Need A Faucet Cover In A Pinch? The Quick Fix You Need Is Sitting In Your Cabinet

As the season progresses to those frosty months, you know it's time to winterize your house. And while you're prepping your sprinkler system for winter, don't forget to cover those outdoor faucets too. If not, the faucets can freeze over, and any pipes you have connected to them will suffer the same fate (becoming a nightmare for your home's plumbing). An outdoor faucet protector will do the trick, such as the $10 Kanosan faucet protector. However, if you don't have one and need it zippity quick, you may have the perfect substitute right in your kitchen cabinet — a koozie.

A video by TikTok user @redeux_style demonstrates the versatility of old koozies — those convenient foam sleeve beverage holders — including upcycling one as a DIY faucet cover. To try out this hack for yourself this winter, all you need is one koozie. Simply slide the koozie over your outdoor faucet, tucking in the open sides near the bottom, and you're done. Literally, that's it. The TikToker swears by this hack during winter season, quoting in the video "It's yet to fail me." But does it really work? Here's how to find out.

While koozies are primarily designed for keeping drinks cold, these sleeves are made of a flexible polyurethane foam material that does much more than that. According to a study by the Polyurethane Foam Association, flexible polyurethane foam (FBF) is an extremely versatile memory foam that can be used for moisture absorption, cushion, stabilization, and more. It's a polymer, which is most commonly used in construction as a waterproofing membrane and insulator. In other words, a basic koozie can indeed help insulate a faucet.

The question is, does it hold up in extremely cold weather? (You know, since your average cold beverage can isn't below zero degrees Fahrenheit). If layered, it just might. Ace Hardware suggests pairing a simple foam cover with a nylon sock for added faucet protection during winter, stating "This combination provides fast and effective insulation that's easy to remove." The faucet cover retailer Coverstore also lists basic household item alternatives as protective covers in freezing weather, such as wrapping faucets in layers of rags or t-shirts. Based on their suggestions, a koozie may be the perfect hack. In the end, you can try it for the time being until you're able to purchase a new faucet cover.