Discover clever ways to use steel wool for cleaning, DIY, and home maintenance. From removing tough stains to sharpening scissors, steel wool is an essential tool!
Steel wool is a versatile and useful tool for tough cleaning jobs, minor repairs, and even DIY projects. Steel wool is woven from fine steel wire and comes in several grades, from coarse to extra fine, making it suitable for a variety of tasks. Whether it’s removing tough stains, polishing metal surfaces, or sealing small cracks to keep pests out, steel wool is a household essential with countless practical uses.
If you need to remove tree sap, adhesive residue, or other stubborn stains from your windows, try using #0000 (4-inch) steel wool. Apply a drop of window cleaner (Windex) to the glass, then use a ball of extra-fine steel wool to scrub away the stain.
To remove burnt-on food stuck to the bottom of your oven, use steel wool rather than oven cleaner. After the oven’s self-cleaning cycle is complete, remove the burnt-on food with steel wool and your oven will look like new again.
For removing stubborn burnt-on stains from steel cookware, steel wool is your best choice. Soak your pots and pans, then use steel wool to remove the toughest burnt-on stains.
If your miniature Monet is inspired to create a masterpiece using crayon on your wallpaper, don’t despair. Steel wool is abrasive enough to remove crayon marks. Just be sure to test the product on an inconspicuous area first.
Any metal tool will rust sooner or later. Luckily, steel wool is great for removing surface rust. Just grab a ball of steel wool and start polishing your tools. They’ll look like new in no time.
Wearing dark-soled shoes on vinyl floors will leave scratches. Don’t worry – a few passes with steel wool will remove the scratches. Be sure to add a little to your floor cleaner.
Want to varnish a freshly sanded surface? OK, wait a minute. Before applying the topcoat, wipe the piece with 0000 steel wool (in the direction of the grain). This will remove sanding dust from the grain and leave the surface grain shiny and new. Then wipe off the dust and steel wool with a Swiffer Sweeper cloth. You now have a flawless surface with an oil-based (not water-based) finish that will give you a flawless finish.
It’s an old carpenter’s trick. If the hole for a screw is too big, simply wrap the screw in steel wool before inserting it. This provides enough friction to hold the screw securely in place, and is less labor-intensive than trying to patch the hole and re-drill it.
Need to start a fire but don’t have any matches? A little steel wool and a 9-volt battery will do the trick. Just touch the positive and negative terminals of the battery to the steel wool and it will glow and smoulder (the 9-volt battery sends electricity through the thin steel wool). Add some kindling and you’ll have a fire going.
If you want to quickly age new wood, you can use a mixture of steel wool and vinegar as a stain. Applying the brown-gray liquid to new wood will give it a silvery sheen. It’s a quicker way to achieve this popular look than leaving the wood outdoors for years (and it’s non-toxic!).
Don’t let the drain get clogged. Before you bathe Fido, plug the drain with a ball of steel wool. This will give the water enough room to pass through, but dirty hair and dirt will get stuck in the steel wool (and out of the drain). The best part? Just throw the steel wool away after you’re done showering.
It may seem counterintuitive, but cutting steel wool with dull scissors will actually make it sharper. There’s no way to sharpen a new bevel, but a few swipes with steel wool will keep your scissors looking like new.
Rat control is never fun. Once your detective work is done, you can plug suspected rat holes with a ball of steel wool. Steel wool is cheap and mice won’t chew through it.
When you store your cars for the winter, it’s a good idea to also treat them for insects. Mufflers and air purifiers are the “haven of choice” for small animals. Fill a sandwich bag with steel wool and push it into the air intake and tailpipe to keep insects out. The bag prevents steel wool from getting into the engine. Use bright warning tape to remind yourself to remove it in the spring.
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