prettiest solution, but it is effective!

13. Cut The Other Way

If you want to slit a pool noodle, DON’T use a serrated knife. Instead, slice it down the middle with a razor blade boxcutter. In this way you’ll get a nice clean cut with the grain. You don’t want a lot of extra foam flying around, so the razor blade needs to be as clean as you get.

14. An Actual Hack

We’ve shown you many different uses, but how do you actually “hack” a pool noodle? The best way to cut them into sections is by using a serrated kitchen knife. A knife made for bread or steak will do. The bigger and sharper the knife, the better. And remember to use a cutting surface!

15. Tie Back Your Curtains

If you have fabric curtains in your house, this can be a time saver. Attach a hook to the wall, and then attach a pool noodle piece to it. Use a nice spiral cut on the noodle and slip the curtains in. It’s much more secure and easy to use than the older hooked version, and it can also save a little wear on the curtains.

16. Mower Mute

Push mowers can be very damaging to your hands, because the vibrations can be sent directly through the engine to the pull bar. To dampen the vibrations, you can put a pool noodle on your mower handle.

17. Noodle Boats

This is an interesting idea for a windy day. Cut some pool noodles in half, put a stick in them, and challenge the kids to come up with the best boats. Then take them down to a river and have a race. This is educational and inexpensive!

18. Paint Brush Holders

Keeping your little brushes clean while trying to paint with watercolors can be difficult. And the dirtier the water gets, the tougher it is to keep them clean. A piece of pool noodle on the side of the water container will solve the problem! It’s also a great way to dry the brushes afterward. Just dump the water into the sink and leave the brushes on.

19. Droopy Drawers

When you open your kitchen drawer and find everything fling around, it really defeats the purpose of the kitchen organizer. Luckily, you can solve the problem with a piece of the pool noodle. Just stick it behind the organizer, and the drawer will never slip again!

20. Fishing Pole

Many parents like going fishing with their kids. And if you have a naughty kid, he/she may toss their pole into the water. Well, here is the solution. Attach a pool noodle piece to the pole so that it will not sink. Clever, huh?