Alternative uses for a used Pringles tube, once the pop stops
Once the pop stops, a used Pringles tube can have several uses. Image by Mahathir Mohd Yasin (via Shutterstock).
This month hasn’t been a good one for the Pringles tube. It has been attacked by The Recycling Association over its materials. The tube has a metal base, plastic cap, metal tear-off lid, and a foil lined cardboard sleeve which makes it a pain in the proverbials to recycle. Not least the conundrum of which bin to put it in prior to collection day.
For anyone wishing to find a second use for a used Pringles tube, fear not. In the spirit of Why Don’t You…? and Blue Peter (God rest John Noakes’ soul, reunited with Shep), we have a few ideas.
1. A desk tidy
If you’ve seen the plastic desk tidies in supermarkets and stationery shops, you could turn used Pringles tubes into a cheap and cheerful equivalent. This is a good project if you have more than one tube. Spare wrapping paper and wallpaper could be used to hide their labels.
2. A carrier bag dispenser
This is the easiest and most effective use of a Pringles tube. You could use a tube for storing your carrier bags (that’s a lot of five pence pieces saved), or dog poop bags. If desired, use some spare wrapping paper or wallpaper over the tube.
3. A set of drums
Fancy yourself as being another Phil Collins or Ringo Starr though lack the space for a full size kit? Pringles tubes could be an answer for a table top drum kit. A set of chopsticks or pencils could act as drumsticks. The plastic lids make for a good ‘skin’.
4. A treat box
A smaller Pringles tube could be used as a treat box for guinea pigs, rabbits, and other small animals like hamsters and gerbils. Hay can be stashed at both ends of the tube, once the metal base has been cut out.
Add comment