What to do with old tennis balls?

Old tennis balls can still be useful even if they are no longer suitable for playing tennis. Here are some ways you can use old tennis balls: 

1. Pet Toys:

Cut a small hole in the tennis ball and put a treat inside to create a fun and interactive toy for your pet. 

Use the tennis ball to fetch: Dogs and cats love chasing after balls, and tennis balls are the perfect size and weight for a good game of fetch. 

Make a DIY tug toy:  Cut a small slit in the tennis ball and thread a rope or old t-shirt through the hole. Tie a knot at the end of the rope to create a handle for you to hold onto while your pet tugs on the ball. 

You can even make your own Personalised tennis balls of your choice. You can also print your choice of image or logo or with any name or smiley on your tennis ball. 

Use the tennis ball as a puzzle feeder: Cut a few small holes in the tennis ball and put your pet's food inside. Your pet will have to roll the ball around to get the food out, which will provide mental stimulation and slow down their eating. 

Create a bouncing ball toy: Cut a small slit in the tennis ball and insert a rubber ball inside. This will create a bouncy, unpredictable toy that will keep your pet entertained for hours. 

2. Chair Leg Pads

Cut a tennis ball in half and place it on the legs of your chairs to protect your floors from scratches. Using old tennis balls as chair leg pads is a great way to protect your floors from scratches and marks, and to reduce noise when moving your chairs around. Insert the chair legs into the tennis balls. Insert each chair leg into the slit you made in the tennis ball. The ball should fit snugly around the chair leg. 

3. Massage Tool

Use a tennis ball to massage sore muscles by placing it on the affected area and rolling it around. Tennis balls can make excellent massage tools for relieving tension and soreness in different areas of the body. 

Foot massage:  Roll a tennis ball under your bare feet, applying gentle pressure as needed. Focus on the arches and heels of your feet to help relieve plantar fasciitis or other foot pain. 

Back massage:  Lie on your back and place a tennis ball between your shoulder blades. Use your legs to gently move your body up and down, rolling the ball over any tight or sore spots. 

Glute massage: Sit on a tennis ball and roll it around under one or both glutes. 

Hamstring massage: Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you and place a tennis ball under one hamstring. Roll the ball up and down your leg, focusing on any tight or sore spots. 

Hand massage:  Hold a tennis ball in the palm of your hand and roll it around using your fingers and palm. This can help relieve tension and soreness in your hands and wrists.    

4. Stress Ball:

Squeeze a tennis ball to relieve stress and tension. Tennis balls can indeed be used as stress balls, as they can provide a useful and portable tool for relieving stress and tension in your muscles. The act of squeezing a tennis ball can help to alleviate stress and tension in your hands, arms, and upper body. This physical action can also help to release tension in the muscles of your hand and forearm, as well as increase blood flow to these areas. 

To use a tennis ball as a stress ball, simply hold the ball in the palm of your hand and squeeze it as hard as you can for a few seconds. Then, release the ball and repeat the squeezing motion several times. You can do this exercise several times a day, especially during times when you are feeling particularly stressed or anxious. 

5. Photography hack

 Old tennis balls can be used in various photography hacks to achieve different effects. Cut a small hole in a tennis ball and place it over your camera's flash to soften the light for better photos. 

Lens protection: Tennis balls can be cut in half and placed over the ends of lenses to provide a cushioned protection layer for the glass. This is particularly useful when shooting in crowded areas where accidental bumps or knocks are common. 

Light diffusion: Tennis balls can be sliced in half and placed over light sources to create a soft, diffused light. This technique can be used in portrait photography to create a flattering and soft lighting effect. 

Tripod stabiliser:  Tennis balls can be placed over the legs of tripods to provide a stable base on uneven surfaces. This helps prevent the tripod from tipping over and potentially damaging the camera. 

DIY camera stabiliser: By cutting a tennis ball in half and attaching it to a pole or stick, you can create a DIY camera stabiliser. This technique can be useful when shooting video footage or timelapses. 

Remote shutter release: By cutting a small hole in a tennis ball and inserting a cable release through it, you can create a cheap and effective remote shutter release. This technique can be useful for long exposure photography, where even the slightest movement can cause blurring. These are just a few examples of how you can repurpose old tennis balls. Get creative and see what other uses you can come up with!