10 Things You Can Do with a Wine Bottle Cork

Here are 10 reasons why you should save those old wine bottle corks:

1. Use corks to keep stray pins in one place. Keep one in the drawer and you can stick anything sharp into it instead of leaving it loose in the drawer.
2. Glue corks together to provide protecting for sharp knives. Stick them sideways in a line and just "cut" the knife into the cork to protect the blade during storage.
3. Grind corks down in food processor and add to plant pots. This will help the soil to retain moisture. It's very effective and much cheaper than those bags of granules that you can but.
4. Use slices of cork on the bottom of plant pots to stop them marking floor, etc. Halve them and glue on to the base, to raise the pot up.
5. Use on pan lids to keep the handle cool. Push a couple of corks between the handle and lid and you have something to get hold of that won't burn your fingers.
6. If you have lost the back of a pierced earing pull off a bit of cork and use it in place of the back.
7. Use as a safety cover for sharp tools like an awl. Also useful if you use those thick needles to refill ink cartridges on your printer. They can be very sharp. A cork protects you and stops the needle getting damaged.
8. If you are a person who likes to sew, use a cork as a pin cushion, or better still, use a group of them glued together sideways to make a more substantial pin cushion.
9. Use to seal fizzy drink bottles if you lose the cap. Standard wine corks will fit most drink bottles.
10. Make a spout for a bottle (oil, vinegar, lemon juice, or whatever). Cut a wedge shape groove along the side of the cork and push into bottle. You can pour from the bottle without getting too much.