If you’re about to throw away your old pantyhose or tights, stop right there! Did you know that there’s actually many different uses for panty hose? From fishing to storing vegetables to protecting yourself from bug bites, you’ll be surprised by all its different applications.
That’s right! Don’t toss your old panty hose, because they can be useful around the house for both men and women. Keep reading to learn about the seven uses for panty hose, and reduce your waste!
Why Find Uses for Panty Hose?
There’s three main reasons why you should reuse your old pantyhose.
The first one is that by finding different uses for panty hose, you’re actually saving money. Why? Because whatever you’re using it for, that’s one less thing you have to buy from scratch! Whether it’s a headband, bug spray, or sponges, even small purchases tend to pile up at the end of the month, so why not reuse something you might have tossed anyway?
The second reason for finding new uses for panty hose is that it reduces your waste. There’s no denying that modern families have an enormous waste output, which is certainly contributing to earth’s rapid climate change and pollution. So even just keeping one more thing out of your trash can actually go a long way. It’s the same idea as buying used objects—but you don’t have to spend any money!
And last but not least: though it might seem silly, panty hose could be used in survival situations. That doesn’t mean it’s an essential part of your camping trip packing list—but maybe after reading the rest of your post, I will have convinced you to just tuck an old panty hose in a side pocket and forget about it until you find yourself in a tight spot.
If you don’t have any panty hose available but want to experiment with these survival uses for panty hose, grab a pair on Amazon.
1. Tying Things Together
The first and perhaps most obvious of the many uses for panty hose is tying things together. In a domestic setting, you might tie old pantyhose around bulky things to keep them compact and together. Think of blankets, duvets, etc. The stretchiness of pantyhose will keep them in place without ruining the soft fabric.
In a survival setting, you’re probably not going to be too busy tying blankets and duvets. What you might be tying together, however, are branches and logs when building a shelter.
2. Fishing
I bet you hadn’t thought of this one! And yet, it’s true. One of the great many uses for panty hose is to prevent soft bait from falling off the hook. This works great when fishing for catfish, or using baits like liver or stink cheese.
Check out this YouTube video to learn exactly how to make bait bags out of pantyhose. It might also come in handy in survival situations when you urgently need food!
3. Storing and Protecting Vegetables
Another of the best uses for panty hose is to store or protect vegetables. Before you decide that I’m crazy, think about how garlic and onions are often sold in grocery stores: that’s right, in a netting! So why can’t that netting be old pantyhose?
This is especially useful when growing your own veggies. Instead of going out to buy vegetable bags, take a look in your own drawers first! Hanging garlic and onions in pantyhose is the best way to keep them aerated and keep the mold and moisture away.
As for other varieties, you can cover big veggies like pumpkins or melons with thin pantyhose to protect them from pests and insects instead of using pesticides (and instead of letting the bugs eat away at your precious food), which could jeopardize the health of your family. There’s nothing more organic than pantyhose!
4. Food Strainer
Here’s another method for the many uses for panty hose! Unless you’re using fishnets, you’ll have a hard time finding strainers finer than pantyhose, which means it’s a great option for straining small bits out of sauces and can even replace cheesecloth. You could also use it to make coffee! Just remember to sanitize them before use.
5. Preventing Mosquito Bites
I know that most men are probably not going to want to strut around their garden in pantyhose. But the truth is that pantyhose is a great option to keep yourself protected from all kinds of bug bites when you don’t have bug spray at hand, including ticks, which carry dangerous diseases.
So maybe you’ll think twice before leaving your old pantyhose at home next time you go camping. After all, wouldn’t you rather wear pantyhose than have to pack up and leave if you lose your bottle of bug spray? Not to mention more dangerous situations in which you find yourself lost in the wilderness and at the mercy of nature.
6. Hairbands and Headbands
Now I get that in a normal situation, you either already have hairbands and headbands at hand, can borrow some, or don’t mind buying some during your next trip to CVS.
But imagine this: you’re off the grid, lost in the woods, and building yourself a shelter to sleep in until emergency services find you. You probably don’t want to waste time pushing sweaty hair out of your face. If you had tucked pantyhose into a corner of your backpack before leaving on that hiking trip two days ago, you wouldn’t have to.
Just rip a strip of fabric from the pantyhose, and tie it around your head or around a ponytail with a simple double knot. Voila!
7. Keep Deer Away from Your Garden
Here’s another of the many uses for panty hose to protect your gardens without the use of harmful pesticides. If your local deer have been taking too much interest in your garden, collect some dog hair from your four-legged friend off the couch, and stuff it into the end of your old pantyhose.
Tie it into a small sachet, snip it off of the rest of the pantyhose, and hang it near the deer’s snacking area. The smell will keep them away, the natural way! Replace it with more dog hair when it loses its smell and stops working.
Now You Know 7 Uses for Panty Hose!
I hope this post has inspired you to reuse your old panty hose, or to find your own uses for panty hose. It’s a great way to reduce waste and can come in very handy in both everyday life and potentially dangerous situations.
Want more survival content? Keep reading about the uses of everyday items in a survival situation.
Mark grew up in the heart of Texas, where tornadoes and extreme weather were a part of life. His early experiences sparked a fascination with emergency preparedness and homesteading. A father of three, Mark is dedicated to teaching families how to be self-sufficient, with a focus on food storage, DIY projects, and energy independence. His writing empowers everyday people to take small steps toward greater self-reliance without feeling overwhelmed.