The 10 Best Uses for Cable Ties

Cable Ties are really handy for all manner of jobs. If you want to know more about them, the types that you can get and how to use them to best effect, have a look at our project on using cable ties.

If you enjoy action films or cop dramas you know that they are invaluable for restraining a villain who has been apprehended or ‘cuffing’ a misfortunate hero who has to escape from some evil lair, but we certainly do not recommend their use in this way!

There are many other safe and constructive ways to use your cable ties; please stick to them.

Cable Tie – Uses and Applications

These are some of the more interesting uses of cable ties that we have come across over the years:

• 1. Sink Unblocker – If you have something suck or jammed a cable tie is stiff but flexible enough to poke through the plug hole and work loose the object of clogged-up gunk.
• 2. Added Stability – if you have ever been to one of our Tricks of the Trade Theatres you will have seen the benches we use. We don’t trust the catches that secure the legs so we use cable ties to make them a little stronger. They are great at adding a little strength wherever you feel a catch or buckle needs some help.
• 3. Toddler Protection – You can get fancy (but expensive) child lock for kitchen cupboards to stop little one getting in and wreaking havoc with the crockery or worst. A cable tie is a safe and cheap alternative, particularly if you get a re-sealable cable tie.



• 4. Travel Security – It’s not about ensuring that no one can get into your suitcases, as a determined thief will do this anyway, and if you make it too hard they will cause even more damage. It about securing your case from an opportunist, or ensuring that nothing is put into your bag without your knowledge. If the cable tie is removed you know your bags have been tampered with.
• 5. Fun and Funky Jewellery – It great fun to make and interesting to wear! Even better it’ll amuse the kids for an hour or two making some cable tie jewellery. You can make bracelets and necklaces with coloured ties for an even more dramatic effect.





• 6. Cable Tie Art – We’ve already started in this direction, but cable ties are an amazingly successful medium for artists! If you have a DIY/ Home Improvement bent you are sure to enjoy what can be created with cable ties. Here are some of our favourites:



• 7. It’s Not Just Cables – Cable ties are great for tidying up spare wires as well as cables, they are fantastic for keeping a hose pipe neatly coiled up or even coils of rope or electrical flex. We have even heard of a DIY obsessed bachelor who used cable ties to keep spaghetti tied up neatly in the store cupboard!
• 8. Tying-back Plants – If you are training plants over a trellis or wall, a cable tie, fastened loosely to allow for the plant growth is a very quick but strong way to fix your plants.
• 9. Stop Slip – If you need to ensure that a knot or hanging will not slip down a pole, pipe or even a rope or cable, a cable tie can provide the perfect anchor and put an end to the slipping. Here a shower organiser is stopped from slipping down the shower pipe it’s hung on to.



• 10. Easy to spot Key Rings – Coloured cable ties can be used to your key or key rings easy to spot quickly. The bright colours will attract your attention so you can find the right key in a large bunch quickly.

Don’t forget to Accessorise with Cable Ties!

You know what? They’re not too bad at tying cables back too! For more information about this have a look at our project which explains the different types of cable ties, cable tie back plates and plugs and when how they are designed to be used.