10 brilliant uses for duct tape

1 Ensure bananas stay fresh

You love to keep bananas in the kitchen for grab-and-go snacks, but they always turn brown before you have a chance to enjoy them. Next time you buy a bunch, wrap a piece of duct tape around the stems. The stems emit ethylene gas, which causes bananas to ripen too fast; covering the stems will keep the gas from reaching the rest of the fruit.

2 Protect walls from scuff marks

If you tend to bang your vacuum into the walls, leaving marks on the baseboards, consider covering the front edge of the vacuum with a strip of duct tape. The tape will add a layer of protection to soften the impact when the machine and the wall make contact.

3 Get curly hair by morning

The secret to wavy locks without heat damage: duct tape. Before bed, fold several 10" pieces of tape in half lengthwise so none of the sticky adhesive is showing. Wrap a section of hair around the center of each strip (like you would with hair rollers), then knot the ends of the tape together. Repeat with the rest of hair. Remove the tape in the am to reveal bouncy curls.

4 Easily childproof electrical outlets

Having little ones visit for the holidays is always a treat, but your home isn’t exactly childproofed. To keep kids safe from exposed electrical outlets, simply place a strip of duct tape over any outlets a child can reach. Then when your guests leave, you can just pull the tape off.

5 Prevent shoes from slipping

Your new pumps are gorgeous, but you slide all over the floor when you walk. The fix: Stick a piece of duct tape on the bottom of each sole. The tape will add traction so you can stroll confidently— without worrying about falls!

6 Make sweeping a breeze

To pick up that pesky line of dirt that never seems to make it into the dustpan, try placing a strip of duct tape along the front edge of the pan to temporarily attach it to the floor. The tape will hold the dustpan in place and create a gap-proof ramp so you can easily sweep up all the debris.