Your racket may be gathering dust in the attic, but don’t throw away its partners in crime. Read on to learn smart, alternative uses for an old tennis ball.
Erase scuff marks
With a utility knife, cut a slit in a tennis ball and slip it over the end of an old broom handle. Rub the ball over scuff marks on your wood floors and watch them magically disappear.
The original TOH tip calls for cutting an X in the tennis ball rather than a single slit—this creates a snugger, more secure fit over the broom handle and gives you better control as you work the scuff marks off the floor.
Pro Tip: Brett Miller, a technical expert at the National Wood Flooring Association, cautions against using harsh cleaners on polyurethane-finished wood floors. Strong vinegar or baking soda solutions can degrade the finish—making a gentle approach like the tennis ball method an ideal first line of defense for surface scuffs.
Remove a broken light bulb
Cut a tennis ball in half. Carefully clear away any shards of broken glass. Place the open end of the tennis ball onto the light socket, and then twist it to remove the light bulb’s embedded stem.
While you have access to the empty socket, gently bend out the small metal tab at the bottom — if it’s been pressed flat, it may not make firm contact with the new bulb, which can cause flickering or premature burnout.
Protect little fingers
Cut one large and one small slit in a tennis ball. Place the large slit over the edge of a door and then stretch a piece of elastic through the small slit and around the door handles to keep the door from slamming closed on kid’s fingers.
Protect a padlock
Cut a slit in a tennis ball and slip it over an outdoor padlock to prevent water from getting into it and freezing.
Using a utility knife, cut a slit in a tennis ball and slip it over an outdoor padlock to prevent water from getting into it and freezing. The snug fit of the ball’s rubber creates a weatherproof shield that keeps moisture out of the lock mechanism all winter long.
Cushion the blow
Cut an X in a tennis ball. Push the head of a hammer into the opening in the tennis balls. One walls, wood, or other fragile materials where you may have left a scuff mark, use the hammer fitted with the tennis ball to cushion the blow.
Open a jar
Cut a tennis ball in half. Use the open end to grip and unscrew tight lids.
Install a parking guide
Staple a string to a tennis ball. Hang the tennis ball from the ceiling of your garage so that the ball touches the top left corner of the windshield when your car is properly parked. Now you’ll know how far to pull in each time you come home.
Make sure the string is anchored into solid structure above. Locate a ceiling joist by tapping on the ceiling and listening for a solid sound versus a hollow one, then drive your staple or screw eye directly into the joist so the ball stays put over time.
