Clever Uses for Pipe Insulation that Have Nothing to Do With Plumbing

Pipe insulation can be used for more than just plumbing. Check out these tips for using pipe insulation in the home, in the garage and around the yard.

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foam pipe insulation to babyproof a table
Family Handyman

Additional Baby-Proofing

If you’ve got small children wandering around, babyproofing your home is a hugely important safety step. To help avoid any injuries, you can add some foam pipe insulation around your kitchen countertop and along any dangerous edges and corners on furniture pieces in the living room.

The pressure created by the curve of the insulation holds it in place without having to even use the adhesive strip that comes on the insulation. It also makes the babyproofing solution temporary, so you can remove it if the kiddos aren’t at your house.

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pipe insulation door dings handy hints

Prevent Door Dings

Do you get dings on your car doors from accidentally banging them against the garage wall?  Don’t throw away your leftover pipe insulation tubes. Use them as a clever solution for this very problem.

We used pipe insulation that was already cut in half the long way. Next, fit the pipe insulation around the studs on your garage walls. It should stay put on its own, but for a more permanent solution, you can adhere the pipe insulation to the studs by using the self-sealing adhesive or by pounding in a couple of nails.

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pipe insulation between car seat and console
Family Handyman

Save Your Keys

Keep dropping things like your keys or cell phone in the gap between the driver’s seat and the console in your car? It can be tough to retrieve the items dropped in that space because the gap is so small and large hands won’t fit. Here’s a solution: cut pieces of foam pipe insulation to the length of the gaps, and then wedge them in the gaps on either side of the console. Nothing falls into the gaps anymore!

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pool noodle foam pipe insulation sanding block sand paper
Family Handyman

Make Great Sanding Pads

Soft, flexible foam makes a great base for sandpaper because you can easily squeeze or compress it to fit a variety of shapes. Wrap sandpaper around scraps of foam pipe insulation to sand medium-size coves. For large concave surfaces, use scraps of foam swimming noodles. These are easy to cut with a bread knife.

Stick paper to the inside surface of pipe insulation to make a sanding pad for dowels and other cylindrical shapes. You can adapt many household objects to become sanding pads if you like the contours and they’re a bit soft.

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foam pipe insulation next to washing machine laundry room
Family Handyman

Stop Losing Socks

Stuff a strip of foam pipe insulation into the space between your washer and dryer or along the wall. That way, socks and other small itesm can’t slip into the abyss.

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Make a Wreath pool noodle
Family Handyman

Make a Wreath

Did you know you can use pipe insulation as a wreath form? Fasten the noodle with duct tape, then wrap it with fabric, ribbon or string. Wrap a wire around the stems of fabric flowers and poke it through the fabric to anchor it into the pipe insulation. Hang the wreath using wire or a picture hook.

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Family Handyman

Create a Quick Handle Cover

Tired of feeling your mower rattle through your hands while you mow your lawn? Make your mower easier to use by taping pipe insulation to the handle. No more numb hands and blisters from the bare metal handle! Just make sure the insulation doesn’t interfere with your auto-shutoff bar if you have one.