17 useful ways to use Velcro inside and outside your RV

By Gail Marsh
It all began with a walk in the park. Well, sort of …

Back in the 1940s, a Swiss engineer named George de Mestral was hunting in Switzerland’s Jura Mountains. It didn’t take long for George to notice that both he and his dog were covered with cockleburs. He wondered how the little burs were able to attach themselves to his dog’s fur and to his own pants. Under the microscope, the engineer noticed that the tiny hooks on the burs were attached to the minute fabric loops of his pants.

From cockleburs to something great

In 1952, de Mestral, along with some help from his friends in the weaving business, were able to copy Mother Nature’s design. The product’s name came from combining parts of the French words for “velvet” (velour) and the word for “hook” (crochet). Velcro was born!

Today’s Velcro

There are many different variations of the original Velcro hook and loops. You can purchase Velcro “coins” (circles), strips, patches, and more. Velcro comes in a variety of strengths, too. Super-duty will hold up to one pound per square inch, up to a total of ten pounds!

There are many, many ways to use Velcro as you live the RV life today. Consider these:

Uses for Velcro outside your RV

• Keep water hoses neatly wrapped for storage. Wind up the hose and secure it with Velcro strips.

• Use Velcro to fasten supplies to the inside of your basement (storage) doors. Think: box of disposable gloves (like this!), a container of wipes, levels, and more.

• Heavy-duty Velcro will keep tools handy. (No more digging in the toolbox for frequently used tools.)

• Keep storage bay doors securely open with Velcro.

• Attach a garden hose to your long-handled brush with several strips of Velcro. It may make cleaning your RV roof easier.

• If you use a portable table, Velcro can keep your tablecloth in place even if the wind kicks up.

• Secure an extra RV key in a hidden place with Velcro.

Uses for Velcro inside your RV

• Use Velcro to attach “windshield shades” to the inside of RV windows and skylights and keep out the heat (and light).

• Hold your secondary fire extinguisher upright and securely in place. Apply Velcro to the side of the extinguisher and place it in a corner of the bedroom closet. Ditto for one in the bathroom and outside in the storage bay, too.

• Use Velcro to secure your refrigerator temperature sensor to the inside of a nearby kitchen cabinet.

• Tired of removing pictures, clocks, and other items from the walls every time you travel? Use Velcro instead of nails. Problem solved.

• Use Velcro strips to keep cupboard doors secured while in transit. Just slip the strips through adjoining handles.

• Put Velcro on the underside corners of rugs to keep them in position, and avoid potential tripping.

• Velcro will hold soap dispensers, tissue boxes, and other often-used items like a basket of napkins in place as you travel. Just remove the items to clean around them and reposition them in place.

• Keep your flashlight handy with Velcro. (No more digging through a drawer at night.)

• Use Velcro to keep the fly swatter handy on the side of the kitchen island. (It sure beats setting the yukky swatter on the counter!)

• Keep your pet’s food dish in one place! Velcro it to the floor and you won’t trip over it again.

How do you use George de Mestral’s invention? We’d love to hear about your uses for Velcro. Please share them in the comments below. I look forward to reading them. Thanks!

Oh, and if you’re in need of Velcro, you can find many, many types on Amazon.

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