11 Unusual Uses for Diapers

Disposable diapers are a hotly-debated product among infants and toddlers alike. Some object to them on ecological grounds; throwing away all of those poop burritos wrapped in ultra-absorbent tortillas can't be good for The Earth. Others laud them for their easy, no-mess design. Most just appreciate anything that doesn't leave a trail of feces down their legs.

Diapers (unused) are incredibly useful in non-baby applications. We're talking uses like:

• fire and flood prevention
• body odor mitigation
• increasing crop yields
• early fall skiing
• ...and so much more.

Really, most of the uses are applications of the absorbent material in the diapers. But sodium polyacrylate isn't something you can just pick up down at the Piggly Wiggly. So we're talking about diapers. Disposable ones.

Read on for a hot, steaming load of knowledge.

Step 1: Mess-free flowers

Do you need to carry fresh flowers? Do they need to stay watered? Are you concerned about spillage during transport?

Pretty much every day.*

Sprinkle some sodium polyacrylate into the water holding your flowers to make a gel. Your flowers will still receive all that sweet, succulent moisture. Just without the mess. Or you could carry a bouquet in a diaper, but that kind of undermines whatever point you were trying to make by giving a special somebody those flowers.




*Or just at prom, weddings, funerals, and the occasional day after a forgotten anniversary.

Comments

[jlyvers743]

Fantastic instructable. I will be able to use a couple of these ideas. Thank you.

[jenmar77]

Ideas with spice, enjoyed the journey on diaper uses, who wood have thought :) my favorite was the plant one, can't wait to try it.

[SusanML]

Love your sense of humor. :)

[kretzlord]

nice, pride and prejudice and zombies! almost finished with it myself

[blodefood]

A note on disposal, in some cities, (mine, at least) they go into the organic waste regardless of whether soiled or not.

[seamster]

I cannot believe you dunked "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" in the bath tub!

[sparten11]

and dont forget it can be used as a lap bandage for major injuries. we use them in our medic kits as backup.

[Biodynamic]

I wish I had known about the salt a few weeks ago when my 2 year old dropped a diaper into his laundry basket. My wife and I found ourselves shaking out plenty of "fake snow". Super job on the instructable.

[jmray]

48hrs to save the book - that's info I could have used a bit earlier..., anyway to save one that's mildewed? Guess I could check out your reference info re: library - I loved this instructable, thanks.

[wilgubeast]

Dry it, sun it, soft-brush it, vacuum up the residue. http://www.nedcc.org/resources/leaflets/3Emergency_Management/08SalvageMoldyBooks.php

[porcupinemamma]

Thanks for posting! Lots of great ideas

[rimar2000]

WOW! This is really awesome, so much uses for a so domestic and ignored thing.

Cold Fusion? Perhaps?

[veloboy]

Thanks for sharing - some of these I'll definitely use :)
I have used them extensively in the past to provide a bit of drought protection for most of the trees I've planted on my property. It's a bit icky, but I used peed in nappies from our least weasel and mixed the gel into the soil as I was planting. the added nitrogen in the pee definitely helps them get a head start.