How can I reuse or recycle hair straighters/flat irons?
Over on the Suggest an Item page, Nicole has said:
I’ve had two straighteners/flat irons (to straighten hair) die on me. Is there a way to recycle these other than tossing them?
As a minimum, they should be collected for electronic/electric waste recycling – either at your local tip/”household waste recycling centre” or through an in-store take-back scheme (they take your old item when you buy something new from them) – all shops which sell small electrical goods (including phone shops & department stores) should in theory have a WEEE recycling scheme. Things taken for WEEE recycling are stripped down and their metals reclaimed, so it is worth doing.
But are there any reuses for them? As anyone who knows me/has seen a photo of me will know, my frizzy head is not exactly familiar with hair straighteners so I’m not sure I know enough about how they work to be able to suggest other reuses. Anyone got any ideas?
Little girls (of the girly girl type) would LOVE to play hairdressers with these. In a cotton roll bag with hair ties, a small spray bottle, clips, combs and no-blade scissors -what a COOL present!!
If you don’t know someone with little girl/s perhaps the local playcentre or kindergarten?
Oh, I don’t know about that. They might cheerfully play with the broken one, then pick up one someone is using at home, and burn themselves. They get VERY hot.
Hmm, you can use them to unwrinkle ribbon, like using an iron. Aside from that, don’t know anything else but hair you can use one for, and no tips on using a broken one, sorry!
@bookstorebabe. I agree with danger of hair-irons and think that play is the perfect time to teach this sort of thing. This teaching happens with play guns, knives, ovens, etc. It’s wonderful to watch the older ones teaching the others ‘no, it’s hot’ and being careful about where they put them.
I agree, it could be dangerous.
BUT…. reminds me of when I worked with Head Start (4-5yo children) many years ago. “Our kids” played with many things & we taught them. They even used a sharp (steak type) knife at lunch if needed. Yes, it took teaching them how to use the items like Linda said.
I cut the cords off old curling irons and put them in a box for “hair dresser” or barber shop. The kids love playing with them. I also had old shampoo bottles and cut an old shower curtain for the covers.