Cork stoppers are an object that we can frequently host in our apartment, but be careful not to throw them away, as they are not to be considered waste at all: instead, they can prove to be very useful in various fields of everyday life – from taking care of plants to that of ‘car – and help us, for example, to entertain our children.
We see five creative ways to reuse corks.
Odor absorber for the car
Did you know that cork is a material capable of absorbing and neutralizing odors? This is why our grandmothers used to always keep one in the refrigerator, so that it would absorb the penetrating odors of the food stored inside the appliance.
Today we will explain how to use a cork to neutralize bad odors inside the car. We cut a cork stopper in half along the long side and pour a few drops of essential oil of our choice onto the cut side: it will serve to spread a pleasant scent in the passenger compartment.
We place the two halves of the cap in our car, in the glove compartment or between the seats. Cork will absorb unpleasant odors and give us a healthy and hospitable interior. For this remedy to be effective, let’s remember to replace the caps in our car from time to time.
Fertilizer for plants
Cork is a particular type of bark: it is therefore a completely natural material, which it biodegrades easily in the environment and which can be used in compost to fertilize plants.
If we have corks at home, cut them into small pieces with the help of a pair of scissors or a sharp knife, then distribute them on the soil of our potted plants or in the garden. Cork will decompose naturally without releasing dangerous substances and will nourish the plants.
Placeholder
We can use corks to make lovely place cards to decorate our table when friends or relatives come to visit us. Once we have collected a sufficient number of corks, we make a cut at the base of each one, which reaches up to a third of the cork.
We then cut squares of cardboard in a color of our choice on which we will write the names of our guests, then insert them into the cut made on the cap. Our personalized placeholder is ready: we can choose to color the caps with tempera before starting the job, or to leave them in their natural color.
Cork frame
We can transform cork stoppers into a unique and original frame, perfect for giving new life to a decorative object. you will only need a rigid base (such as cardboard or wood), hot glue and used caps. Cut the caps in half to obtain a flat surface or leave them whole for a three-dimensional effect, then glue them along the edges of the base following your creative taste. You can customize them by painting them or leaving them natural for a rustic look.
Games for the little ones
Finally, if we have small children at home, we can use corks to make nice games at no cost. We can, for example, build gods stamps with which children can have fun “marking” notebooks and cards.
We draw a very simple shape at the base of the cork – such as a star, a heart, a square or a triangle. Let’s score it with a cutter and eliminate a little of the cork thickness outside the shape. Our stamp is ready: all that remains is to dip it in tempera paint and let your imagination run wild!
Alternatively, we can make some nice ones animal-shaped puppetsdrawing a little face with a marker and adding cardboard details, such as ears or paws.
Cork granulate for green building
The Artimestieri Social Cooperative has demonstrated that, thanks to a widespread collection network, these simple corks can be transformed into cork granulate for green building, an ecological material that thermally insulates homes, reduces energy consumption and fights climate change. Furthermore, their recovery provides work to hundreds of people with disabilities, promoting inclusion and sustainability. Join the solidarity network by registering as a Collection Point on cork.org and give corks a new life
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