The Rubber Band Trick That Will Keep Your Towel Racks Secure And Stable

Whether you are decorating your bathroom on a budget or living in a rental unit, you may not be working with the highest quality hardware in your bathroom. However, neither of these situations means you should have to deal with faulty products. If you have a towel rack that keeps falling apart on you, you do not need to rush out to buy a new one just yet. First, try out a clever hack that will repurpose a rubber band and keep your towel rack in place with an item you already have at home. Plus, it is rental-friendly.

Instagram user mercurystardusttopz demonstrates a hack that involves wrapping a rubber band around the towel rack bracket. The user shows the bracket of a towel rack, pointing out how it attaches to the wall and where a screw may loosen over time to create the frustrating falling problem. They then show how to tightly loop the rubber band around the bracket before replacing the towel rack arm and tightening it with a flathead screwdriver or a pair of tweezers. Since the rubber band gives the small screw a bit more grip, it keeps it from moving as much and prevents it from loosening and falling out of the bracket over time. The user even shows the successful final result by tugging on the rack to show that it no longer falls after adding the rubber band to the bracket.

This hack seems like a fantastic option for a quick, temporary fix. It is extremely easy and requires only a rubber band and a screwdriver or tweezers. It also does not involve damaging the wall, which makes it great for renters. However, rubber bands deteriorate and dry-rot over time, and stretching the band around the bracket and exposing the band to any heat may speed up the process. When the rubber band starts to dry-rot or break down, it may snap or fall apart and no longer effectively hold the screw in place. The rubber band may last months or even years, depending on the environment, but this rubber band hack is not permanent. Luckily, replacing a rubber band every once in a while is still extremely affordable and the process remains easy. If the rubber band trick does not fix your falling towel problem or if you notice that the bracket is not properly secured to the wall when attempting the hack, you may need to try some other solutions. 

If the bracket itself is loose and tightening the screws does not help, you may need to try a more intensive solution to fix your falling towel rack problem. If the screws are falling out of the drywall, the anchors may have been pulled out or improperly installed. The fix for this is not very renter-friendly and involves fixing the drywall anchors or installing toggle bolts. If the problem is not right for the rubber band hack, you may need to try out some drywall repair hacks.