Tennis balls in the UK are more difficult to recycle than conventional plastic bottles and cardboard boxes, necessitating the use of specialized recycling services. If you have some old tennis balls that aren't being used, there are a few creative methods to recycle them and put them to good use that will benefit both you and the environment.

● Cushion for Door Knobs

Even if you're only renting, it's always disheartening to discover a design problem in your home. You may construct an easy tennis ball stopper with a doorknob that crashes into a wall when the door is swung open.

To protect the wall, simply cut off a top section of the ball and position the bigger part over the doorknob.

● Stopper for automobiles

I don't know about you, but the thought of the garage door closing on my car has always made me a little nervous. With a tennis ball, some fishing line or string, and two screws, you can put your mind at peace. Pull your car into your garage and make a pencil mark on the ceiling roughly in line with your windshield, assuming you've cleared the door. One screw is inserted into the mark, while the other is inserted into the tennis ball.

Attach the rope to both screws; when your windshield strikes the ball the next time you pull in, you'll know your car is safe.

● Remove the shattered light bulb

If you've ever had a light bulb shatter in a fixture, you know how risky it may be to remove it. Rather than cutting your hand, lay a tennis ball over the shattered bulb and unscrew it; the hairy substance will grip it tightly.

● Make a Jar

When a jar lid is too tight, or I just can't get a solid grip on it, I despise the image of a lady who can't open a jar, so here's a quick fix.

Carefully cut along the white seam of the tennis ball with a sharp knife; lay half of the ball over the lid to give you the grip you need to pop the jar open.

● Coin pouch

When you cut a two-inch slit in a tennis ball, it's almost undetectable until you squeeze the ball to reveal the entrance — this makes the ball a great small hiding location. You can put some coins or other little valuables in there to keep them safe. Simply squeeze and pour them out when you want to get them out again. An old pill bottle can also be used as a storage container for small items.

There are a plethora of other methods to decrease waste by repurposing old or damaged objects, so think outside the box before dumping something in the trash!