Floss is very durable—it has to be to slide between teeth without breaking. That also makes it useful in other situations, making floss an extremely versatile tool to have around the house. Keep reading for some creative ways to use floss in your day-to-day life.

Cleaning

Its most basic function is to clean between tight spaces, & in that, floss excels. Beyond the spaces between teeth, think keys on your keyboard, gaps between counters & appliances in your kitchen, & even tools & equipment. Sliding floss under photographs stuck in a photo book will release them with no damage.

Sewing

Similar to sewing thread, floss can be used to sew buttons & repair heavy materials, like laundry bags, tent windows & playpens. If you’re ever caught without thread but have your backup floss handy, you’re all set!

Decorating

A lot of decorating involves hanging items: picture frames, ornaments, wind chimes, garlands & more. Using floss instead of wires can save your walls from damage from rust, while mint floss in a festive garland or regular floss in a popcorn garland is virtually invisible.

Gardening

Keep your floss in your pocket when you go out to work on your garden. The strength of floss makes it great in trellises for your climbing vegetables, or for tying up vines or securing slings for gravity-defying vegetables. Similarly, braid some floss to strengthen it up & use it as a makeshift clothesline!

Repairs

Though repairs using floss might not be long-lasting, they work in a pinch until you can facilitate a real fix. Leaking faucets can be sealed with floss if you don’t have proper sealing on hand. If a necklace or bracelet breaks, floss can keep all the pieces together & even allow you to keep wearing it if you’d like.

Cooking

Keep a roll of unwaxed floss in the kitchen & you’ll have a versatile tool. Use it in place of twine to tie up rolled meats or bird legs. You can even cut food with floss, from cutting a cake horizontally to create layers to dividing a ready-to-eat cake or a ready-to-bake roll of cinnamon rolls or cookies into perfectly even pieces.

This list only scratches the surface. Get creative, & make sure to have plenty of floss on hand!