This Weird Pool Noodle Hack Helped Me Fix My Biggest Laundry Ick

I am one of those people who actually enjoys doing laundry. I find it strangely calming and satisfying. What I don’t enjoy is what sometimes comes after – ironing. Ironing is my nemesis. My significant other is like an artist wielding a paintbrush when he irons, but I just don’t have a knack for it. So, it goes without saying that I’m up for any laundry hack that helps me do less of it.

Enter…pool noodle? Yes, you read that correctly.

Though it’s a little strange, a pool noodle helped me solve one of my biggest laundry pet peeves – creases. If you’ve ever hung a pair of pants over a hanger to dry, you know the ick I’m referring to. The dent the hanger creates dries right along with your pants and almost seems to get baked in. Even if you end up ironing afterward, the imprint still remains. Here’s how I combatted unsightly creases and you can, too!

The Pool Noodle Laundry Hack

Creases will inevitably happen when you drape your garment, tablecloth, curtains, etc over a hanger to dry. This is where the elusive pool noodle comes in and works its unsuspecting magic.

First, measure the width of the hanger bar you’re using, and cut a piece of your pool noodle down to that size. I used a pair of sharp scissors for this part and it worked perfectly.

Next, carefully use a utility knife to slice the noodle open lengthwise, then slip it over the bottom bar of the hanger. But take a pause because it’s not time to hang your items just yet.

Pool noodles get their vibrant colors from highly pigmented artificial dyes that could easily bleed onto your garment or tapestry and cause a completely new laundry crisis. To remedy this, I would highly recommend placing an old towel or cloth over the pool noodle first to create a buffer layer to protect any items you intend to hang dry.

Once you’ve done that, you’re good to start enjoying this marvelous hack. The roundness of the pool noodle makes it perfect for drying items you don’t want to crease.

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An Added Bonus

But wait – there’s an unexpected added bonus, so don’t dispose of the rest of that pool noodle just yet!

The chances are pretty good that you probably have a little gap of space between your washer and/or dryer and the walls where smaller laundry items like socks or hosiery seem to slip into and never return. Grab your leftover pool noodle.

Measure out the width of your appliance, cut it to that size, and then stuff it into the gapped area to stop items from disappearing into the abyss. It also prevents unwanted dust and debris from accumulating in an area of the floor that’s hard for you to reach.

Your future socks will thank you!