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Where I live, we can no longer buy cotton buds with plastic sticks, they are basically banned to try to keep the plastic out of the environment.

However, the replacement version with a rolled-paper stick are simply not fit-for-purpose. The stick is not stiff enough even before it gets wet. Once damp from the hands penetrates the paper, it has the structural integrity of cotton-wool.

So, I need a Lifehack to make the paper sticks take-on the stiffness that was normal with plastic sticks. I'm thinking some kind of tube or rod that I can temporarily add to the stick then remove and use the next day - but I'm open to off-the-wall solutions if they will achieve it quicker/easier.

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  • Not a hack, but maybe still an option: Some manufacturers use bamboo instead of plastic/paper, which should be sturdier the paper. Example, not endorsement: amazon.de/… Plastic-free alternatives can be found for many things, especially considering latest sustainability trends and legislation. Check “eco” or “green” vendors or websites/blogs for ideas. It can be tricky to find these products in the consumer jungle ;-)
    – Stephie
    Mar 10, 2019 at 8:44
  • Thank you @Stephie, I will look into this. For the moment, I've found a supplier of plastic-stick cotton buds at a very reasonable price and I have a stash to work through. Once they are all gone and my supplier no longer has them, I will have to resort to one of the more expensive or more time-consuming solutions offered here.
    – Lefty
    Mar 10, 2019 at 11:33
  • Dry your hands. The paper stick ones are far more firm than the plastic ones, as long as you're not soaking them in water first.
    – Allison C
    Mar 11, 2019 at 15:07
  • @AllisonC Not where I live. I have used them with dry hands but they are only slightly less useless, nowhere near as stiff as even the cheapest plastic ones.
    – Lefty
    Mar 11, 2019 at 16:39

4 Answers 4

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Cut the cotton bud in half. The stick is usually hollow, so you can fit a plastic rod or e.g. a cocktail stick (minus its sharp end!) inside.

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  • Cutting in half - brilliant! Hadn't thought of that at all. Unfortunately, the paper stick is NOT hollow (just verified by cutting one), but that does at least allow for the possibility of sliding a hollow, tight-fitting tube AROUND the paper stick. It would need to be around 3mm internal diameter. Can't think of anything yet but I'm sure there must be something.
    – Lefty
    May 30, 2018 at 16:17
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    In scale modelling, I regularly use hollow brass tube. Available in many diameters, there's sure to be one that fits.
    – Hobbes
    May 30, 2018 at 17:57
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Gripping the stick much closer to the attached cotton will minimize the amount that the stick bends. This may or may not work for you, depending on how you are using the cotton bud.

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  • I've tried that - but they still bend too much unfortunately.
    – Lefty
    May 30, 2018 at 22:45
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    Wow! Those sound like low-quality cotton buds. I live in the United States, and use Q-Tips brand. Their sticks are paper, but they have always been plenty rigid for me.
    – BrettFromLA
    May 31, 2018 at 12:46
  • I think my demands are maybe higher than most people, but I also suspect that your "Q-Tips" are better quality than the run-of-the-mill ones that we get here.
    – Lefty
    Jun 1, 2018 at 17:09
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Maybe wrap tape around the stick, that should keep it more sturdy while protecting it from the damp on your hands.

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  • A neat idea - but far too much work for something that has a useful life of about 10 seconds.
    – Lefty
    May 30, 2018 at 16:20
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Depending on your use case, you could go the very old-fashioned route:

Before cotton swabs were a disposable item, medical offices used cotton wool wound tightly around metal rods. The tips were rough to increase “grip” and the cotton wool “spun” around, forming the kind of bud we are still familiar with. With a bit of practice, nurses could “prime” the sticks in literally seconds and adjust the amount of cotton to the specific need. I distinctly remember the assistant at my vet’s doing that while talking with me about some other things.

I have tried it out myself with a thin bamboo skewer and some regular cotton wool when I needed a cotton swab with a longer handle (not for medical purposes, but household/craft related) and found it quite easy to do.

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