It would be nice if car tires never shredded or blew and thus never needed to be replaced, but sadly that’s not reality. It’s not just a pain to change and replace tires, it can be a pain to dispose of old tires, too. Left in landfills, tires tend to leak hazardous chemicals which can contribute to pollution. However, they’re not often on the list of acceptable recycled materials, either. So what are we left with?
We’re left with an opportunity to get creative. If you can’t recycle shredded tires or toss them out with the regular trash, you may be able to find interesting ways to upcycle them. Here are some of our favorite suggestions.
Tire Swing
This one is a classic. All you need is a tire, some rope or chains, hooks, and a good tree. Your tire might not be in shape to support your car, but it’s probably still strong enough to support your kids, and even the adults who feel like swinging. This is a great way to turn a frustrating inconvenience into something fun for your household for years to come.
Have a Pet? Tire Bed
Your puppy doesn’t care that your tire is a little shredded. They just care that it’s home. Place a comfortable pillow inside the pillow, and it can serve as a bed for a small pet. You can even make a few design changes to cute it up, such as painting the tire with fun patterns or cutting out an opening in the front to make the pillow easier to access.
Greet the Guests with A New Door Mat
So your tire is shredded — why not shred it even further and turn it into something else? Especially crafty homeowners will sometimes take shreds of old tires and restructure them to form a doormat. The hardy rubber is likely to withstand weather as well as any dirt under your shoes. And it looks pretty nifty, too!
Unique Furniture
Another project that involves decoration as well as repurposing: knit the tire in something like twine or sew a nice fabric around it to make a footrest for your living room. You might want to find some filling for the space between to make it more comfortable, but it will certainly be a piece of furniture like nothing any of your friends have. Another idea is to use the tire as a surface for a table. A coffee table seems most convenient, but any table will do. Paint it or decorate it to your liking and then place a glass cover on top. You can even decorate the center with some pebbles or marbles.
Not everything can be recycled, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be used again. You just have to change your perception of its purpose. And for everything that can be recycled or thrown away, there’s BV Trash Valet & Recycling. We offer a monthly subscription for weekly curbside pick-up with complementary recycling to homes in Brazos Valley outside of Bryan-College Station city limits. Contact us today for more information.
