Think dental floss is only good for scraping plaque from between your teeth? Think again! There are more uses for dental floss than meet the eye. Most dental floss is made of either nylon or teflon, making it extremely strong. It rarely breaks, and its durability makes it the perfect tool for many different uses around the house.

Here’s a look at 10 clever uses for dental floss that you’ve never thought of.

Drying Clothes

If you ever have the need for creating a quick clothesline, super-strong dental floss is the perfect tool for the job. Sturdy enough to hold even wet clothes, all you need to do is string a strand of dental floss between two stationary objects, and you have a great alternative to drying clothes. This trick can be especially handy when you are traveling and do not have access to a washer and dryer.

Stringing Popcorn

Make your holiday dreams come true by threading a needle through a piece of dental floss and stringing up popcorn for the perfect holiday decor. It’s also a great string replacement for making cheerios necklaces with the kids.

Shoelace Replacement

Don’t let a broken shoelace stop you in your tracks. In the case of a broken lace, you can use dental floss to fill in until you are able to replace it. Dental floss is extremely durable so you will be able to count on it being up for the job.

Separating Photos

Old photos stored in a box or photo album are always prone to adhering themselves to the album pages or to other photos. To remove them without risking damage, just slide a piece of dental floss between the two pictures where they are attached. They should separate with ease with minimal-to-no damage.

Removing Hot Foods From a Tray

When you don’t have time to wait for something to cool from a hot baking sheet, you can use this floss trick to separate the food item from the sheet. Pull a piece of floss between the items and then gently slide them onto a serving plate.

Cutting Food

Floss works great in place of a knife in the kitchen for foods that would otherwise squish in the cutting process. Just slide the dental floss around whatever food you need to cut and pull softly to create a perfect slice. This trick works great on:

• Fruits
• Cheeses
• Cake
• Cheesecake
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Separating fish from skin
• Cinnamon rolls
• Bread

Starting a Fire

Wrap waxed dental floss around a dry stick or a bundle of kindling and then light the floss like a candle. The waxed floss will work as a perfect fire starter every time.

Sewing Kit

Whether you are in need of fixing a popped button, a hole in a bag, or any other on-the-fly job, dental floss is a must-have item in your travel sewing kit. Floss is much more durable than regular thread so it can be a great way to reinforce coat buttons or any other type of item that is susceptible to falling off. It’s also great for repairing torn screen doors or the mesh on a pack n’ play.

Cleaning Nooks & Crannies

The spaces between your teeth aren’t the only tight areas that floss is able to clean. Use floss the same way you would clean your teeth to easily remove dust and other particles that get caught in tight places. Just tie the ends of the string between your index fingers and eliminate any tiny particles wedged between things like keyboards and cracks.

Removing Stuck Jewelry

Ever felt the sheer panic that comes with a ring that won’t come off? Wrap waxed dental floss around your finger from the tip down to the ring. This allows you to reduce the size of your finger without cutting off the circulation while you then slide the ring over the floss.

Fishing Line

Floss can be used in place of a fishing line in a fishing rod if you find yourself in a pinch. Whether you’re using it for catching fish, or other helpful uses such as tying something together, dental floss is a great alternative if you don’t have any fishing line on hand.

Which Use Is Your Favorite?

Did you find a new use for your dental floss from our list? Let us know which ones were your favorite at your next dental exam with Hinsdale Dentistry.