So, if someone told you there was a product that might totally change your life in the coolest of ways, you’d be interested, right? Me too. And when I noticed a friend raving about Sugru on her Facebook page, I had to learn more. So, in the name of research, I decided to find out what Sugru was all about. And I’ve slowly been sticking it to everything I can imagine ever since. With astounding results.

Sugru is a self-setting rubber product. What does that mean, exactly? It’s a squishy, plasticine-like substance that bonds to almost anything and cures at room temperature to become flexible silicone rubber in 24-hours. It’s waterproof, dishwasher-proof, and can handle pretty extreme temperatures once cured, too. So Sugru will become a parent’s new best friend.

I’ve put together 11 awesome Sugru ideas to help get you started, but if you’re anything like me, once you see these, I’m pretty sure you’ll be inspired to fix and hack just about everything. Maybe even the kitchen sink.

Make socks skid-proof
This is so cool. Most kids’ socks these days come with sticky bottoms so they won’t be too slippery. But when they don’t, my kids have been known to have major accidents on our very-slippery hardwood floors. A few Sugru spots stuck on the bottom will solve that right away–try it on footie pajamas too.

Protect your smartphone
Got a phone you’d like to protect from bumps and bangs? Just add some Sugru to the corners and it will be bouncier right away. Scratches, cracks and chips will be a thing of the past. While it’s not something we’d probably do on our own phones, it’s perfect for those tablets or hand-me-down phones that the kids tend to monopolize.

Color code your cables
On Cool Mom Tech, we’re always looking ways to color code and label cables to keep them from getting tangles–or stolen by other family members. Which happens weekly. Sugru offers a really fast, affordable way to do it without investing in any other gadgets.

Make bathtime safer
If you’re like me–I mean uh, my kids–and get confused with which tap is hot and which is cold, a simple addition of some Sugru in different colors could clear up the confusion in no time. While you’re at it, you could even protect your little bathing beauties from hurting their heads on the faucet when they inevitably bump into it.

DIY knee patches for kids’ clothes
Got a really active preschooler? Or a newly crawling toddler? Extend the life of their pants by creating waterproof knee patches with Sugru. Another great way to make hand-me-downs feel brand new, too.

Heat-proof a pot handle
While some saucepans already come with built-in heat guards on the handles, lots don’t. I wouldn’t do this on really fine pots and pans, but if you’ve got that one workhorse, especially if it’s one your older kids handle themselves, this quick Sugru fix beats searching for a potholder when the pasta is boiling over. Hint: Mix any Sugru color you like, so your pot handles coordinate with your kitchen color.

Make your own wall hooks
I can’t get over how pretty this colander looks hanging on the kitchen wall, although in fairness, a Sugru hook isn’t as sleek as a proper one hanging in a public space. Still, it could be perfect in pantries, the linen closet, bedroom closets, cupboards, or the bathroom.

DIY Dishwasher repair
The biggest fix to date in my house is our dishwasher basket (is that what you call the thing that holds all the cutlery?). Knives were slipping through holes in the bottom and the whole lower rack would get stuck sometimes. Instead of looking for a new dishwasher, I found a quick patch of the holes (plus 24-hours to let it cure) and I’ve got a little time left with my machine. What was getting close to becoming an entire dishwasher replacement (because believe it or not, our dishwasher is so old, the basket couldn’t be replaced) was fixed in, like, ten seconds.

Kid-proof a camera
Got an old digital camera lying around that you want to hand down to the kids? You can make it more durable first with Sugru. While yes, you may have a hard time accepting that your once beautiful, shiny new point and shoot now looks like a Play-Doh project, it will look a thousand times more fun for the kids and more importantly, survive far more bumps and tumbles.

Get crafty with your sneakers
My kids would have so much fun customizing a pair of sneakers with Sugru. I love the idea of using it to spruce up a pair of hand-me-downs–especially on the rubberized toe that gets so scuffed–so that a little brother or sister could feel like they’re getting a brand new pair. Or at least a newish pair.

Turn swim goggles into prescription lenses
While this hack isn’t for everyone, it’s pretty smart for anyone in your family who wears glasses. How great to create a custom pair of prescription swim goggles made from regular goggles, an old pair of prescription lenses and some Sugru to hold it all together. Finally, they’ll see more than just a blur of blue under the water.

I find Sugru super-easy to use because not only does it look like plasticine, but also it feels and acts like it, too. You just mold it into whatever shape you want and stick it to whatever you happen to be fixing (or hacking, as the case may be). Being a cautious type, I was a little concerned by the “may produce an allergic reaction” warning, so I wear rubber gloves when I use it, but it’s evidently quite easy to get off your skin.

What I love most about Sugru is that, as it has done with my dishwasher basket, it can eliminate the need to throw so many things away. Got a hole in the bottom of your rainboot? Sugru. Did a fidgety kid pick away a piece of your office chair armrest? Sugru. Has the dog chewed your laptop cord? You get the idea.

Of course you don’t want to put it all over your home; at some point it will look like you’re just patching everything up with bubble gum. But for things like the ones here? I’ll admit  I’ve kind of reached the point where I get excited when something goes wrong in my house because I’m confident I can Sugru it back into shape.

Find lots of cool Sugru ideas, mini packs, and even new magnet packs on their website, or buy it through our affiliate Amazon.