$5 Homemade Repair Kit To Fix Most Anything

[leadin]The best repair kit is the one you have when you need it.[/leadin]

I’ve been using this simple three-piece repair kit for decades since first traveling and living in Central America in the ’90s. And while I’ve often purchased, and sometimes packed, all kinds of repair equipment over the years, this little kit that costs less than $5 is the one I find myself using over and over again — because it’s always there when I need it.

It’s got most of what you’ll need for impromptu repairs — duct tape, dental floss, and needles — together in one place. And if you practice decent dental hygiene, you’ll have it in your pack every time you leave home.

Follow these super easy steps to turn your dental floss into a repair kit for every adventure.

Gather Materials

You won’t need much, just some duct tape, a package of dental floss, and some needles. A knife or scissors will come in handy, but isn’t required.

You’ve got a lot of choices in these products, but I’ve always used the most basic stuff and had great success — simple waxed dental floss, standard Scotch duct tape, and whatever needles are around the house. You could certainly upgrade to nicer floss or tougher tape like Gorilla or extra strong duct tape, but I haven’t and can’t vouch for how they’d work long term.

Pick Needles

Just make sure your dental floss fits easily through the eye of chosen needles.

Add Needles To Container

Lay a few needles on dental floss container. I like to use three, but however many you want, go for it. Note that you can usually replace the needles in your kit after removing.

Tape In Place

Tape down the needles. Ultimately, you’ll want the eye protruding a little from the bottom of the container, but don’t worry about getting it exact right way as you can move them around fairly easily.

If possible, use the full width of duct tape here and do one or two full wraps.

Add More Duct Tape

Cut the duct tape to make it about half to 3/4 width and start wrapping. The narrower tape should lay reasonably flat on the not-quite-square container. Don’t worry about a few bubbles. If you press it all out at the end, it doesn’t seem to hurt the tape much even after a year or more of carry.

You’ll want to add a few feet, to use in case of emergency. You know the saying… “if you can’t duct it, f^#( it.”

To Remove Needle, Just Thread And Pull

Pull out some floss, thread the needle, and use the floss to extract it from the duct tape.

It just takes a firm tug.

Toss In Kit

That’s all there is to it, just remember to replace it regularly if you use the floss on your teeth often.

Use it for traveling the world or hiking local trails. I carry this dental floss along with other bathroom items in a little bag, and it’s always there in case of a torn pant leg, broken pack strap or, who knows? Doesn’t really matter, you’ll be prepared.