- Use old socks for dusting furniture, cleaning surfaces, and polishing glass.
- Clean your pet’s paws with a sock to keep your home clean and tidy.
- Use a clean, soft sock to shine your shoes.
- Cut one side of the sock, wear it on your hand like a glove, and clean your computer and TV trolley.
A Tired Afternoon and My Old Sock
It was cleaning day, and I was repeating the same old routine. A broom in one hand, a wet cloth in the other. But my heart was somewhere else. My mind was tired, as if every task had become a burden.
In that same fatigue, I reached under the carpet and found a single, old, and slightly dirty sock.
I said helplessly! "Hey! Where did that pair go?"
I must have asked this question for the fiftieth time. But at that moment, a unique thought came to my mind:
"Can this sock still be of any use?"
I put the sock in my hand and started cleaning the dirt behind the TV.
How fun! Neither the cloth was falling off, nor were my hands getting dirty.
That old sock became like a magic glove.
Then I looked around every corner of the house.
Is there dirt on the ceiling? I put the same old sock on the broom and cleaned the entire ceiling in minutes. I actually started enjoying working.
When my pet cat came in from outside, I cleaned its soft paws with my socks.
That day, I didn't just clean my house...
I also cleaned my thinking.
I realized that there is a hidden talent inside every useless thing.
And this talent is only visible when we learn to let go of old habits and think new thoughts.
But before you throw away your old or worn-out socks, remember that there are plenty of ways to reuse them when cleaning your home. Below, two cleaning professionals share five easy tips for reusing socks for everyday tasks like dusting, mopping, and more.
- Kathy Cohoon is the operations manager at Two Maids.
- Chris Willatt is the founder of Alpine Maids.
Use Old Socks for Dusting
I would like to say! You can use old socks to remove dust. No need to buy special tools.
Kathy Cohen, operations manager at Two Maids, says that socks, especially athletic socks, can be worn as gloves to remove dust from your hands. I think it’s a good idea to protect your hands from injuries if you’re a handyman. Cohen likes to use socks to clean dusty areas in her home, such as curtains, baseboards, lamps, laptop tables and bookcases. And in my experience, old mismatched socks are also great for hard-to-reach places. Where you can’t clean with a tool, you can easily clean by wearing a mismatched sock as a glove on your hand.
It's true! Houseplants, whether real or fake, are among the most dusty household items, and Cohon uses socks to clean them, too.
Alpine Maids founder Chris Wilt says that wearing socks while cleaning not only improves grip, but also makes it easier to feel things. That's why he's able to clean valuable artwork and decorative items without damaging them.
Use Socks Instead of Cleaning Cloths
Cohon says that old socks can be great not only for sweeping up dust, but also for restoring the shine to tables, windows, and mirrors. According to him, socks have a better grip on the floor than other clothes, which reduces the risk of slipping while cleaning and makes the job easier.
Turn Old Socks into Mop Cover Magic
Cohen suggests using work socks instead of buying expensive mop covers. I get it! Not only are they inexpensive, but they can be easily washed in the washing machine after use and reused.
According to Chris Willett, this method works so well that using old socks is a great and inexpensive alternative to mop covers. He believes that their cleaning ability is not only equal to that of expensive covers, but sometimes even better.
According to him, socks are great for cleaning because their thick texture helps absorb liquid, and they are made of materials that are easy to wash and reuse.
Old Sock Hacks for Ceilings and Fans
If you have cobwebs on your ceiling and don't know what to do, try this simple trick from Cohen: Tie an old sock to the end of a broom handle and clean the high spots with ease.
Ceiling fans can also be easily cleaned with an old sock, says Wilt. Long socks (like tube socks) work especially well for this, he says. Just turn off the fan, wrap the sock around each blade, and gently pull to remove the dust.
"The edges of the fan will need to be cleaned a little bit separately, but this simple trick removes about 80 percent of the dust from the fan," says Wilt.
Clean Pet Paws With the Sock
When animals spend time outdoors, they bring dirt, leaves, and other debris with them. Especially if you have dogs that play or cats that roam outside, it can be really difficult to keep your home clean. But don't panic. Chris Willett recommends wiping your pet's paws with an old sock as soon as they come in from outside. It's an easy, inexpensive, and effective way to keep your floors from getting dirty.
He adds, as a bonus, "The sock won't slip off your hands, and your pet won't think of it as something to chew on."