Do you “borrow” those plastic shower caps the hotels give you? We all do, right? Why else would the hotel staff put them out with the mini bars of soap and tiny bottles of shampoo? With the unofficial start to summer behind us and lots of barbecues and picnics on the horizon, here’s why you should pack a shower cap for your next barbecue.
1 Keep the bugs away from your picnic food by covering snacks with shower caps!
2 Keep salads chilled—even in the heat—by filling a shower cap with ice and draping it over the base of the bowl.
3 Tote wet bathing suits home without getting your bag wet.
4 Make your camera beach and pool-safe by covering it with a shower cap in case of splashes!
5 Leave some by your back door for guests to use as indoor booties.
6 Keep clothes clean when traveling by wrapping shoes.
7 Extend the life of kitchen stools and protect them with a simple shower cap.
8 Prevent indoor plant leaks by slipping a cap around the base of the pot.
9 Even protect new seedlings from pets.
10 Keep your bike seat clean and dry.
11 Fight dust by keeping caps in your pantry.
12 Protect nice clothing by slipping a cap over a hanger.
- Shower caps make perfect covers for picnic foods. Slip the cap over the bowl of chips or hot dog buns to keep bugs out! Oh and caps easily slip over a cut watermelon, too.
- Shower caps will keep salads chilled, really. Just fill a cap with ice cubes then slip it around the base of the bowl. The food will stay fresh even in the heat.
- If your barbecue includes a dip in the pool you can keep wet bathing suits from dripping in your tote bag. Wrap the wet suit in a cap before tossing it in your tote bag.
- Turn your non-waterproof camera into a “waterproof “ camera by sticking it in a cap before taking shots by the pool or ocean.
- And if guests are making use of your indoor restroom, keep the mud off your carpet. Place a few caps near the door for guests to use as booties.
- Of course a July 4th barbecue is not the only way to make use of these shower caps. If you’re packing for vacation you can keep your clothes clean. Just wrap shoes in caps before packing them in your suitcase to keep your clothes dirt free.
Here are a few more ways to put the caps to use year-round:
- Cover your kitchen stool with a cap to keep the cushion clean.
- Prevent indoor plant water leaks by slipping a cap around the base of the pot. Or slip a cap over delicate seedlings.
- A cap slipped over your bicycle seat keeps it dry in the event of a passing rain shower.
- Keep your “stuff” dust-free, like a cap over your stand mixer in the pantry or a cap over your purse in the closet. You can poke a clothes hanger through the cap to use as a shoulder dust guard for fancy dresses and suits.
So, dig those shower caps out of the vanity drawer or “borrow” one during your next hotel stay and give these ideas a try!
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From: Jamie Novak | 6/29/11 at 5:54 pm
Which of these is your favorite re-use?
From: Why You Need a Shower Cap to BBQ | 7/4/11 at 11:33 pm
[...] of BBQ’s and picnics on the horizon here’s why you should pack a shower cap for your next BBQ. Read more Print PDF Share this:StumbleUponFacebookDiggEmail Filed Under: [...]
From: Ask Umbra: Should I wash out my zip-lock bags? | Grist | 10/24/11 at 9:31 am
[...] plastics are dangerous enough in their own right. So go ahead and find another purpose for the caps -- and use stainless steel or glass storage containers in your fridge [...]
From: Ask Umbra: Should I wash out my zip-lock bags? | Greediocracy | 10/24/11 at 6:02 pm
[...] plastics are dangerous enough in their own right. So go ahead and find another purpose for the caps — and use stainless steel or glass storage containers in your fridge [...]
From: DC Matthews | 1/5/12 at 2:05 am
i like plastic shopping bags. i hang a reusable thick pretty plastic one on a cabinet knob and a typical grocery store thin plastic one for daily trash removal inside. No buying those thick big trash bags and reusing thin small bags (washing the reusable ones if there are drips) is not only less plastic in the landfill but taking out the trash daily keeps the kitchen fresh.
From: DIY Projects: 10 New Uses for Old Things | 4/1/13 at 6:42 pm
[...] Shower cap as food protector. Flies and picnics go together like bees and honey. Bring your old (well, actually make that new) shower caps along to cover the food, and you’ll be on your way to a pest-free picnic. [...]