It’s silly, but I’ve never really given a ton of thought to things that were designed for one single purpose–like dryer sheets. I’ve thrown them into the dryer for years without a second thought. Lately, though, everything I touch, I wonder, what else I could use them for around the house? AND, wouldn’t you know it, there are a ton of different ways to use dryer sheets, when you really get down to it.
Here’s my 10 favorites:
- Use dryer sheets to dust. You can even use already used dryer sheets. They are a quick take and toss approach to cleaning.
- Use dryer sheets to clean up hair. Ah, with two of us girls in the house, it’s a wonder the HH hasn’t gone mad with all of the hair. Turns out, dryer sheets are awesome for wiping up hair that collects in the bathroom drawers, etc.
- Put a dryer sheet in a roll of toilet paper. Tuck it into the cardboard center and voila, lightly scented toilet paper.
- Cut a used dryer sheet down to fit on your brush. Push it down into the brush and remove static from your hair.
- Wipe down the laundry room. After you remove the clothes from the dryer, take the used dryer sheet and quickly wipe down the washer, dryer, and counter-top {if you have one}. The dryer sheet would have gone to waste anyway, so might as well give it one last purpose before you toss it.
- Place a dryer sheet in drawers. It’s a great way to get that clean laundry smell to last longer. {Hmm, does this mean I can do less laundry and no one will know?}
- Use in place of a swiffer cloth to sweep your floor. Again, already used is fine.
- Wipe baseboards and door trim with a dryer sheet. The wood will actually repel dust after a quick wipe.
- Put a couple of dryer sheets in the toes of shoes until you are ready to wear them. It will give them a fresh scent.
- Keep a dryer in your sewing kit. Run the needle and thread through the dryer sheet before you sew, it will help prevent the thread from tangling.
How about you, do YOU re-purpose or reuse your dryer sheets? Or am I a total dork?
~Mavis
See more Cool Uses for other common household items.
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Marcy says
My darn dog loves to eat them. They do nothing for the smell that escapes later….no Ocean Breezes smelling toots for sure!
Kathy says
I use them to clean the blades on the ceiling fan and the floor fans. Also put a used one in bottom of garbage can to keep the trash smelling sunshiny fresh lol.
cs says
Put one in your car – center console, visor, somewhere out of the way- a great car air freshener. 🙂 Depending on what I’m wearing, I sometimes keep one in my purse just in case I get static during the day – this was more of a problem when I lived in Colorado.
Lynn says
I haven’t used dryer sheets in years. I found it much cheaper to use alternative methods.
I just may have to buy a box just for all these amazing ideas to use them. Thanks! Great tips!
mari says
It it probably a little OCD but wrap one around a Q-tip and clean the window slides. 😛
Lindsay says
They also help repel mosquitoes. Rub the dryer sheet all over your body and it keeps them away.
Mavis Butterfield says
Really? I might have to try that. Thanks Lindsay.
Lisa says
I have used them to repel mosquitoes for years. Wonderful for the kids because I always hated spraying them down 🙂
Leanne says
I also keep a sheet tucked under the edge of a planter on my deck – keeps the mosquitoes away from my door.
Jaime says
Rub them on your arms and legs to repel Mosquitos! We use them all the time while in the yard and especially at the drive ins!! Works like a charm!
Deborah J says
Ha, I can’t believe I am going to make my first comment here…on dryer sheets, whatever they are.
Obviously a sophistication that has not reached Australia.
Though I guessing that they reduce static…and smell nice?
Over here we are over endowed with sunshine and mostly line dry.
…but if I ever find them, or buy them, then I’m glad to have 10 more uses!
Long time lurker…de-lurking to support the continued cleanliness of the world.
Deanna says
I keep one in my luggage – keeps it fresh while not in use.
Lana says
I quit using them more than 20 years ago when my allergist told me that the active ingredient is formaldehyde and that they were an allergy problem for me. Our clothes are softer and have less static than when we were using them so why go back?
jubob says
we have them hanging in our fruit trees. the deer would come up and eat the peaches right off the tree. since I hung them in each tree we haven’t seen any deer tracks in the garden this year. dryer sheets and clothes pins who knew……
carol says
I have a friend, who puts them on wooden grilling skewers in her flower gardens to repel deer. She says it works pretty well, but she has to replace them frequently. I’m not sure yet if the drier sheet flags don’t cancel out the beauty of the flowers, though. ☺
Sakura says
I like to keep one tucked into my suitcase, it just gives it a nice fresh smell.
Tiffanie Morrow says
We use them to scrub chrome and our fiberglass bath tub (along with a little Borax). It is amazing how the ick (from all the children) just wipes off the side of the tub. My mom, the wise woman of the family, didn’t believe me. She was impressed when I showed her the endless possibilities of the used dryer sheet. I received kudos from the mom- not an easy feet!
myna lee says
i never use dryer sheets because they contain stinky toxic chemical scents that make me nauseated
you can make yer own with any rag rung with vinegar and add a few drops of an essential oil .organic such as lavender or mint
rachel says
I use them ALL the time to help with static cling on skirts and dresses.
Eva W says
We hang our laundry out to dry here in Phoenix. It only takes three hours, but afterwards we toss our clothes in the dryer for about 15 – 20 minutes with a dryer sheet (DH prefers them to softerner). I cut the used sheets into strips and use them as stuffing when I make crocheted amigurumi. Makes inexpensive stuffing and smell good!
Sandy says
I packed a couple for my son to take to Jamboree this week and next in West Virginia (hot, humid and 40K Scouts). I told him to bring them out when things were smelling too ripe in the tent or to toss in the duffle with the dirty clothes separate. We also found some powder with calamine in it called “Monkey Butt”…seemed like a good thing to bring to camp to cut down on the chaffing!!! 🙂
melissa says
We use dryer sheets to repel mosquitoes. Before we go out we rub a dryer sheet on our exposed areas,and then keep it in our pocket. It really works.
mlou says
i am too cheap to buy dryer sheets and then toss them after one use. so i take part of an old washcloth, drizzle a bit of liquid fabric softener on it (about the size of a quarter) and toss that in the dryer. i can re-use the cloth over and over. when it gets kind of gunked up i toss it in the wash and start over. this extends the life of a bottle of fabric softener a long time!
jaime says
I like to stick a dryer sheet into the crock pot crock to soak overnight–makes clean-up a breeze (especially when food gets crusted onto the crock).
Dawn says
I use used dryer sheets in my scrapbook room to rub on paper before I use embossing powder. It gets rid of static that makes the powder stick where I don’t want it.
Rosaleen says
We’ve found dryer sheets to be one of the few things, if not the only thing, that repel tiny black flies in the spring.
Lisa says
i always put a sheet in the plastic totes that I put my holiday decorations in. It keeps my decorations smelling nice and fresh plus also repels any mice.
Cassandra says
They can also be used to repel mice and rats.
Eva W says
I save my used ones and cut them up into strips to use as stuffing for my crochet amigurumi characters. (Living in AZ, I usually hang my clothes out to dry and pop them in the dryer for ten to fifteen minutes just to fluff them up and get rid of desert dust.)
Laura says
We put some dryer lint in the center of a used dryer sheet and tie the opposite ends together. Makes a great fire starter.
Cris says
I like to use them in my window air conditioners. I lay two of them over the filter and then when you turn it on it has a lovely laundry smell and it also keeps the filters form getting so gunked up because you just wait till the smell is gone and toss out the dusty dryer sheet. I am currently using car auto vent fresheners for a tropical pina colada smell LOL. The other thing I use dryer sheets for is putting min my kids and hubby’s stinky shoes at the end of the day they soak up sweat and give the show a light fregenet.