Five years ago, I wrote an article that detailed nine ways RVers can use pool noodles while camping. You can read it here.
Five years is a long time! Since then, I’ve discovered many, many more pool noodle tricks and tips—some from online resources, others from you, our readers. Here are ten ideas that I really love. Enjoy!
Note: Many times, pipe insulation can substitute for a pool noodle.
Travel day helpers
• Handle covers. When your RV’s slide-outs are retracted, sometimes the kitchen cabinet handles bang or rub against the island as you travel. Here’s an easy fix. On travel day, cut noodles to the length of each handle and slice them open lengthwise. Then snap them over the drawer and cupboard handles. The foam cushions the contact and prevents scratches or those annoying dings while you’re rolling down the road.
• Stop spills. Use short, slit noodle pieces across the front of fridge shelves or the front edge of pantry shelves. The noodle will help keep cans, bottles, and boxes on the shelves where they belong—not falling out when you open the door. Also, foam placed along wire shelf edges prevents scraping or marring the interior of cupboard doors. (Always check to see that doors are securely closed, as well.)
At the campground
• Insulate exhaust fans. Trim short noodle segments to nest inside the ceiling fan as shown. Hold the pieces in place with a strap of elastic that has Velcro on each end. It’s a quick and inexpensive way to hold heat in (or out) depending on the season.
• Soften ladder rungs. Measure each bunk ladder rung and cut noodles to that length. Then, slice each noodle, slide one over each rung, and secure in place with duct tape. The padded rungs are gentler on small feet and easier to climb at night.
• Quiet shade noise. Cut small lengths of a pool noodle to slip over the ends of roller shades (a thin lengthwise cut usually helps). They act like tiny bumpers so the shade’s hardware won’t rattle against the frame on breezy mornings.
• Widen chair feet. Does your camp chair sink in sand, dirt, or loose gravel? Slice a noodle lengthwise and slide it over the horizontal leg rails that sit on the ground. The noodle effectively spreads the load and steadies the chair.
• Comfy backrest outside. Slice a noodle and slip it over the outer edge of the picnic table so you can lean back comfortably while facing out. It’s a cheap, removable back cushion that’s great for longer happy-hour hangouts.
• Comfy backrest inside. Straight back cushions around a dinette can feel uncomfortable. Remedy this by removing the cushion and placing a pool noodle at the bottom of the seat. Then put the cushion back in place. The noodle will hold the cushion out at the bottom to make a more comfortable, angled seat.
• Fishing tip. Mount one 4-inch noodle section on a short bungee in the bow of a kayak to snare lures and hooks between casts. The foam is a low-cost, convenient holder that keeps sharp lures and fishhooks safe.
Off-season tip
Before you winterize or park your RV for a long period, wedge a slit piece of noodle in the fridge door to keep the door slightly ajar. Allowing airflow into an unused fridge prevents trapped humidity and lowers the chance of mildew and odor.
Your turn
Please add to this list! Use the comments below to tell us how you use pool noodles while RVing. Thanks!
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RVT1250
You have to put them on the ends of slide outs so it doesn’t hurt when you run into them. I’m too short but my husband never misses.
I absolutely put noodles over the bottoms of all three slides. You only have to bonk your head once on those sharp edges when getting something out of one of the bottom storage compartments or emptying the tank to know that a pool noodle keeps concussions away!
Pocket sliding doors bounce during travel and tend to loosen the top roller mounts. I take a few slices of pool noodle and wedge them between the door and wall / floor gaps. Keeps the door secure. I use a slice on my sliding glass shower doors as well.
Place one on your dog crate in your SUV to keep the crate from touching the rear window,
Figured out my water lines will freeze faster with long dangly low-point drains. I cut them shorter, used my PEX tool to install ball valves (MUCH better than caps) and to the point of this article, paid $1 each for a blue and pink pool noodle a fraction of which was used to insulate the remaining exposed PEX and still ID cold from hot.
We are not so much winter campers, but frequently hit night freeze conditions migrating from north to south.
I use them to put over the power cord due to intense solar degradation and similar to the water hose plus it insulates it from heating the water up. Put under the slide outs and corners to protect your head when ducking under it.
Use them on the roof to cover sharp edges of vent covers and rain gutter corners before installing a protective storage cover.
I slide them over my windshield wipers in the off season. Kinda pointless, because I replace my wiper blades every year.
Some people use them over guylines of tents and shelters to be seen easier to keep from falling over them. Some use them up under a popup tent cover so the rain water won’t pool on top. On any sharp corner they are good.
We use pool noodles to protect our noodle! Our bedroom slide is just about forehead height when set up so we have slit a pair of noodles lengthwise and slide them over the bottom edge of the slide on our fifth wheel to protect our noggin from being damaged if we run into it when going around the unit or when we get into the pass through to get something out.
One red (or rose), one blue (or baby blue). Use them to insulate your low-point drain lines. You’ll eventually find a use for the left-over length, but they are cheap enough to dispose of if you are FT and don’t have the storage space.