40+ Everyday Hot Glue Gun Hacks To Get Stuck On
Everybody loves a good life hack, and there seems to be one for just about anything you can think of! You can’t really escape them whenever you go online, and while some of them are pretty silly, others are helpful, especially when it comes to arts and crafts. If you’re like us and love DIY stuff, then you know one of the most versatile items you can have at home is a hot glue gun! They can be used not only for your crafting projects but also for all sorts of minor repairs around the house. But did you know they have so many more uses? That’s right. If you love your arts and crafts and enjoy life hacks, this is the article! Here are 45 glue gun hacks we wish we’d known about sooner!
Improvised toothbrush cover
We may not think much about them, but toothbrushes are an essential item of our everyday lives! Without them, we wouldn’t be able to properly clean our mouths and keep our breath as minty fresh as we like. If you’re traveling, though, you better keep a cover on your toothbrush.
Leaving the bristles exposed inside your bag is a big no-no, but if you’re in a hurry, you can make a cover in a pinch. Just roll the top of your toothbrush with baking paper and pour hot glue on of it. Wait for it to cool, remove the paper, and you’ll have a toothbrush cover in no time!
Temporary door stopper
Slamming doors are annoying, but things get even worse if you’re renting an apartment and cannot damage anything. Know that wall your bedroom door keeps slamming into? The paint is badly scratched now. Guess who’s not getting their deposit back?
To avoid this problem, just grab some hot glue, a bottle cap, and tape. Attach the tape to the wall and hot glue the bottle cap to it. Now your door won’t slam anymore and, when you move out, you can easily remove your door stopper without causing damage.
DIY brush cleaner
When we talk about dirty brushes, most people’s minds go straight to makeup, but if you think about it, those are not the only brushes we use around the house. If you’re into arts and crafts or home renovation, you probably have a bunch of other brushes lying around.
If you don’t have those fancy cleaning boards for your brushes, though, you don’t have to worry. Grab your hot glue gun, a plastic board, and you’re ready to go! Just apply dots and lines of glue to your board and wait for it to cool. And there you have it.
Fix your clothes in a pinch
We’ve all been there. We’re getting ready to go to a party when we notice the shirt or pants we have chosen to wear are torn. Oh, no! What to do? Well, you can always wear something else, but why waste time planning another outfit when you can easily fix what you’ve already picked out?
It’s okay if you don’t know how to sew; you don’t need to! Just take your glue gun and get to work fixing what’s torn. Don’t worry; the glue will hold all night long, and you can even wash your clothes afterward!
Keep your rugs in place
Most people have carpets at home, but in some rooms, you simply can’t have one. For those rooms, it’s common to have rugs instead! One big problem with rugs, though, is that they tend to slip and slide all over the place when you walk on them!
If that happens in your house, you don’t have to deal with it anymore. We have the perfect solution for this problem. Hot glue! Apply it to the bottom of your rug, wait for it to cool, and it’s done! It will provide enough friction so that it won’t slide around anymore!
Easy Halloween decorations
Who doesn’t love Halloween? This spooky holiday is greatly appreciated by children and adults alike! Candy, cool costumes, scary movies – what’s not to like, right? It gets even better when you let your crafty side fly and make all of the decorations yourself!
From spooky skeletons made from hot glue sticks to realistic-looking candles, the sky is the limit for what you can do! Especially if you consider the number of different glue sticks you can find out there – different colors, glittery ones, even some that glow in the dark. Your options are limitless!
Make roman shades at home!
Roman shades are a great addition to any house, especially if you want to evoke a classic, cozy feeling in your rooms! Things can get pretty expensive at the store, though, so why don’t you make your own shades using just hot glue and fabric?
Just measure and cut the fabric to fit your windows, then iron the hem and hang it where the shades are supposed to go. All you have to do is fold it at intervals and hot glue the fabric together so everything holds in place! Pretty easy, right?
Customized candle holders
Candles are the next big thing when it comes to house décor, and some people simply can’t live without having a bunch of them around! But did you know you can create or customize candle holders so your house looks even more like you?
Hot glue is your best friend here, no doubt. Just grab whatever you want to use to decorate your candle holder and get working! Beads, rhinestones, glitter, everything is welcome. Use hot glue to attach it all, and you’ll have a unique decoration in no time.
Fairy lights everywhere
Fairy lights are a great way to touch up the vibe of any room, be it interior or exterior! They set the mood for a cozy evening with your friends or family and look pretty good in pictures. It’s no surprise they are so trendy at the moment!
If you want to have these fantastic decorations at home but don’t want to damage your walls with nails, you can easily use hot glue. Just hang your fairy lights wherever you want them and use a small amount of hot glue to fix them in place. It’s that easy!
DIY fridge magnets
Fridge magnets are great accessories if you want to put a little bit more personality in your kitchen but don’t want to spend a whole lot of money. Things get even more personal and customized if you make the magnets yourself.
You won’t need much for that, just a few plain magnets, silicone molds, and glue. First, place the magnet inside the mold, then fill it up with hot glue. Wait for it to cool, and it’s done! You can use colored or glittery glue and even sprinkle confetti on top while the glue is still hot!
Curtain straps
Most of the time, your curtains are your best friends regarding both room décor and privacy. Also, nothing beats a nice pair of blackout curtains when you need a good night of sleep. Loose curtains are a hassle, though, especially if they’re made with light fabric.
A strong gust of wind, and there goes everything in the curtain’s path. That’s why you need curtain straps. You can even make your own. All you need is hot glue, a strip of fabric, and magnets! Attach the magnets to the material using the adhesive, and the strap is ready!
Make your own keychains
Keychains are not only good at keeping our keys organized, but they are also a great way to show our personality to the world. There are keychains out there from cartoons, video games, TV shows, and much, much more to choose from.
But why not make your own keychains? Nothing else can show to the world who you are better than something you created yourself. A couple of silicone molds in any shape you want, some hot glue, and glitter are all you need for this cool project.
Sheath a pinch
If you think about it, knives are one of the oldest tools we still have in our homes. They evolved just as much as we did and are still as present in our lives as they were thousands of years ago when they were nothing but sharp rocks.
No matter how much they have changed, they’re just as dangerous now as they were then. That’s why knife sheaths are still necessary today. You don’t have one? Well, wrap your knife in baking paper and cover it in hot glue. Remove the paper, and you’ll have a sheath ready to use!
Easy lighter cap
Cheap plastic lighters can be pretty fragile if you think about it. Liquids are its worst enemy, but also dust and a bunch of other things. It’s only logical, then, to think they should come with little caps to protect them better.
That’s not the case, though, and we end up suffering through multiple lighters before settling for a more expensive and durable one. If you don’t want to do that, why don’t you make a cap yourself? Hot glue, baking paper, and boom! Your cheap lighter will last much longer now.
Christmas decorations
Ah, Christmas! A time of peace, love, and delicious food! A day to celebrate with your family and friends, exchange gifts, and think about the year that’s ending. The most fun part about it, though, is putting up the decorations.
Some families love spending money on the most expensive sets – lights everywhere, a huge tree, nativity scenes all over the yard. If you have simpler tastes, though, why not make your decorations with hot glue? All you need is some molds, colored hot glue, and glitter!
Safer cutting boards
If you enjoy cooking but can’t afford expensive cutting boards made of wood, you know how hard it is to prepare meat without everything sliding everywhere. Plastic cutting boards may be the cheaper option, but they sure make the process harder.
If you want to solve that problem, but don’t want to invest in better equipment, don’t worry! All you need is your trusty hot glue gun. Just place a dollop of glue in every corner of the board, and it will create enough friction to keep everything in place.
Slipping hangers no more
If you use those cheap plastic hangers to store your clothes, you know the frustration of trying to hang them time and time again, only to have them slide right off the moment you turn your back. If you’re tired of that, we have the perfect solution for you.
Just apply some hot glue to your plastic hangers. Once the glue cools down, it will provide enough grip so that your clothes will never slide off again! The glue won’t damage your clothes either, so you don’t have to worry about that.
No more mold
We all know kids’ toys tend to get super gross, super fast. But did you know there’s an explanation for that? Mold starts growing everywhere because they are often hollow. When kids take their toys to the bath, to the park, put them inside their mouths, it’s a bacteria-fest.
If you don’t want to deal with gross toys all the time, by buying new ones, this little trick is for you – Take your hot glue gun and fill the cracks on the toys. That’s right; fill all the nooks and crannies, and mold won’t have a place to grow anymore!
Homemade cake toppers
Did you know you can make pretty amazing cake toppers at home? And better yet, they are 100% customizable. All you’ll need are skewers, cookie cutters, baking paper, hot glue, and whatever decoration materials you want – confetti, beads, glitter, even rhinestones.
Put the cookie cutter on top of the baking paper and use it as a guide for the glue. Then, while the glue is still hot, sprinkle your decoration items on top of it and wait for it to cool. Now all you need to do is attach your topper to the skewer and put it on your cake!
Scrapbooking stamps
If you’re into arts and crafts, it won’t take long for you to start messing with scrapbooking! Not only is it a great way to pass the time, but it also helps your imagination flow free. And if you ever need texture stamps, look no further than your glue gun!
Take a piece of cardboard or a toilet paper roll and create any pattern you want on them using hot glue. Then, dip your stamper in paint and press it against whatever it is that you wish to stamp. There you have it, a cheap and easy texture stamp!
Perfectly aligned frames
If you’re a perfectionist, then picture frames and paintings must be some of the most annoying things for you to deal with. Think about it. They rarely, ever hang perfectly straight on your walls, no matter how much you try.
You’re not going to lose sleep over crooked picture frames anymore with this little hack! Just apply a dot of hot glue to the corners of your frames and wait for it to cool. Now they’ll stay in whatever position you place them.
Little kitchen trick
Certain kitchen appliances, like blenders, are handy, and most households cannot exist without them. Unfortunately, they tend to be quite fragile! If you have a blender you love, but it no longer sits straight, hot glue might be your friend!
That’s right! If you didn’t know that already, you could easily create a base for it using hot glue. Not only that, but you can also replace those plastic bits that tend to break away with small blobs of glue as well.
Homemade bag clips
If you have kids around the house who bring lunch to school or if you enjoy eating chips now and again, you know just how useful bag clips can be! These small life-savers are perfect for keeping your packed lunch and chips fresh!
Unfortunately, they’re made out of plastic and, considering the environmental problems we’re having this last few decades, not everyone feels comfortable buying them. But did you know you can make your own bag clip? Just hot glue two popsicle sticks to a binder clip are you’re good to go.
Quick drain stopper
Drain stoppers are essential if you have a bathtub; you can’t take a relaxing bath without one!. But what happens when you get home stressed from work, in desperate need of a good soak, and find out someone lost your stopper?
No need to pop a vein over it; just grab your glue gun and get to work! Just take a deflated balloon and fill it up with hot glue. Tie a knot and, with the glue still hot, push it against the drain until it acquires its shape. No water will get through that!
Hot glue jewelry
Everybody loves a lovely jewel. It doesn’t matter if you’re a man or a woman; a necklace or a bracelet can make all the difference when planning an outfit. But did you know you don’t need to spend tons of money to buy them?
If you don’t care about precious metals and gems and prefer simpler jewelry, you can make your own at home using nothing but hot glue! Just pour it in a mold of your preference, decorate it any way you like, and attach it to a string.
Homemade coasters
If you like having friends over for a couple of drinks, or if you simply don’t like leaving cup marks on your furniture, coasters are your best friends! Not only do they protect your tables, but they are also excellent decoration items!
Did you know you can easily make coasters? All you need is some wool, felt, and hot glue! Put some glue on top of the felt, glue the yarn in the pattern you want, and then cut the excess material.
Hot glue seal stamps
If you have ever watched a movie or TV show set in medieval times, you probably saw those fancy wax seal stamps. People don’t use them anymore nowadays, unless it’s for a special occasion, like a wedding invitation, for example.
If you want to use them and don’t know where to start, you can easily substitute the wax for hot glue. Just melt the glue, pour it on your envelop and use whatever you want to stamp it. You can use a proper stamper, of course, but pins and buttons work just fine.
The perfect solution for broken vases
Keeping our homes nicely decorated is a challenging task, especially if you have kids or pets around, or are clumsy. No matter how careful you are, things will get knocked over and, if you’re unlucky enough, break into a thousand pieces.
If you have a hot glue gun and the patience to collect all the broken shards, then you can easily fix that vase you love so much. You can use glue sticks with different colors to give even more personality to the final piece.
Say goodbye to nails
Some occasions ask for specific decorations, like Christmas, Halloween, even birthday parties. If we were to nail things to our walls every time a holiday came up, though, our house would end up looking like Swiss cheese. There’s an easy fix for that.
All you need is some tape and hot glue. Place a piece of tape on the wall and put hot glue on it. While it is still hot, attach the decoration of your choice to it. After all the celebration is over, you can remove the piece of tape.
Table top bumpers
Everybody agrees glass tabletops are beautiful, right? They’ll always add a touch of class to any dining or living room. Unfortunately, if you have kids or pets, it’s easy to topple the glass over and end up with a huge mess.
To avoid that, people use rubber bumpers to secure the glass in place. If your bumpers are not working anymore or if you just bought a new glass tabletop and forgot to buy them as well, don’t fret In a pinch, a drop of hot glue will work just fine.
Cool hot glue wallet
If you’re into crafting, you’re probably into the whole DIY movement as well. Also, you probably know you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on store-bought things since you can make them yourself. All you need is a little bit of hot glue and imagination.
A cool little project to invest an evening or two on is a hot glue wallet. Apply hot glue all over an old wallet in any pattern you like, and once you’re done and the glue has cooled down, remove the base.
Quick-fix for your earrings
Earrings may not be the most important part of an outfit, but they can bring life and elevate even the simplest of garments if used correctly. Unfortunately, unless you pay a fortune for your jewels, your earrings’ push backs may break easily.
If you lost the push backs of your favorite pair of earrings, you don’t have to worry. A little bit of hot glue will fix it all! Just put a teeny tiny amount of it on the back of your earrings and hold the broken pieces together until the glue cools down.
Loose fur remover
Cats and dogs are the cutest things in the world; we can all agree with that. But depending on their breed, type of food, and general habits, their fur can become a big problem! No one enjoys finding pet hair everywhere, no matter how much we love them.
You don’t have to get mad at your little fur baby or spend a bunch of money on expensive cleaning products, though. All you need is a cleaning glove and hot glue. Just apply dots of glue all over the glove, and you can use it to remove excess hair from pretty much anywhere.
Melted crayon art
You may not know it, but a hot glue gun works with many different things, not only glue sticks. Of course, depending on what you’re inserting in them, the results will vary, but most of the time, it will turn out okay!
For example, you can use crayons instead of glue. People do that all the time to create beautiful works of art like the one you see above. Fair warning, though. Your glue gun might get ruined, and using it for other purposes may result in a big crayon mess!
The button hack
Yes, hot glue has many different uses in arts and crafts and minor fixes around the house. But did you know you can even use it to fix your clothes? A lost button, for example, won’t ever be a problem anymore.
We never know when we’re going to lose a button, so we may not have the means to fix it instantly, but if you apply a little bit of hot glue and press the button back in place until the glue cools, you should be ready to go again.
Emergency nose pads
Having your capacity to see clearly both up close and from a distance depend on something that can easily break or get lost is simply not ideal. But that’s not even the worst part about wearing glasses – nose pads are!
They always seem to get lost at the worst possible moment, and wearing glasses without them is out of the question because it hurts. If you lost your nose pads but absolutely need your glasses, just cut a little piece of a hot glue stick and attach it to your frame instead.
Emergency kit upgrade
Hot glue can have hundreds of different uses if you’re creative enough, but you probably have never thought of this one before. Since this particular kind of glue can be used on many different occasions, nothing better than carrying some of it around for emergencies, right?
We sometimes don’t have electricity during emergencies, though, and as such, a hot glue gun would do nothing! Well, there are other ways to melt the glue. Just put some on a match, and it will start to melt as soon as the flame touches the glue.
Time to fix your favorite chair
We may not think about them much in our day-to-day lives, but chairs are a big part of our homes. If you ever had to live without them, you know just how much they are missed. Unfortunately, it’s pretty easy to ruin their upholstery if you’re not careful.
But luckily, there’s almost nothing a little bit of hot glue can’t fix. So, go ahead and grab your glue gun and a piece of fabric and get to work on your favorite chair. It will be brand new once you’re finished.
Caps for your markers
If you love stationery items, you probably have a huge collection of markers and know how to take good care of them. For example, it’s common knowledge that you can’t leave them without their caps. Otherwise, the ink will dry, and they’ll become useless!
If you lost the cap of your favorite marker and don’t know what to do to save it from its fate, don’t worry! Just wrap one of its ends in baking paper, apply some hot glue on it and wait for it to cool.
Safer flip flops
If you live somewhere with hot weather, you know flip flops are a must. You don’t want your poor feet to suffer in the heat. But while they are great for keeping your feet well-ventilated, sometimes they tend to be a bit too slippery and, as a consequence, dangerous!
If you want to make sure you won’t slip next time you walk on that slippery sidewalk, you better get your hot glue gun ready. Just apply some hot glue to the bottom of your flip-flops, and it will keep you from slipping everywhere.
Better measuring tape
If you work in construction or enjoy doing house renovations as a hobby, you are probably familiar with measuring tapes. As the name suggests, this handy dandy tool allows you to take precise measurements of whatever it is that you’re working on.
Unfortunately, sometimes it can get pretty hard to mark where you need to cut or drill because of the distance between that area and the hand holding the pencil. For that, all you need to do is attach a pencil to the measuring tape itself using hot glue.
The right fit
Okay, we admit, this one may seem a little silly, but don’t knock it until you try it because it works! Do you have a ring that’s too big for your fingers? It’s impossible to find time to get these things resized at the jeweler.
But did you know you can resize it at home? All you need is a tiny little bit of hot glue. Put a blob of hot glue on a surface and dip the bottom of your ring in it. Wait until it cools and cut off the excess material. so it doesn’t show up while you’re wearing it.
Customized phone case
A couple of decades ago, no one could imagine just how much cell phone technology would advance. Nowadays, cell phones aren’t just a means to call other people, but an entire computer in the palm of our hands. Unfortunately, as technology advanced, they also became more fragile.
If you love your cell phone and take it with you everywhere but don’t want to risk it falling and breaking apart, why not get yourself a nice phone case? You can even make one yourself using nothing but hot glue and your artistry
Pencil & eraser combo
During your school years, there was nothing better than a pencil with an eraser already attached to it for your homework. They were simple and effective and could be used not only for school but also for drawing and writing in your diary!
If you desperately need to relive the feeling of having one of those in your hands but don’t want to make the trip to the store, just grab some hot glue, a piece of eraser, and make one yourself at home!
Keep your cabinet doors from slamming
No matter how many times we tell our children not to slam the kitchen cabinet doors, they always seem to forget this simple instruction and end up making a big noise and damaging the furniture. Well, you don’t have to worry about it now!
Just use some hot glue, and this particularly irritating problem will go away. Just apply a dollop of hot glue to each end of your kitchen cabinet doors, and it will muffle the noise and prevent the wood from getting scratched!
Insulate exposed wires
Like most of the hacks we have come across so far, this one is just as fun as it’s easy. Don’t you just hate it when your phone charger or other essential cable gets a tear? Aside from being annoying, this can also be a dangerous electrocution hazard.
But if you have a glue gun and some glue, you can fix the problem and get a pretty ‘customized’ charger in the process. Simply get a cutter in the shape you want, place it over the exposed area, spread some glue, and let it dry. Once it does, remove the cutter, and you’re done!