If you spend much time in RV parks or campgrounds, you’ll likely see a pool noodle or two. While some RVers use these floatation devices in the water, they can also serve various other purposes.
RVers have been finding ways to repurpose these items to get the most out of them for decades.
Today, we’re spilling the beans on the RV pool noodle secrets to keep you safe and elevate your camping skills.
Let’s get started!
What Are Pool Noodles?
Pool noodles go by a variety of names. You’ll often hear them called “floater sticks,” “woggles,” or “water tubes.” Manufacturers use polyethylene foam to create them in various shapes and colors. However, they serve several purposes no matter what you call them or their shape and color.
Because manufacturers use a lightweight, buoyant foam material that’s also water-resistant, they make excellent floatation devices. Children and adults regularly use floaties for swimming, floating, and playing in the water. It’s a great idea to have several nearby anytime you or your loved ones are recreating near water.
Despite the initial purpose being to increase water safety, that’s no longer their only purpose. Social media and Pinterest allow crafty DIYers to share their creative arts and crafts projects using these versatile, low-cost foam products.
FYI: Here’s our favorite pool noodle!
Are There Different Types of Pool Noodles?
Not only are there different uses for pool floaties, but they come in various types too. The three most common types are clamp, standard, and solid core. The clamp style is very similar to what you’d use for pipe insulation. It has a slit down one side so you can slide it around materials for insulation or to help them float.
The other two types of water tubes are standard and solid core. The standard floaty has a hole through the center of it. This allows the material to be more flexible, which can be helpful for swimming. It can form around the user’s body and increase their buoyancy.
On the other hand, a solid-core pool noodle provides more buoyancy but doesn’t have a hole. While its increased floating abilities are excellent, these floats are much less flexible and are more likely to break when bent. Because more material gets used during construction, solid-core floaties tend to be more expensive.
Why Do People Put Pool Noodles on Their RV Slides?
To enjoy smooth camping adventures, you must mitigate risks during your trips. While many RVers enjoy large RVs with multiple slides, the corners of these slides can pose a danger to you and your fellow campers. This is because the corners are very sharp, and your slides’ height will often change depending on the campsite.
It can be easy to forget these sharp corners while working on or around your rig. One false step and you or a fellow camper could find themselves with a serious wound from one of these corners.
To help mitigate the risk of these sharp corners, many RVers create foam covers to soften them. While it might not feel great to bump into these covers, they’ll likely save you from a trip to the emergency room for stitches.
Best RV Exterior Pool Noodle Hacks
While pool noodles can protect you from sharp corners, that’s not their only use on your rig. Let’s look at a few other practical ways to use them outside your camper.
RV Slide Topper Silencer
Another helpful hack is to use them to quiet noisy slide toppers. Many owners hate how the fabric flaps noisily in the wind. Placing the pool noodles under the toppers provides a cushion and helps absorb the noise. This is a cost-effective way to enjoy a quieter camping experience in and around your rig.
RV Awning Arm Bumper
Just like the sharp corners of an RV slide, awning arms are easy to forget about too. You can avoid a painful experience by slicing a noodle lengthwise and sliding it around the arm. This can serve as a bumper to help prevent any future injuries. Don’t forget to remove the bumpers before retracting your awning. If not, you could end up causing severe and costly damage to the awning arm.
Pro Tip: Keep your RV awning in its best condition by using this RV Awning Guide for Maintenance, Repair and Replacement.
Windshield Wiper Protector
Another useful RV hack involving pool noodles is to protect your windshield wipers. The hot sun can do a number on the rubber components. This is especially true if you’re parking your rig in the same spot for weeks or months. Do your blades a favor and use this hack to help them last as long as possible.
For this hack, you only need to cut it to the length of the wiper blade. You can then cut a slit lengthwise through one side. You can then quickly pull the wiper blade away from your windshield and wrap the tube around it.
Best RV Interior Pool Noodle Hacks
RVers didn’t stop at using pool noodles on the outside of their RV; they’ve found ways to use them inside too. Let’s look at a few useful interior RV hacks you can try if you have extra floaties.
Shelf Stabilizers
Another excellent RV hack using pool noodles is stabilizing the cabinets and refrigerator shelves. As flight attendants remind you at the end of your flight, the contents inside your RV’s refrigerator and cabinets can shift during transit.
To avoid this, all you need to do is cut a floaty to the length of the shelf and then cut a slit into the tube. Then place it over the lip of the shelf in your fridge or cabinet space. This will help give the contents of your refrigerator and cabinet shelves the best chance of staying safe. However, ensure you can still close your refrigerator and cabinet doors completely.
Mattress Bumper
Many parents RVing with little ones often worry about their children falling out of bunks or elevated beds. It’s a long way down to the floor, and falling from this height can cause serious injuries. Some crafty parents have slipped floaties under fitted sheets to create a bumper that can help prevent a child from accidentally tumbling off their bed while sleeping.
Pro Tip: Make your RV bedroom a little more luxurious by uncovering How To Upgrade Your RV Mattress.
Bunk Ladder Pads
You don’t want anyone sleeping in a bunk bed to climb into their bed with their shoes on their feet. Unfortunately, some ladders are uncomfortable and tough on any feet that climb them. If you’re hearing complaints from kids about hurting their feet getting into bed, try using floaties as rung pads.
Simply cut them to the length of each rung and cut a slit in the tube. You can then easily wrap it around the rung and enjoy a softer surface when going up and down the ladder. Just make sure the pads are firmly in place and won’t slip.
RVs and Pool Noodles. A Match Made In Heaven
Now that we’ve let the cat out of the back for several RV pool noodle secrets, it’s time for you to get started. By using these tips and hacks around your camper, you can enjoy a more comfortable and safer camping experience.
Trust us, the last thing you want is to spend time at the local emergency room instead of the campground. It’ll hinder your ability to have fun, and a costly medical bill will cut the money you could spend on your future travels.
So what are you waiting for? Get some pool noodles and increase the safety and comfort inside and outside your camper!
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