6 Genius Ziploc Bag Hacks For Everyday Life

If there's one unsung hero in every household, it's got to be the humble ziploc bag. Used every day, these nifty little bags never get the love and respect they rightfully deserve. But they do so much for us – from the freezer to the fridge, ziploc bags are the perfect storage container for all our food. And yet, there are so many unexplored ways to use them, 6 of which we're going to reveal to you now! Find out how to use ziploc bags to remove gum from carpets, freeze an entire loaf of bread, or use as thermal packs. Wowza!

1. Remove Gum

You'll Need:

• zipper storage bag
• water

Here's How:

It's surprisingly easy to remove gum from a carpet. All you need is ice, ice, baby! Fill up a ziploc bag with water and put it in the freezer. Then place the frozen water bag on the piece of gum stuck on the carpet for 10 minutes. You'll be able to get rid of the gum easily now. By the way, this trick also works for gum that's stuck to a t-shirt or other fabrics.

2. Freeze Bread

You'll Need:

• 2 zipper storage bags

Here's How:

In order to keep bread from going stale, you have to know how to store it properly. The best way to do it is by freezing it in an airtight bag. A single ziploc bag usually doesn't do it, though, because it's too small to contain an entire loaf of bread. The solution: just use two ziploc bags! Turn one of the bags inside out and pull it over the bread. Now pull the second ziploc bag over the other side of the loaf and seal both bags together. And once you're ready to eat that bad boy, let the frozen loaf of bread defrost at room temperature and put it in the oven for the last 30 minutes. It's going to taste super fresh and delicious!

3. Double Up

You'll Need:

• zipper storage bag
• knife
• lighter

Here's How:

To make several smaller bags out of one ziploc bag, you just need to grab a knife and a lighter. Heat the blade of the knife with the lighter and carefully cut the ziploc bag in half by gently sliding the knife down the plastic. The heat causes the plastic to melt and the incisions seal back up.

4. DIY Thermal Pack

You'll Need:

• zipper storage bag
• dish soap

Here's How:

Fill up a ziploc bag with dish soap and put the bag in the freezer. This is perfect for when you don't have a thermal pack handy.

5. Paint Dispenser

You'll Need:

• zipper storage bag
• acrylic or oil paint

Here's How:

If you and the people in your household like to be creative, this hack is perfect for you. Put a ziploc bag in a mug and fill it with acrylic or oil paint. This way, the mug won't get dirty and you can also just seal the bag and use the rest of the paint in the bag the next time you and yours want to get your paint on. 

6. Umbrella Cover

You'll Need:

• zipper storage bag

Here's How:

Try and get into the habit of carrying around a ziploc bag when you have an umbrella-ella-ella on you. If the umbrella gets wet, you can just put it in the ziploc bag and then put it in your backpack. BUT, don't forget to take it out and let it dry completely. Otherwise, your umbrella might get moldy...

Aren't these little bags amazing? Let us worship at the altar of the ziploc bag! Get the instructions for the Homemade Slushies featured in the bonus video.