Protect yourself from the cold with DIY draft excluders made by creative recycling
Do you ever think about the countless socks, stockings and tights we discard each year because they have holes or runs in them? Perhaps we've used them only a few times before they got damaged. It's likely that you've wondered if it's possible to reuse these other ways in order to avoid waste.
And indeed, there are many ways to repurpose old and damaged socks and tights: as hair ties, dust rags, sachets for perfuming linens, and more. These are some interesting projects you can undertake with damaged socks and stockings. One very useful and interesting project for the winter months is making practical and colorful draft excluders for the doors and windows.
You can finally stop those sneaky cold drafts that creeps into your home and avoid creating waste, thanks to the simple DIY projects detailed below:
Draft excluders from socks
Old/damaged socks made of terry cloth, wool, or cotton can be turned into a colorful draft excluders for doors and windows in just a few steps.
Here's how you can do this:
- Take one or two pairs of socks, depending on their length and the length of the door or window you want to seal. You'll also need polyester stuffing and/or popcorn kernels, rice, or dried legumes.
- Begin by filling the socks with alternating layers of popcorn kernels or rice or dried legumes and the polyester stuffing. Alternatively, you can simply fill each sock with just one of the above-mentioned materials.
- When the socks are completely filled, join them together by inserting the toe of one sock into the open end of the next one.
- Once you've reached the desired length, close the remaining open end by sewing it shut or using fabric glue.
- Your colorful sock draft excluder is now ready!
Draft excluder from nylon tights
Using the same technique, you can also make a draft stopper using nylon stockings. You can fill them with rice grains, popcorn kernels, or even dried chickpeas, regular peas, or beans. Using a plastic cup with holes in the bottom or a wide-bottomed funnel, fill the stocking with the chosen filling, shaking it to distribute it evenly until you reach the desired length. Cut the stocking and tie a knot in the open end, and your draft excluder is ready for use.
In this case, make sure that the stocking is not ripped or torn, and/or repair it before filling it to ensure that the filling doesn't spill out during use.
Draft excluder from tights and a pool noodle
An alternative but highly effective draft stopper for your doors can be easily made by recycling a pool noodle and a pair of nylon stockings. Simply cut the noodle to the same length as your door and then cut it open along its length.
Insert the noodle into the nylon stocking and, opening it along its length, slide it under the door so that it touches the floor and closes any gaps.
Have you decided which project you'd like to start with?