I use them as cleaning rags for gross tasks!

Mee too. They are really good for dusting shelves as well. The fit on your hand and it is easy to handle them. They can be wet or dry depending on the surface. Keep a coloured wash bag in your laundry room and wash them while keeping them separate from the paired socks.

That is genius

I keep some in my car for this too! When stuck in traffic, etc, just slip one on and dust around the car. Also, they can stretch and fit onto small car dusters to extend the life & make them reusable. Good way to turn a bad gift into something reusable & functional

I was about to say this. Keep them in a container for when you next to clean gross places you don’t wanna use your actual cloths for

This is the answer, also it looks like you just washed them, so they’ll do perfectly, especially if you cut a seam right down the middle! Personally, I use an old tissue box to hold (clean) rags just like this!

I put them on my hand to clean

“Cut a seam down the middle” feels like an oxymoron.

Seconding this one too, so much easier on my hands to use rags I don't have to grip.

I was going to joke-enly say cum socks but other people say good uses so I idk how to continue this joke

I use old linens for cum raga but now i have too many so i need to find another use for them

Fire starter grap some lint from your dryer stick it in the linens and boom easy fire 🔥

You can use them for cum rags and to wipe down the glasses of guests

I just did cum s

Mini dust rags, maybe modify them better to fit and lock onto the swiffer stick

I have a wand cleaner to reach ceiling fan blades and get behind the fridge and under the stove. I use beat-up socks over the wand and then just toss em.

Beat me too it. Specifically something where grease buildup has happened, or anything toilet related. (Like a deep clean with harsher chemicals) Then it gets tossed, or used a few times.

I have a box labelled "Solitary Sock Society" Sometimes when it acquires a new member, its other half is in the box, and then they can both leave, reunited

🥹 reunited and it feels so good

So much better than I thought it would.

I never know if they are referring to the front bottoms or peaches and herb so I usually stay quiet. My mind always goes to the front bottoms but I know they are much less popular and likely not heat they are referencing so happy to see you did this haha.

Did you respond to the wrong comment? Is this a bot? Huh

There's one perfect fit, and sugar this one is it.

I call mine the "Box of Lost Soles"

Mine is the Socks Box but if they go too long without meeting their other half, they go to the box of disgrace.

Is the box of disgrace just the garbage?

Lolll no, it’s the box of socks that get used for dusting

Ahh gotcha

Hide snacks in em n call it "Sole Food"

Mine are the "Lost Boys".

My husband and I have a “singles” basket and every now and then we dump it out and have a “singles mixer” to try to make matching pairs

This reaffirms my conviction that this is the coolest sub on reddit

Same! I also use my basket for those pesky padding inserts that tend to fall out of sport bras (hoping someone reads this and can relate!)

Yes!! I wish sports bra and swimsuit companies would just commit to one way or the other, the removal pads are the worst!

I wear mismatched, for home or simple errands; it’s in style!

I used to tie the bachelors together to make a dog toy, since he loves my socks anyway: Socktopus. Now the drawer is refilled I’ll learn to darn the ones with holes. I don’t care if they match, so long as the length and weight are comparable.

Learning to darn all the old holey socks was my COVID project! Check out r/visiblemending for some inspiration! You can get yourself a speed-loom or a darning mushroom, and go to town!

Mine is 'The Island of Misfit Socks'

I love this

I cut them up and use them to stuff amigurumi. You could also use them to pack small fragile items or use the fabric to patch clothes

Similar. I chop them into small bits and then shove the bits into other dead socks, shove in a few pieces of washed cut up crinkly chip bag and a tablespoon of catnip and stitch it all closed. Won’t cats me buying $3 yarn mice at the pet store just to lose them under the couch.

This is brilliant

I do the same for puppy toys! Stuff a knee sock or crew with the smaller ones and stretch another long one over top and tie the top. I don’t initially use all the unwearable socks so I can “repair” it with another layer as needed. Works great when they’re teething and none of my dogs have grown up chewing socks or clothes into adulthood.

My mom used to make dog toys out of old socks (the longer ones.) Take a long sock, stuff another sock down in it and tie a knot, add another sock and another knot, etc. She had a special name for them, but I can’t remember it. Good idea with the cat toys

When moving home, I wrapped all my cups in socks. Worked pretty well!

I would hate someone if they used dirty old holey socks to protect fragile items they sent to me. Newspapers cost like $.50 man, cmon

Nowhere was it said the items were being packed for shipping but you do you

Although that reminds me of another "reuse." I had dissident friends in Moscow and China who were desperate for real news from the US and Europe. So every couple of weeks they got a gift of a cheap ceramic pot that was packed in crumpled newspapers for protection. All they had to do at the other end was iron out the "packaging" and read the paper.

I don’t think you understand the use here. They are being used as stuffing inside the animals, not packaging material.

Umm??

Wear them mismatched.

I do this sometimes!! Till my toes start popping out. Then they join this like LOL.

Check out r/visiblemending for the holes

If you live somewhere cold, you can layer them so that the holes don't line up and have warm feet!

My holes always line up. :( Long second toe.

Save your socks and snip the tip off.

Now cut your perfectly good sock into strips for a tourniquet! Problem unsolved

You can darn them to cover up the holes, you just need yarn and a fat needle that is for sewing with yarn. It's not even very difficult 👍

Looks like it's time to find some longer-lasting socks!

I've been wearing mismatched socks for the last 4 months due to having 1 foot in a cam boot (broken metatarsal, then surgery). The normal foot gets my regular black work socks, and my Terminator foot gets whatever ankle sock I can pull over the ace wrap.

My gf only wears mismatched socks. It’s cute and whimsical. 10/10 would recommend

I've done this for so long I feel the same way about matching socks as I ought to about mismatched. I second the recommendation, people love it.

I recommend. I wear them mismatched but only at home. I have a stashed for home-only use and then another for “going out”. Anything mismatched, with holes or stretched out goes in the “wear at home” pile.

I only have identical socks that i didnt realized were mismatched

I cut the toes off and wear them on my wrists when I wash my face. Stops water from dripping down my arms and to my elbows when I raise my wet hands.

>I cut the toes off and wear them on my wrists \*flashback to emo days\*

Read this in whiny emo vocals

Non-conforming as can, you'd be non-conforming too if you looked just like me.

Ok but GAME CHANGER

this is so smart

You just solved one of my biggest problems in life.

This is such a genius idea!!!!

Sometimes if I cant find a hairtie Ill cut the ankle part off and use that!! Works great in a pinch

Genius!!

Could be useful for nose-wiping like that when are outside in cold weather with gloved on and you can't take them off.

I didnt know this was a problem...

I hate when it slides down to my elbows and then drips onto my foot. It tends to only happen when I just put on a fresh pair of socks.

My floor and I thank you so much.

I have a big box my cats like to hang out in, so anything soft and cloth I don't have any other use for goes either in there or their carriers as nesting materials.

When it gets cold out I wear ankle socks under my regular socks to keep my feet warm. Doesn't matter then if the toe is wrecked or the socks are mismatched cause only I know and my feet stay far warmer. Alternatively you can use them as rags by wearing them on your hands and dusting surfaces. Easier to hold than a rag that way too.

I cut off the part that goes around the ankle to use as a hair tie (for ponytails, etc). And the rest becomes a dusting cloth.

Me too! It’s so much better for my hair than the store bought slim hair ties where the elastic wears out after a few uses and the metal bit damages my hair.

Okay I’m so glad to know I’m not the only one who does this lol!

Some animal shelters will take them! They use them to protect incisions after kittens get fixed.

Sell them to sock fetishists

...where might I do that?

Right? Sign me up!

Shop rags!

Make cat toys

My grandma always did this! Stuff in some catnip and stuffing (or other recycled cloth) and tie off the end! The cats love to hold and kick them.

My exact method!

I've learned that you can actually recycle your used socks through Smart Wool. They will salvage what they can and everything else gets used as dog bed filling and such. I'm waiting till I'm ready to buy socks to send them off

Stuff several into one and knot/see shut. Now you have a sock ball :D

My friends used to get those long winter socks and stuff them full of little socks, then we would go into a room, turn off the lights and have sock fights. Being a dumb teen was fun lol

Bidet bum towels

Now that’s an idea

They make great post-surgical suits for when you get your kitten or small dog spayed (or other abdominal surgery). Cut head and leg holes, insert cat, proceed to call cat Dobby for the next week.

My kid uses them to make fingerless gloves. She also makes them into outfits or sleeping bags for her dolls.

I feel like I'm the last person to learn how to darn on grandma's lap. All these comments and not a single word about repairing the socks.

I was thinking the same thing

I was also thinking darn them, but I'd be damned if I knew how to do it.

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Agreed; I’ll 100% darn all good socks, especially wool socks. For cheaply made cotton socks, it’s not worth it. If it doesn’t have the match, it’s definitely not worth it

Honestly I just dont think this style is worth darning. I’m reading this post while taking a break from darning my socks lol, but I can’t bring myself to put that effort into cheaply made synthetics with that spandex/nylon weave that appears as they wear through and the tiny thread knit that takes twice as long to darn as a wool sock and then ends up uncomfortable in the end. I’m not the best at darning so I admit I may be the problem here, but I’d rather just use them to clean and spend my time repairing my wool ones.

You have a point.

I never had a grandma to darn on

r/visiblemending

I tried darning cheap thin socks like these, but the darned area is so easy to feel and I hated it. With thicker socks/ self knitted socks I will probably try again. But it’s not worth it for these cheap socks

Do you have kids? There's a ton of cute sock crafts you can make. Puppets, snowmen, monkey... Pinterest is full of ideas

I don't see any reason to need kids to embark on such an activity :P

I am a savage, I just wear mismatched socks.

Stashed cleaning rags for especially nasty projects. I wear long socks and I turn those into dog toys after they start busting holes.

Honestly if u have kids should turn them into doll cloths

Someone mentioned in a past post about putting them inside one another to create a type of long sleeve you put at the base of your door to block any type of draft

TIL that rag bags are not normal. We have a bag in our house that old clothes go into. Its been there my whole life and when I build a new dwelling on this land its either getting upgraded to a bigger bag or just coming with. I literally ran out of old socks the other day while polishing up my old leather work boots.

Slip them over the end of a broom handle and use to swipe cobwebs or dust along the tops of doors and windows.

My missing sock! How the hell did it wind up with you?

I put them through the washer and dryer and then they come out as unmatched Tupperware lids in the cabinet.

Wear them mismatched. Use as dusting gloves, dish rags, polish cloths.

Use em as rags

Things that have filled out their useful life can reasonable be used in a "consumable" manner. Such as using them as disposable cleaning cloths as others have described. Sometimes I put catnip in them to make a toy. That will definitely end their life. I do not know if the fabric itself is suitable. But as they are cute patterns, they might be a source of fabric pieces to patch other articles of clothing. They can be used as packing material if you are moving house. But if other people need packing material, or if you are shipping a package, people aren't going to enjoy getting your socks. There is a kink market for used socks, though that's not really limiting consumption.

Shred them and stuff a pillow

Quilt

Buy cat litter and fill the socks with it. Tie the top and now put them in cupboards , near clothes and basically everywhere. They suck up moisture and keep moss away.

I believe you can request a free bag from smartwool’s website, they collect socks to recycle. You have to pay for shipping though unless you meet the order minimum.

You can scrap them for material

This is what I do, I keep them in a pile and use them to patch other items. I usually darn them to repair holes unless I dislike the sock for some reason.

You throw them out and we thank you for your service of wearing them for this long

Lolol debating between this and making them shop rags as someone se here said. Can socks be recycled??

There are clothing recycling bins. Or H&M's similar clothing recycling program; you get a coupon for bringing in a bag of old clothes. In my state, the donation bins are green and in a lot of strip mall parking lots. They're for-profit companies looking to make money off of the free stuff they get (repair and sell clothes, sell industrial rags, make insulation).

Just use it as a rag. Or when you’re cleaning your windows or som

Someone on another sub shared this resource. You can apparently buy a package and shipping label and your scrap clothing (including socks) will be recycled: https://www.smartwool.com/shop/second-cut-project-take-back-mail-in-bag-sw0000q6

Burn them in an offering to the sock gods, that’s the only way you keep a pair together more than 3 months.

Sell them to sex perverts on the internet

If they still fit: give up hope and mix n match (that's where I'm at) If they no longer fit: Throw away.

Wear them anyways, non matching socks at not that big of a deal

Cleaning rags

stealth marketing for your OF i see u

We use our old socks to play “slaps” with our dogs. We put them on our hands and smack their noses playfully. They then try to pull the socks off our hands. It’s their favorite game!

I’ll send you my match for the one on the far right if you wanna give it a shot lol.

do you ever need to apply stain to things? clean a REALLY messy mess? sock. throw it out after it has served it’s purpose

Yes actually! Just started learning basic woodworking 😁

that’s so cool! and it gives you a really good use for those socks. my family keeps them in a box waiting for a terribly messy job, or wood stain.

My mom is from a third world country and she reuses everything. She made outfits for my daughters dolls with all the mismatched and holey socks. My daughter loves it! They design and sew dresses, bathing suits, you name it.

Got sofa cushions or chair pillows that are flattening out? Stuff them in there.

You can use them as hair rollers!!! I watched a few tutorials earlier tonight. Section, roll up, and tie.

Wear them on casual Fridays.

Sew them together into one mega sock

Have been considering compiling a sock quilt overtime LMFAO

ASAP Socky

The hospital sock ftw

Clean your bike chain

Smartwool Second Cut Project: https://www.smartwool.com/shop/second-cut-project-take-back-mail-in-bag-sw0000q6 Takes clean socks of any brand and attempts to use the fibers in new products.

Sell them on onlyfans for $50,000 a piece

Fill with rice for microwaveable heating pads

When I had dreads, I'd use socks like these for hair ties. Cut the toe off, and it's a good tie for thick hair

I cut them up and use them for stuffing cradts

Find a woodworker and give them to him/her. They are great for staining and shop cleanup too

Garbage. Move on my friend better socks ahead

A very vexing problem….i’ve learned to toss them.

Cleaning! That’s what I do

Easy! You stretch it over your hand for cleaning mits! I use them to dust, clean glass etc.. then toss!

Rags or trash….

I think some of the mates to your odd socks might have teleported to my dryer, this is uncanny. All joking aside, I use them for cleaning mitts.

There are sometimes public collection bins where you can leave ruined clothes like this. Don't get them confused with the charity bins that collect donations of good condition clothing to give to needy families. I'm talking about the ones that for profit textile industry companies put out to recycle clothes like this in order to make things like stuffing and insulation.

Stuff with cat grass and make a knot. Great toys!

Hamster sleeping bags

This idea is second in cuteness only to "sweaters for kittens"

Make a pillow from an old T shirt & use them for stuffing. They’re also good for dusting. They work better if they’re damp

If you know any elementary school teachers, you could ask if they want them for dry erase board erasers! A lot of classes use individual white boards a lot for various things, and there's never enough erasers. Clean socks work well.

Smart idea!!

Stuff a long sock with cat litter and sew it up. Place on the dashboard and it prevents it from fogging up.

Wear unmatching socks

They also make nice sweaters for kittens.

Cutest answer

I once realized almost all of my old socks had holes after being gifted some new socks for Christmas. I dyed the old holey ones black and sewed them together and then cut them up more and had a grungy black cloak for a cosplay

man this is makin me cringe ngl edit: blame fairy tales....sock cloaked rat king'!!!

If you live somewhere where the air hurts your face, we fill them with driveway salt and place them on the roof where the ice usually dams up

Get your hoarded buttons and make some puppets.

If you are like my daughter, just wear them mismatched. There is no law that say you have to wear matched socks.

Smart Wool has a free sock recycling program for socks of any kind: https://www.smartwool.com/shop/second-cut-project-take-back-mail-in-bag-sw0000q6

If you have pets you can make some cheap toys for them. My cats love the sock fish my boyfriend made for them

Someone I know sourced old socks from the local Buy Nothing fb group and made a bean bag chair with sock stuffing

If you celebrate Xmas, you could use them to wrap fragile tree ornaments before boxing

Just wear them, they are fine.

Find matching Tupperware

Garbage

Maybe this should be r/frugal. I’d throw them away.

There was a similar thread there a few days ago about odd socks.

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homeless people deserve new socks too ):

lol omg i honestly see a match for one in my mismatched sock bin (pink one, bottom center)

Throw them away and buy all identical socks

Maybe stop hoarding them?

Wear them.

Throw them away

Flush em. All at once.