How can I reuse or recycle dental floss?

dental flossOn our How can I reuse or recycle dental floss packaging? post, Tina asked:

how do you recycle floss?

This may be one of those things that some people will “urrgh” at but it’s only nylon thread really. While I wouldn’t use it for, say, sterile suturing of a wound, I’m sure it would be fine for plenty of tasks after washing off any chunky bits. I can’t think of anything specific right now (my brain is still asleep) but I guess … whatever you’d tie up with a length of nylon thread for.

Anyone got more specific suggestions? Or any creative ideas?

(Photo by carlohh)

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17 Responses to “How can I reuse or recycle dental floss?”


  1. carol says:

    tie it together and use it to mark you rows in the garden, or use each piece to tie plants. Every little bit helps.

  2. wendy says:

    if you clean off the floss then you can use it for sewing up old shoes/holes in shoes. Also you can tie things up like carol said. you can even make art/wind chimes out of old floss. get creative

  3. fishcake_random says:

    When I go off on a backpacking adventure I always take dental floss as an emergancy washing line, that stuff is strong!!!

  4. Marla says:

    leave it out for the birds to use as nesting material

  5. e says:

    i think last recomentation is not good. if birds will get it around the neck or feet (totally likely) they will be dead. it is way too long and way too strong for birds nest material.
    but that is just opinion, maybe somebody who know more about nesting habits can correct me.

    can use it for sew buttons for example.

    • cass n. says:

      agreed on the long string thing, it could be dangerous for lots of smaller birds especially. That said, wind it up and cut it a few times and you’ll have very short bits that the birds will love.

  6. Karmae says:

    Ideal for sewing buttons on! Especially metal ones. It seems to never shred and the buttons never fall off.

  7. Patty says:

    It is great for getting your grape vines started. Make yourself a tin man by tying different size cans together, punch holes in the cans and string them together I have had one hanging outside for 2 years. Tack or hot glue a looped piece to the back of picture frames for hanging. Tye those old ugly wires behind the TV and computer together. Tye vines or running roses to your trelace. Color it with marker to match your cloth carseat or furniture and patch by whip stitching it. Holds great with ne further ripping.

  8. Stacey says:

    can be used to hang baubles on the christmas tree

  9. Nina says:

    You could use it for making beaded necklaces or braclets. You could use it to crochet with. Wash it and use it for scrap booking, or to border your pictures in frames that are just a bit too big. You could use it to tie up bunches of flowers or to tie up bundles of blank thank you type cards, playing cards that have lost their box. You could use it to hang dry herbs from the garden. The list of options is endless!!

  10. Diane says:

    Didn’t the Tina ask about the packaging?

  11. Rebekah says:

    Agreed, Diane- that’s what I saw too. I think the string itself has many uses, it’s the packaging that’s harder.
    I’m short on ideas but if the packaging can be opens somehow that makes things easier. There must be some type or spool insure so that could be used for winding thread and the cutter at the end might combine into a scissors-free mending kit.

  12. addy says:

    if you take everything out of the box (the floss, cutter ,and spool) you might be able to use it as a holder for medicine (pills, duh) or earrings and it’s small enough to fit it a purse, cosmetics bag, or your pocket!

  13. Steve in w ma says:

    You can wash it in a ziploc bag. Put it in the bag with a little water and some soap. Now squish it around. That will wash it.

    Now take the floss out and rinse it. Or put it in another ziploc with fresh water and squish it about to rinse.

    Hang it up to dry.

    Reuse as floss. The bacteria are mostly removed (due to washing!) and those that are left are dead. Anyways, there are many many more bacteria in your mouth and between your teeth than on your washed and dried floss. Think about it.

    You can mark your ziplocs “wash” and “rinse” and leave them in the medicine cabinet.

    If you use really fancy floss this could save you 5-10 cents per day.

  14. Steve in w ma says:

    You could weave little art mats out of the washed, dried floss. Don’t tell the guests.

  15. Carol E says:

    I use one of the larger containers to put my dental partial in when I don’t want it in my mouth. Also, you could use one for bobby pins, safety pins, etc.



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