Old newspapers always tend to stack up, literally. Chances are you have a broadsheet or two lurking around the house. Not thrown out, but not doing anything useful, either. Once a source of useful information, these huge resources of paper are rendered irrelevant in a matter of 24 hours – or are they?
As it turns out, the material used to make newspapers makes them a secret superhero around the house. From cleaning to decorating and even deodorising, old newspapers have the potential to tackle a laundry list of household tasks in no time at all, and it won’t cost you a penny.
So without further ado, here are the useful ways you can reuse your old newspapers around your house and garden for a cleaner, more organised home in minutes.
Clean your windows
This is a hack I’m sure many of us have long been familiar with – I was taught it as a kid by my grandmother. Newsprint is lint-free, which means it’s highly absorbent, dense and abrasive – great for lifting grime without leaving any streaks or smudges behind. The density of the paper polishes while absorbing excess window cleaner liquid. So our grandmothers were right, after all!
Simply crumple a couple of sheets into loose, hand-sized balls, spray on your chosen cleaning solution and scrub away, working from top to bottom in circular motions. Simple but effective.
Deodorise the fridge
This is probably one of the lesser-known newspaper hacks, which is such a shame, as it’s utterly brilliant! The porous paper fibres and the carbon in the print ink of a newspaper act like a natural sponge, actively trapping odour-causing molecules and soaking up stale, musty moisture from the air. A great place to put this to the test is in the fridge. If you’re struggling with lingering food smells, try lining your shelves with a couple of sheets of newspaper. Ball them up into large bundles roughly the size of a dinner plate. Spritz lightly with water to unlock their absorption properties and leave in the fridge for three to four days. You can also try out this trick on a smelly pair of shoes, or any other enclosed stinky spot in the home.
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Ripen fruit and veg
This is probably the most surprising hack on the list, and one I wish I’d known sooner. By wrapping unripe fruit and vegetables in old newspaper, you can speed up the ripening process. The newspaper traps ethylene gas, a natural plant hormone that triggers softening and sugar conversion. Newspaper is breathable, so unlike plastic bags or other packaging, it’s able to concentrate the gas while releasing excess moisture, so it helps with ripening but prevents rotting. Genius!
Wrap gifts
I have a very environmentally conscious sister-in-law who’s been ousting traditional wrapping paper for many years now. One of her favourite (and in my opinion, best looking) alternatives is newspaper. Traditional wrapping paper, with all its plastics and glitter, can’t always be recycled and often ends up in landfill, whereas unpainted newsprint is highly recyclable and compostable. Plus, it gives a more unique and artistic look to your gift-wrapping.
Wipe down tools
Newspapers are also great at absorbing oil, making them a great resource to have in your toolkit. You can use them as you would a rag, to wipe down blades, screwdrivers or even bike chains. The highly absorbent newsprint soaks up heavy oils and slippery grease without leaving behind lint or shredding, like paper towels might. Additionally, crumpling the paper creates a mild, non-scratch texture to help scrub away stubborn grime.
Dry damp items
If you’ve ever jumped in a puddle, you may be already aware of this hack, but newspaper is an excellent drying accelerant.
Old newspapers are made of absorbent cellulose fibres that naturally wick away moisture through capillary action, so they’re perfect for helping to dry out damp items. The crumpled pages create microscopic air channels that absorb and release water safely, without using harsh heat that can shrink or warp materials like leather or delicate fabrics. Meaning they can help dry everything from your favourite biker boots to your musty umbrella. Simply stuff newspaper into any crevice you can: inside shoes, through sleeves, inside pockets etc, and watch as your usual drying time halves. Just watch out for any ink transferring on to clothes if they’re too wet.
Line pet cages and litter boxes
For me, a good reuse hack is often just a trick to reduce the amount of unnecessary spending I have to do to keep my home clean. The more I can avoid buying, the better. And spending money on something that’s just going to be peed on is not what I call cost effective.
Old newspapers make great liners for pet cages, from birds to hamsters; cat litter boxes and puppy crates. They’re really absorbent, their deodorising properties can help with the smell, plus they’re very easy to replace (and they give our furry friend something to read!).
Add it to your compost heap
Looking for a cost-effective way to boost your compost heap? Look no further than your stack of newspapers. Newsprint makes an excellent carbon-rich ingredient for compost bins or heaps. As much as compost needs green cuttings, such as vegetable scraps or garden trimmings, it also needs dry materials like autumn leaves, cardboard or, in this case, paper.
Just make sure you shred or tear the newspaper before adding it to the compost heap, so it can break down faster, and remove any staples or other non-paper materials.
