HOW TENNIS BALLS MAKE MONEY

Searching Craigslist for deals is something I do from time to time. When a bargain lot of 40 used tennis balls caught my eye, it seemed well worth the $10. My family has a dog, but 40 balls would have taken an eternity to use up. Or so I thought.

As it turned out, the dog was no fan of playing fetch. My family doesn’t play much tennis either. But I started finding other ways to use tennis balls.

For instance, a tennis ball mounted on top of a broom handle is perfect for removing scuff marks from floors (something I saw an airport janitor doing with great aplomb). It’s also handy for removing cobwebs from the ceiling.

It might look a bit odd, but mounted on the bottoms of chair legs, tennis balls are great at preventing floor marks.

A tennis ball on the end of a string hangs from the garage ceiling and gently nudges the windshield when the car is in just the right place.

In the laundry room, a few balls in the dryer really help to fluff up the sheets and dry them more quickly, saving energy and money. In the washing machine, they act as agitators to remove stubborn stains from clothing. There’s even a tennis ball on the inside of the laundry room door, to stop the doorknob from hitting the wall.

A tennis ball cut in half provides a great grip to open tight jars or as an extra grip on other tools around the house and garage.

I even use a tennis ball to help me think. Throwing it against the wall when I’m pondering a new article really helps the old wheels turn. I have to thank Steve McQueen (in The Great Escape) for that idea.

I’m still discovering uses for tennis balls to this day, and if I find a cheap lot on Craigslist I’m all over it. I had no idea something as common as a tennis ball could have so many uses.

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