Neat Tricks Your Garden Hose Can Do

If you only use your garden hose to water your plants, you’re missing out on some of the neat tricks it can do. Here’s a short collection of ways you can use your garden hose to do more than water your garden or wash your car.

Siphon Your Pool

A garden hose makes a great makeshift siphon hose if you need to empty water out of a pool or large tub. Use a 1/2 inch garden hose or 5/8 inch garden hose. Drop one end into the pool. Hang the other end over the pool making sure that the other end is lower than the end in the pool. Suck on the hose to start water moving through it. Once the flow of water is established, gravity will do the rest.

Tip: Use a drinking safe garden hose to avoid any issues with lead or chemicals in the inner lining of the hose.

Unclog a Drain

Got a slow-draining tub or sink? You can unclog it with a garden hose. Just hook your hose up to the outdoor spigot and drag it through the house to the clogged drain. Insert the end of the hose into the drain. Wrap a dishcloth around it to prevent water from backing up into the sink or tub. Have a helper turn on the water outside while you keep watch. Within a minute or two, you should hear water flowing freely through the drain.

Hang Your Garden Hose

Contact with the ground will seriously reduce the lifespan of your garden hose. Hang a garden hose reel on the wall near your spigot to make it convenient to hang up your hose after you use it. As a bonus, the act of coiling your hose up will drain it, reducing the damage done by standing water and preventing standing water from picking up lead and other chemicals over time.

Two Garden Hoses Are Better Than One

If you occasionally need to reach your driveway with a garden hose, but your garden is so much closer, don’t invest in a longer hose. Instead, buy a second hose. A longer hose reduces the water pressure available at the business end – something you probably don’t want when you water your garden every day or every other day. It’s a simple matter to couple two shorter garden hoses together when you need the extra length. That way, you get all the water pressure and power you need for your regular chores and still have those extra feet when you need them.

Buy the Right Garden Hose

There are many different kinds and styles of garden hoses on the market, each of them best for a particular use. Instead of buying a cheap, generic garden hose, figure out how you’ll use it most often and choose the best hose for the job. A one inch water hose is ideal for filling pools and pressure washing, for example, and a coil garden hose is perfect for watering chores in enclosed spaces. You can even buy a heated garden hose if you need to use a hose outdoors when the temperature falls below freezing. You’re always better off choosing the best garden hose you can afford. It will last longer and cost you less in the long run.