14 Ways to Use Dryer Sheets That Have Nothing To Do with Laundry

Perhaps you’ve seen the list of uses for dryer sheets floating around the Internet. Who knows where that list came from. What we do know is not all of the alternative uses can be verified as true.

 

 

For example, we have no confidence at all that Bounce or any other brand of dryer sheet will repel mosquitoes. We’ve tried and nope, those suckers seem to enjoy dryer sheets! But spiders and flies? Or how about stinky shoes? Read on.

Pests

Many of our readers have confirmed that dryer sheets will repel both spiders and flies. Keep a few extra sheets in clothes hampers and around the laundry area and you can kiss all those spiders goodbye.

 

Luggage

Slip a dryer sheet into your suitcases while they are in storage and they won’t smell musty when you take them out to use.

Blinds

Wipe down your blinds with a dryer sheet to prevent static electricity and to keep dust from collecting. Grab that dryer sheet with a pair of kitchen tongs and use that to quickly run over each slat. It’s quick, easy and will even pick up the dust.

Soleplate

Remove gunk from the bottom of an iron. With the setting on low, rub the iron over the dryer sheet until the residue disappears, and you’re left with a pristine soleplate.

 

Stinky shoes

Shoes and boots, sneakers and tennis shoes can get really smelly. Pop a sheet into each of your less-than-fresh-smelling sneakers, sandals or boots, then place them in a plastic bag. Tie it closed. In the morning your shoes will smell so much better. For kids’ shoes or ladies’ pumps, you can cut each sheet in half and still get great results.

Faucets

Used dryer sheets make great cloths for quick shine-ups in the bathroom and kitchen. Just use one on each of your chrome faucets and enjoy the shine.

Burnt pan

Fill that icky burned-on mess in a casserole dish or pan with warm water and lay a dryer sheet flat on top to soak overnight. In the morning, the baked-on gunk will have either floated off or be loose enough to scrape off easily with a spatula. It is quite amazing.

Tissue roll

Roll up a dryer sheet and stuff it inside the paper roll. Each time you spin, it releases a little freshness into your bathroom.

Vacuum

Place a used dryer sheet in the bag of your vacuum. Sweep your house and once you’re done, the air will smell as fresh as your clothes provided you, like many, are not overly sensitive to the fragrance in the dryer sheets.

Scissors

If those scissors or kitchen shears are not cutting as smoothly as you would like, no problem. Cut through several layers of a dryer sheet a few times and they’ll cut easily again.

Road tar

Get the car wet, then use a dryer sheet to wipe away all the bugs and road tar. It’s easier and faster than the most expensive bug and tar removers.

Rodents

Place them in drawers and near entrances and exits in your camper when it is not being used—dryer sheets will keep rodents from coming inside.

 

 

Gym bag

A sheet at the bottom of a gym bag will mask the odor until you can get those clothes into the laundry.

Static cling

Stop static cling on clothes or tame your flyaway hair by rubbing a sheet over the problem area.

First published: 8-9-16; Updated 7-14-19

 

Question: Do you have other alternative ways to use dryer sheets? Please share!

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