10 Ways to Repurpose Old Nylons and Tights

Now that the weather seems determined to stay warm, I'm putting away my tights/nylons for the season.  I'm weeding through the pairs that are worn out and beyond repair, and have been brainstorming some ways to re-use my old legwear in the process.  (Google helped a little too.)

1. My mom has been telling me since the first time I wore tights that if/when you get a run on one leg, snip it off and save the rest.  Two good legs makes a full pair of nylons, even if they originally came from different nylons.  It seems like there's a poignant life lesson in there somewhere.


2. Like any other fabric, legwear can be used for cleaning.  And apparently nylons are especially good for polishing shoes.


3. Collect those annoying bits of soap bars and tie them off in the foot of an old nylon for use in the shower at home, while camping, in the garage, or in your garden.


4. I don't know about you, but my cats are fascinated by watching me put on tights - and by fascinated, I mean my kitten flies through the air to attack what she sees as a new plaything.  So I figure I may as well make Scout her very own toy out of creatively-knotted washed-up tights.  (I'll trade her for the slipper she just stole.)


5. No-sew sachets: fill the legs with lavender, tie them off and place them in your dresser drawer or closet.  Or, fill with plain charcoal and keep in any room that is prone to mold.  The charcoal draws moisture out of the air, and has worked very effectively in reducing the number of times each year I have to scrub the bathroom ceiling.


6. Nylons work well as filters.  Use them in the kitchen for making smooth sauces, or on your workbench for straining paint.  (To be clear, we're talking two different nylons - no paint flecks in your tomato sauce.)


7. Consider trying textured tights as a stencil for your next project.  Or, use old nylons to add texture to paint like you would with a sponge.


8. Not pretty, but practical: use nylons to protect drinks from bugs while sitting outside in the summer.  I guess you could make this pretty by using your shnazzy colored tights?


9. My patio is limited to a few potted plants at this point, but there are LOTS of ways to repurpose legwear in the garden (a quick Google search will yield enough ideas to make your head hurt).  Use nylons for storing bulbs, tying plants, preventing soil erosion, and about a quajillion other things.


10.  And after publishing this post, I'm going to stick the leg of a sad pair of pantyhose over the nozzle of the vacuum to try and get some jewelry out from behind my dresser.  That way, the vacuum finds the earring without sucking it into the black abyss.  I'm so grateful to whoever first had the idea, because that dresser is heavy.

Image via How can I recycle this; post shared over at Your Green Resource, Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways, and Living Green Link-up at Like a Mustard Seed