Dental floss usually lives in the bathroom. You pull out a piece, use it to clean between your teeth, and put the container back in the drawer. Most people probably don’t give it much thought after that.

But floss can be surprisingly useful for small jobs around the house. It’s thin, easy to cut, doesn’t take up much space, and can handle more pulling and rubbing than ordinary sewing thread. A roll of unflavored floss can come in handy whenever you need something thin to tie, secure, thread, or cut with.

These won’t replace proper tools or repair materials, but they can be useful when you’re in a hurry or don’t have the right item on hand. Here are 15 ways dental floss can come in handy outside the bathroom.

1. Hanging Lightweight Pictures

Dental floss can work as a temporary hanging cord for lightweight picture frames, small decorations, and other items that don’t put much weight on the line.

Its thin appearance can also make it less noticeable than a thicker cord. Just make sure the hook, nail, or other hardware is rated for the weight of whatever you’re hanging.

2. Making Quick Clothing Repairs

A missing button or small tear can be a problem if you don’t have a sewing kit nearby. Dental floss can work as a temporary replacement for thread, particularly for thicker fabrics such as canvas, denim, coats, and backpacks.

Unflavored floss is the better choice for this type of job. It may be thicker than ordinary sewing thread, but that’s useful for repairs that need a little extra holding strength.

3. Cutting Soft Foods

A clean piece of unflavored dental floss can make a surprisingly good food cutter. Slide it underneath or through soft foods such as cake, cinnamon rolls, soft cheese, or dough to make clean cuts.

It’s especially handy for foods that tend to get squashed when you cut them with a knife. Just use fresh, clean floss that hasn’t been used for anything else.

4. Making a Temporary Shoelace

A broken shoelace can leave you stuck, especially if you’re away from home. A few strands of floss can be braided together and threaded through the eyelets as a temporary replacement.

It isn’t a permanent substitute for a real shoelace, but it can get you through the rest of the day until you can buy a replacement.

5. Tying Plants to Stakes

Small plants and young stems sometimes need a little help staying upright. Dental floss can be used to loosely attach them to garden stakes or other supports.

Leave enough room for the stem to move and grow, and avoid pulling the floss tightly around the plant. A loose loop is much safer than tying it snugly against the stem.

6. Making a Temporary Clothesline

If you need to hang a few lightweight items to dry and don’t have a line available, several strands of braided floss can work for a short-term setup.

Keep the load light and make sure whatever you’re tying it to can support the weight. This is more of a quick fix than a replacement for a proper clothesline.

7. Tying Up Small Packages

Dental floss can be useful for bundling small items or tying up a package when you don’t have string or twine nearby.

It works particularly well for lightweight objects that need to stay together during storage or a short move. For heavier packages, use proper packing cord or tape instead.

8. Repairing Fishing Line or Netting

Floss can be useful for making a quick repair to small tears in lightweight netting or certain types of cord. It can also serve as a temporary repair material when fishing.

For anything that will carry a heavy load or hold a large fish, use proper fishing line or repair material. Floss is better suited to small, temporary fixes.

9. Making a Temporary Key Ring Loop

A broken key ring loop doesn’t necessarily mean you have to carry loose keys around. A few strands of floss can be tied securely around the keys and attached to a key ring until you can replace the broken part.

Check the knot before putting your keys in a pocket or bag. It’s a temporary fix, so replace it with a proper ring or loop when you get the chance.

10. Securing a Bandage

In an emergency, clean floss can be used to help hold gauze or a temporary dressing in place. This can be useful if you don’t have medical tape available.

Don’t tie floss tightly around a finger, arm, leg, or other body part. Too much pressure can restrict circulation. For anything more than a minor situation, use proper first-aid supplies or seek medical care.

11. Removing a Stuck Ring

Dental floss is also used to remove a ring that has become stuck on a swollen finger. The floss can be wrapped around the finger to temporarily compress the tissue, allowing the ring to slide over the narrower area.

This needs to be done carefully. If the finger becomes very painful, changes color, feels numb, or the ring cannot be moved safely, stop and get professional help rather than forcing it.

12. Making Crafts and Decorations

A roll of floss can be useful for all kinds of small craft projects. It can be used to thread beads, hang lightweight pieces, or hold parts together while glue dries.

It’s also handy for making ornaments when you need a thin hanging line that doesn’t distract from the finished project.

13. Hanging Lightweight Decorations

Because floss is so thin, it can almost disappear against a wall or ceiling from a distance. That makes it useful for hanging small paper decorations, lightweight ornaments, and other decorative pieces.

Just keep the weight low and check that the attachment point is secure. Don’t use floss to suspend heavy objects overhead.

14. Marking Measurements

Floss can serve as a temporary guide when you’re working on a small project and need a straight line or a way to mark spacing.

For example, you can stretch a piece between two points to help check alignment before making a cut or placing something. It’s a simple trick for times when you don’t have a long straightedge nearby.

15. Making Emergency Cordage

Sometimes you just need a thin piece of string to tie something down, bundle a few items, or hold something in place temporarily. That’s where dental floss can be surprisingly handy.

If you need more strength, several strands can be twisted or braided together. It still has limits, so don’t use it for climbing, lifting heavy objects, securing dangerous loads, or anything where a broken cord could cause an injury.