Did you know that you can do a lot more with sponges besides cleaning? You’ve got your basic models, your magic eraser models, and different-sized versions, too. With a little creativity, sponges are another common household item that can be repurposed.

Household Hacker shows us multiple ways to save them, clean with them, play with them, and more! First, listen up for some info on how to buy sponges for a bargain – especially those high end, fancy-pants eraser variety. When you see some of these hacks, you’ll be ready to buy some sponges in bulk! We’re only listing a few ideas here, so be sure to watch the clip below.

1 . Water Fun

Looking to save your backyard environment from balloon waste? Family fun can be had with water bombs made with sponges instead of balloons. As stated in the vid, cut some cheap sponges into strips, band them together with a rubber band or hair tie, and dunk them.

These sponge bombs hold water quite nicely for outdoor games and you could probably get someone really good with one tossed down the shirt. The best part? They are reusable! Leave them outside to dry.

2. Degrease Them Right

You’ve had this happen: the scouring pad on the sponge gets grimy. Instead of throwing the whole thing away and reaching for a new one, use this salt washing hack to get rid of the grease. In a container of 2 cups of warm water, dissolve ¼ cup of salt. Soak the sponge in it overnight until the crud disappears.

3. DIY Dryer Sheets

Save money on dryer sheets by making your own reusable ones. Cut sponges in half width-wise. Mix 1 part liquid fabric softener with 1 part water and dip sponges into the mixture. Squeeze out any excess liquid from the sponges and toss 1 or 2 into the dryer with your wet clothes. Run your normal cycle. To reuse the dry sponges, just put them back into the liquid softener mix.

4. Rim Duster

How do you take care of that gritty buildup on your tire rims? Do you take it to the car wash or let it live? Handle it yourself with a melamine eraser sponge! Dip one in some water and then just scrub away the dirt, giving your rims a sparkly shine again.

5. Cold Pack

Need some cold therapy for an injury? Make some malleable ice gel packs to keep on hand in the freezer. Saturate a sponge in water and place it in a zipper bag. Pour a little bit of rubbing alcohol or dish detergent onto the wet sponge and squeeze out any excess air from the bag. Seal it up and then put inside a second resealable freezer bag. Pop it into the freezer for later use.   Find out what else you can do with sponges by watching Household Hacker’s full video below. You may even come up with your own sponge life hacks. Don’t forget to share with the rest of the group!  

Which of these spongy tricks would you venture to try? Are you already using sponges in unconventional ways like these?