Barbecue Enthusiasts Will Love This Genius Pool Noodle Hack

Pool noodles are not just a fun summer toy to keep the kiddos entertained, but are also multifunctional DIY tools that can keep your plants cool, make tent lines more visible, and even protect your fishing poles. However, the usefulness of pool noodles doesn't just stop there. In fact, pool noodles are also a great tool during grilling season — especially if you will likely have little kids running around in your yard during the summer. This is because if your grill has side tables with sharp metal edges, a pool noodle is an easy way to make a bumper that prevents kids from getting injured by running into it.

This hack was originally posted on TikTok by a concerned grandmother who wanted to make sure her 18-month old grandson didn't hurt himself on the sharp metal edges of her grill. And the best thing about this hack? It's super cheap and easy. Pool noodles can be bought at your local big box retailer for less than two dollars per noodle. Plus the foam noodle bumper is easy to take off and reattach to your grill whenever you need to. So, how do you do it?

To make a foam grill table bumper, first, simply acquire a pool noodle. Then, taking a knife or a pair of scissors, make a cut in the pool noodle lengthwise (from top to bottom). The depth of the cut should be about halfway into the noodle. When you've done this, your noodle should still be in one piece with a long slit all the way down (if you don't want to cut the noodle yourself, you can also purchase pre-cut pool noodle bumpers online). Then, simply slip the cut in the pool noodle onto the edge of your grill's side table. Pool noodles are quite flexible and can even be bent around the sharp metal corners without tearing, making for the perfect protective bumper.

One thing to note about this hack is that you will need to remove the noodle while the grill is on and then replace it when the grill is no longer in use. This is because pool noodles are made of polyethylene foam which melts at around 250 degrees Fahrenheit and many home grills get as hot as 500 degrees Fahrenheit. While the poster of the original video on TikTok commented that she left her noodle on the grill all summer and it "hasn't melted at all," you should still exercise caution.