Brilliant! I'm going to use this to cover my bread dough during fermentations. No more wasting plastic wrap.

You can buy elasticized bowl covers under the brand Cover Mate. A bag contains a variety of sizes and I have found them at Target. The smaller ones are just the right size for covering the smoke detectors when I am cooking at high temps.

nice! ive actually been reusing old produce bags + rubber bands to cover food lately, which im realizing is pretty much the same concept. its very handy and easier to cover/recover food. cling wrap always seems to get tangled up in itself after one use.
oddly enough i never see shower caps at hotels anymore. ill keep an eye out tho.

You can buy a whole box of these, in three different sizes, at Dollar Tree. They're certainly better than plastic wrap of covering things. However, I prefer to cover my bowls with a plate (or saucer if it's a small bowl). That way you can stack things on top-- and it looks a lot more appetizing than a shower cap-like thing.

Nothing new under the sun -- my mom and grandmother had similar things when I was a kid (before plastic wrap was on the market). You could buy the caps in assorted sizes to fit your containers. They were very hard to clean if you ever got anything on them. I'm going to leave my shower caps in the bathroom. 8) That's a cool idea for the smoke detector.

Yep, I've used shower caps in the kitchen for years, most frequently to cover my bowl of no-knead bread dough as it rises.

I use mine to cover bread dough during fermentation, over pans of leftover baked goodies like fruit crisps, and pretty much anything else that needs a cover and has no lid.

My husband always brings me shower caps from his hotel stays on business trips, which is an act of true love since most of the time he has to ask for them at the front desk (and always gets awkward glances to his balding buzz-cut hair).

I handwash them with the dishes, and airdry them by hanging them from an upper cabinet knob. I have yet to wear a hole through any of the plastic, but the elastic does eventually lose its stretch.

Yup, my g-ma used them too. And yup, they're available at the dollar store in a 3-pk of various sizes. 'Course that doesn't beat FREE:) Which brings me to the purpose of my post...

How's about a thread on RE-PURPOSING common items? Yup, there's a plethora of suggestions to be found on the www but I never ceased to be amazed at the ingenuity of some folks and new iideas are always welcome.

Covering up the smoke detector...brilliant!! My dog and cat will thank you for this great tip. I stopped using the oven for anything over 400 for longer than 20 minutes because it seems to set off the poorly placed (directly in front of the oven in a small, tight hallway). I can't wait to try this with my next roast chicken!

I have been afraid to make pizza in my new apartment because EVERYTHING sets off the smoke detector in my kitchen. Trying the shower cap trick this weekend!

Cant the same be done wth putting stuff in a pyrex bowl with lids?

Woah...brilliant!

I got this idea from a woman who showed me how to make no-knead bread -- for covering the dough while it ferments (as someone else shared). I did happen to have one from some previous motel stay, so I use that one. However, I am also trying to gradually reduce all my plastic use, and so I've seen some around that are made of fabric and would like to try those!

I bought some hand-made versions of these on etsy (http://www.etsy.com/shop/SewMuchStyle?section_id=6548534) and I love them. I toss them in the washing machine with my other kitchen laundry, but they'd wipe clean too. Plus, they're pretty.

This cracks me up.

this is a good idea! i rarely travel so i think the dollar tree would be a better option for me. or just steal some rubber bands from work and use produce bags (good idea!!!)

Great site!!

Please, please, please, put kitchen twine at eye level on your shower cap covering a smoke alarm to remind you remove it. Or, just leave your step stool there. Safety first!!!

And how much do you have to pay for a hotel room in order to get "free" shower caps?

I like the idea of these, but I'll pick up the covers at Target or the dollar store.