6 Things to Do with Masking Tape

From Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary ThingsUpdated: Mar. 20, 2019

Commonly used to mask off areas when painting, masking tape is uncommonly versatile and comes in handy all over the house. Time to root through your junk drawer for that old roll that’s lurking near the back-we’ve got six clever new ways to put masking tape to work.

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1. Use Masking Tape to Label Foods and School Supplies

1. Label Foods and School Supplies

You don’t need to buy labels or a fancy machine that makes them. Use inexpensive masking tape instead to mark food containers, sandwich bags and freezer bags before putting them in the refrigerator or freezer. You can also use masking tape to mark kids’ lunchboxes, schoolbooks and supplies that tend to go missing.

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2. Use Masking Tape to Make a Road for Toy Cars

2. Make a Road for Toy Cars

Make a highway for those little toy cars that children love to play with. Just tape two strips of masking tape to a floor or tabletop. Add a little handmade cardboard stop sign or two and they’re off to the races! Carefully guiding a toy car along the taped roadway is more than just fun for small children; it also helps them improve their fine motor control, which is essential for skills they’ll need later on, such as writing.

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3. Reuse a Vacuum Cleaner Bag

Save money by using a vacuum cleaner bag twice. When the bag is full, don’t empty it the usual way through the hole in the front. Instead, take out the bag and cut a slit down the middle of the back. After you empty the bag, hold the edges together, fold them closed and seal them with masking tape. Your bag is ready to be used again! (Just take care not to overfill during the second use.)

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4. Hang Party Streamers

Use masking tape instead of transparent tape to put up streamers and balloons for your next party. The masking tape won’t leave a residue on the wall like transparent tape does. Remember to remove the masking tape within a day or two, otherwise it may take paint off the wall when it comes off.

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5. Use Masking Tape to Fix a Broken Umbrella

5. Fix a Broken Umbrella

If a strong wind breaks a rib on your umbrella, it’s easy to fix it. Use a piece of masking tape and a length of wire cut from a coat hanger to make a splint.

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Use masking tape to keep paint cans clean

Photo: Shutterstock

6. Keep Your Paint Cans Neat

To prevent paint from filling the groove at the top of a paint can, simply cover the rim of the can with masking tape.

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Originally Published: November 16, 2017

Originally Published in Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things