If you have little ones in your life, you’ve no doubt encountered the countless small pieces that come with their various toys. You know the ones: Legos, puzzle pieces, marbles, Barbie shoes, etc. Crafters also often contend with cleaning up teeny yet troublesome messes left behind by their favorite hobbies, such as beading, sewing, scrapbooking,…
The next time you’re faced with a scattering of sequins or action figure accessories, try this vacuuming hack that makes picking up small items infinitely easier.
A Solution for Small Messes
This trick couldn’t be simpler and saves you a ton of time when you need to pick up small items quickly. First, grab a thin, stretchy sock or an old pair of pantyhose. Slide the sock over the vacuum hose and use your fingers to push the toe end into the opening, creating a pocket. A couple of inches of sock (the part that fits over your ankle) should remain on the outside of the hose, allowing you to secure it with a rubber band or hold it tightly with your fingers.
Turn the vacuum on and hover the hose over the small items to suck them into the sock’s pocket. When you’re done, flip the hose upright before turning off the machine to prevent anything from falling out. Remove the rubber band if necessary and carefully pull the sock out of the hose — the items should be contained inside it like a pouch, and you can return them to whatever container they came from.
This hack can be performed with any thin sock — a thicker one may not allow for adequate suction. Of course, the bigger the sock, the more things you can pick up, so we recommend using a crew sock over an ankle sock. If you’re dealing with a large mess, you might need to repeat the process a few times, filling up socks as you go. Hey, it’s still better than painstakingly picking up the items one by one.
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It’s a Protect-Your-Back Hack
Even if you don’t have kids around, this hack effectively cleans up any small items you may have dropped (or maybe your pet knocked over), such as game pieces, coins, or medication. Not only does it save time, but you’ll protect your back from the strain of prolonged bending.
It’s also helpful if you’ve misplaced something, perhaps an earring back or a screw, and have a general idea of where it might be. You can safely vacuum that area, checking the sock periodically to see if you’ve collected it.
