One reason I love our RV Lifestyle members is that they are so ingenious!
One of our Facebook members, Scott, recently posted a photograph of his zero gravity chair. He cut a pool noodle to fit on the width of the bottom bar of his chair to make it more comfortable on his ankles. Other members were excited to try the hack themselves!
That got another RV Lifestyle Facebook member thinking. She asked what other pool noodle camping hacks there are and got even more great ideas from fellow RVers.
So, I thought I should share those hacks and a few others I’ve learned…
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Between fellow RVer recommendations and a bit of research, here are my top 15 pool noodle camping hacks for RV and campers.
By the way, you can find pool needles at dollar stores, big box stores, sports stores, and pool stores. Although, they can sometimes be hard to find outside of the summer season. You can always order pool noodles from Amazon, too.
And because it’s challenging to get photo permissions – if you want to see these ideas in action, your best bet is to follow the link to the Facebook posts!
Use a pool noodle to help support your awning or canopy roof. It helps both in the wind and rain.
As Jay explained, “it works great to keep out a rain collapse.” Another member, Ray, shared, “I slit them and put them along the sides of the awning… keeps the wind from shaking it.”
RV slideouts are fantastic because they make the interior of your RV roomier. However, they are not always awesome from the outside.
The height of some slideouts is just tall enough to smack your head or other body parts on. Tina refers to them as “head knockers,” and some also have sharp edges that can cause lacerations.
To make slideouts safer, slice a pool noodle lengthwise and slip it onto the bottom of the slideout. Be sure to overlap at the sharp corners of the slideout.
Safety first! You can slide pool noodles over tent ropes to help prevent folks from tripping them. Jennifer provides the simple instructions to “make a slit and attach to tent/fly tie downs so you can see them in low light/dark.”
You can also add a glow stick to light them up at night!
We do not all like to talk about it, but nature is nature! We all have to use a toilet at some point. Us RVers have our comfortable thrones but if you’re tent camping, this pool noodle camping hack is for you.
You can make a comfy DIY toilet on the cheap using only a 5-gallon bucket and pool noodle.
Slice the pool noodle and place it around the rim of the bucket. Line the inside of the bucket with a trash bag. Then add a toilet paper roll to the handle, and you have a DIY potty.
If you are camping in an area with soft dirt, loose gravel, or sand, use this hack to help stabilize your chair.
Cut a pool noodle the same length as the chair rails sitting in the dirt. Slice the noodle to fit over the bottom rail of your chair, and voila! You have a cheap and an effective stabilizer.
I don’t know about you, but many people have repeatedly hit their heads on an RV awning arm! Apparently, Jay (who gave us the great canopy hack) also has. He learned to prevent painful run-ins with the awning arms using a cheap pool noodle.
Simply slice the noodle lengthwise and slide it over the awning arm. No more bashed heads while RVing!
Windshield wipers are one of those things that can wear out from sun exposure. This is especially true if your RV sits for long periods.
You can use a pool noddle to cover and protect them during those sunny days. Simply slice the noodle lengthwise and long enough to just cover the wiper. Then slip the noodle over the blade to protect it.
Use a pool noodle to cover your fishing poles when in transit. Simply slice the noodle and slip it over the pole. It keeps your pole damage-free and lines untangled!
Out of all of the pool noodle camping hacks, this is the one I’m going to implement first!
Do you have a bunk bed with a ladder? Make it more comfortable and safe using a pool noodle.
Simply cut the noddle to the width of each ladder rung. Then slice lengthwise and slide them on. Use duct tape to secure them.
The ladder will be more comfortable, and little feet will have something to grip when climbing.
A member named Heather also mentioned her husband puts a pool noodle at the top of the exterior ladder whenever he climbs it so he doesn’t damage the siding.
No matter how much you load into your RV fridge, there is bound to be extra space where items might roll around.
A pool noodle can help prevent your items from crashing, breaking, or spilling while in transit.
Slip a noodle over the front edge of each shelf to prevent toppling. Just make sure you can still close the fridge door properly.
You can cut noodles and slide them between items on the door to prevent them from falling over while driving.
On that same note, you can use them between virtually anything in your RV to keep items from rattling, rubbing, or hitting each other. Some members mentioned using them between dining chairs, corners of a TV, and more.
If your RV has slide toppers, you can use a cheap pool noodle to help make them quieter. Simply slide a noodle underneath the toppers. This can help quiet any flapping sound in windy conditions.
I have written a lot about camping in cold temperatures. Here is a simple hack to keep your camper insulated (in hot or cold weather!).
Use a pool noodle to insulate the space you slide out attached to your RV.
Simply cut a pool noodle in half, lengthwise. Then place one half, flat side down, partly under the slide. Do this on the outside and the inside to help insulate the trailer.
I have heard about different kids rolling out of a bunk when RVing. While they were all okay, one child had to go to an emergency dentist to get her tooth fixed after a fall.
But you can use a pool noodle to help lift the edge of the mattress. This just may prevent a child from rolling off!
You can slip a pool noodle under the fitted mattress sheet. It creates a high bumper that can help prevent a child from rolling off the bed.
If you ever camp with small children, you have noticed that their head is about the same height as the bottom edge of the RV door. It is the perfect height to hit their head and get a cut.
You can place a noodle over the edge and corner of the door to protect them. That way, they will not get injured when they run into it.
Another great hack is using a pool noodle as a railing cover. It provides an excellent, wide grip for those who need help getting into their campers.
Simply slice the noodle and secure it over the railing.
I know there are even more pool noodle camping hacks out there! Please share your clever ideas in the comments below.
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August 19, 2022at12:50 pm, Bev Parkison said:
Very good tips in this article! I also use four pool noodles to elevate my RV mattress while in storage. This helps with air circulation and keeping mold at bay.
August 19, 2022at11:27 am, Kenneth Laursen said:
The metal frame that holds the hitch piece under the nose of the rig has nasty sharp edges that could slice open a face or head should you walk into it, especially in the dark. Today, I will noodle and Gorilla tape mine. Thank you for the prompting.
August 19, 2022at11:08 am, Roy Bever said:
Pool Noodle Hack: Pool Noodles can also be used to insulate a water line/hose running from a hydrant to your RV. Just make sure that the hole in the Pool Noodle is big enough to fit over your hose or line. Secure with tape.
August 19, 2022at9:38 am, Suzanne Wise said:
I use pool noodles that are slit to go on top of x-pen that goes along side of my camper so camper doesn’t get scratched. I have area fixed so dogs have a fenced in area but can’t get under camper.
August 19, 2022at8:58 am, Jacques Décarie said:
Some bicycles racks sit the handle bar precariously close to the rear of RV. A good dip in the road could have a swing effect and cause a handle to hit the rear. A slit in a pool noodle and a bit of duct tape and voila! A handle protector.
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