What Are Some Unexpected Uses for Dryer Sheets?

Hillela G.
by Hillela G.
I looove using dryer to sheets to make my cloths smell great, and I know that they have a bunch of other surprising, helpful uses as well. What are some unexpected ways that you use dryer sheets? Thanks for the advice!!
  30 answers
  • Margaret Powell Margaret Powell on Mar 15, 2017

    I put dryer sheets under the cover of our furnace register vents. They send a wonderful scent throughout the house when the furnace turns on and also is a perfect filter to keep dirt out of the register.

  • William William on Mar 15, 2017

    I use them to freshen up clothing I sell on Ebay. Hang one sheet on the hanger. Used sheets are great for removing water spots off shower doors. Wet one and wipe down the glass.

  • I stick them in my pockets and shoe laces when gardening to keep mosquitos at bay

    • See 5 previous
    • Fingers crossed!

  • Tuck one under your cars drivers seat to keep your car smelling fresh

  • Lindah Lindah on Mar 16, 2017

    I rub my dog with a dryer sheet during a lightening storm. The lightening causes static electricity in their hair and the dryer sheet helps to elevate it. And benefit - your dog smells great.

    • 861650 861650 on Mar 20, 2017

      Those dryer sheets are toxic to dogs. You rub them on the dog. The dog then licks itself. Please, if you will, do some research on this issue.

  • Kellie Kellie on Mar 16, 2017

    I have used them for interfacing for small sewing projects, and have sewn a few together for small to medium projects when one was not big enough. I have used used ones to dust my television screens, works great and eliminates static.

  • Melissa V Melissa V on Mar 16, 2017

    I have an antique dresser that still smells "old", so after I line the drawers, I put a fresh dryer sheet (I'm using the dresser to store linens) in each drawer and that really helps everything smell fresh. And the used ones make getting the lint off of the dryer screen so much easier!

  • Phenonw Phenonw on Mar 16, 2017

    When putting a dryer sheet into the dryer cut it into four or more strips. The strips get around your items better than one full sheet. When storing sheets, blankets, pillows, or clothing put in a dryer sheet, keeps bug out. In your desk or filling cabinet put a dryer sheet. In your garage or storage shed put dryer sheets around at different places (these can be cut in half). In under cushions of furniture place a dryer sheet, if you have a cover on your chair/couch/recliner place a dryer sheet. In a wheel chair there is usually a removable pad, place a dryer sheet. In gardening/work gloves cut a dryer sheet in half & place inside. Take a rubber band and secure a dryer sheet to a stick/pole around in the garden, you can also add a few drops of peppermint essential oil to it, keeps bugs out of your garden without the harmful chemicals.

  • B.I.Green B.I.Green on Mar 17, 2017

    You are all so inventive! The used dryer sheets are good for cleaning the lint trap after the dryer load is finished -- that's as imaginative as I get. So thanks for the great ideas!

  • Diane Diane on Mar 17, 2017

    I put one under each foot and skate around bathroom floor picking up strays hair, and skate all the way to the garbage can...I squish with my toes and deposit in can and never even have to bend down...lol...true

    • Too funny! I have "mop slippers" that I received as a gag gift many years ago. I love them! 100% cotton and washable! Fun to "skate around" the kitchen floor picking up hair, and whatever else the pets drag in.

  • Maggie Maggie on Mar 17, 2017

    I line flower pots with used dryer sheets before adding soil. Eliminates need to cover the drain holes, but keeps the soil in the pot and lasts for a long time. I also use new dryer sheets to get bugs off my car. Simply wet the car where the bugs are slated, then rub the spots with the dryer sheet. Literally melts the bugs but does no harm to the finish on the car.

  • Lori , Wisconsin Lori , Wisconsin on Mar 17, 2017

    Dryer sheets repel mice in our camping trailer during the off season. Just put fresh dryer sheets on furniture, by the doors, on counter tops, in linen drawers, etc.

  • Linda Valentine Linda Valentine on Mar 18, 2017

    You asked for it! I save everything in my computer - including this:

    Did you know all these wonderful things a fabric softener sheet can do?


    1) Repel mosquitoes - Tie a sheet through a belt loop when outdoors during mosquito season.


    2) Eliminate static electricity from your television screen - Since sheets are designed to help eliminate static cling, wipe your television screen with a used sheet to keep dust from resettling.


    3) Dissolve soap scum from shower doors - clean with a used sheet


    4) Freshen the air in your home - Place an individual sheet in a drawer or hang one in the closet.


    5) Prevent thread from tangling - Run a threaded needle through a sheet to eliminate the static cling on the thread before sewing.


    6)Eliminate static cling from pantyhose - Rub a damp, used sheet over the hose.


    7) Prevent musty suitcases - Place an individual sheet in each suitcase to keep it fresh smelling.


    8) Freshen the air in your car - Place a sheet under the front seat.


    9) Keep the shock away - Place a sheet in your coat pocket to avoid the shock you get getting in and out of the car in the winter.


    10) Clean baked-on food from a cooking pan - Put a sheet in the pan, fill with water, let sit overnight, and sponge clean. The anti static agents apparently weaken the bond between the food and the pan, while the fabric softening agents soften the baked-on food.


    11) Eliminate odors in wastebaskets - Place a sheet at the bottom of the wastebasket.


    12) Collect cat hair - Rubbing the area with a sheet will

    magnetically attract all the loose hairs.


    13) Eliminate static electricity from venetian blinds - Wipe the blinds

    with a sheet to prevent dust from resettling.


    14) Wipe up sawdust from drilling or sand-papering. A used sheet will collect sawdust like a tack cloth.


    15) Eliminate odors in dirty laundry - Place an individual sheet at the bottom of a laundry bag or hamper.


    16) Deodorize shoes or sneakers. Place a sheet in your shoes

    or sneakers overnight so they smell great in the morning.


    17) Another thing you can do with them is to hang the sheets outside

    your doors to keep the flies from congregating and getting in your

    house every time the kids open the door.


    --author unknown...but appreciated!!

  • Rachel Bozarth Rachel Bozarth on Mar 18, 2017

    If I have a pan tha I can't get clean scrubbing I fill it with hot water then place a dryer sheet in it. Let it soak a few and it comes right out. I also read somewhere that golfers carry a bounce sheet in their pockets to ward off mosquitoes

  • Kat Kat on Mar 19, 2017

    take used dryer sheets, put in jar/plastic container, whatever w/lid; pour in white vinegar, shove sheets into it, put lid on and shake. when doing laundry, pull out a sheet or two, wring out back into container, then throw in dryer. helps w/static better than using them fresh! also use clean socks that have holes in them...fold 2 socks into ball and tie w/string or rubber band...put in a lidded container w/vinegar, and wring out before throwing in dryer w/clothes. you can also save a "clorox wipes" container and put dryer sheets in it, then pull up one by one.

  • Some of my uses are the same as Linda's. Thanks Linda! I have a box on had for uses other than laundry, one of my dogs is horribly allergic to the chemicals in them. They are great for so many other things, handy to have a small box around.

    • See 1 previous
    • Thanks for the tip. Something I already knew, and others may not. That is why I do not use them for anything that the dogs (or the rest of my pets, 6 dogs, 6 cats, canary and Dragon), will come in contact with. But they are handy for other uses which is why I have a small (American made) box on hand.

  • Darline Darline on Mar 19, 2017

    I put them in my bathrooms and kitchen, They do a wonderful job of cleaning sinks, tubs, showers and glass. Remove the soap scum because of the fiber and softener in them! I also polish the faucets and sink knobs as well.

  • Diana Deiley Diana Deiley on Mar 19, 2017

    I have them everywhere in my home, closets, linens, shoes, boots, under living room seat cushions, between sheets & mattresses, and in the car. I also use them to remove animal hair from furniture.

  • 861650 861650 on Mar 20, 2017

    After dusting your furniture, take a used dryer sheet and swipe over the same area. It repeals dust.

    • And if you have pets (dogs mostly) or small children (teething babies), and they lick the furniture, a big no no. My chihuahua mix licks everything. And I mean everything. Too bad I can't teach her to clean up after the rest of the messy fur kids! ☺

  • Julia Angleworm Julia Angleworm on Mar 20, 2017

    I put them in the bottom of my shoes,especially slip ons that I would normally

    wear bare feet.They work so well I have every young gal in my office doing it. they absorb and smell good! also put one in each shoe when putting them back in the closet, so my closet doesn't smell of shoes.

  • Dee Dee on Mar 20, 2017

    If you have clothes or fabric that have been or are going to be stored for a long time, tuck a dryer sheet in to help keep them fresh smelling. I inherited some fabric (like a lot of fabric) that had been in an unheated house for some time. I made sure it was clean and dry and then packed it all away in large see-through plastic storage containers, with a dryer sheet in each one.

  • 861650 861650 on Mar 20, 2017

    Oh no! Didn't think about pets or children licking wooden furniture. So, how about wiping the used dryer sheet on top of tables...except the dining room table. That's where most of the dust is anyway. Please don't tell me your dog licks the tops of tables! LOL! LOL! You also could use the dryer sheets on items kids/dogs can't reach and that's a lot of stuff. Read an article about cat/dog hair & it said to use a "window squeegee" as it rolls up the hair for easy vacuuming or those pet hair rollers...even tape. Teach your dog to use it! hahahaha!

  • Ardale Ardale on Mar 21, 2017

    I tuck a new dryer sheet inside our pillow cases every time I change our bedding and it keeps our pillows smelling so good. It seems to help us relax and sleep peacefully and each time I change out our bedding I use that dryer sheet in the dryer and put another new one in our clean bedding. I've been putting clean dryer sheets in under our heat registers for many years and they really do give your rooms such a nice smell. I also use them in our drawers to help keep our clothing smelling like they just came out of the dryer. I also take my used dryer sheets and revive them to use over and over again. I just keep an old plastic bowl with lid on my washer and once I take my spent dryer sheets out I put them in that bowl. Once I get a bowl full of them I just pour a little of my favorite smelling (cheap Final touch fabric softener liquid) in the bowl and mix and turn my used dryer sheets until they are all coated with the fabric softener. Then I gently squeeze them out and hang them on a coat hanger using clothes pins and let them dry. I keep the empty dryer sheet box and simply fold my revived dryer sheets back up and stuff them back in the box, ready to use again. By the way while those dryer sheets are drying your house will so good throughout it. I have a small nail in behind our cabinet trim over my kitchen sink that I use for Christmas decorations and this allows me to hang my dryer sheets to dry so if they drip it just falls in my sink. I just do this at night before going to bed and they are dry by morning so you don't have to worry about someone dropping by and seeing them hanging there. Thank you for all the other tips I didn't know about. I will be using some of them too!

    • Vivlo2yu Vivlo2yu on Mar 29, 2017

      Hi Ardale! Soooo hilarious! I used to do the same thing when I was a single parent! Forgot about the soaking in a bottle of discount fabric softener! Honestly I quit all that stuff due to chemicals. Just not in my laundry, but all the household uses are phenomenal! Thanks!

  • Andrea Jackson Andrea Jackson on Mar 21, 2017

    Hi, You can pin dryer sheets on air in side of your AC filters and waft that great smell all through your house.

  • Karolyn Karolyn on Mar 28, 2017

    I use them to clean the screens on our windows... absolutely works great! And for a little while, the air coming through smells wonderful!! Love all these other ideas, too.

  • Marie Marie on Mar 29, 2017

    Use them to scrub pote and pans. Takes anything that is cooked on, off.

  • Marie Marie on Mar 29, 2017

    Pots

  • PamPam PamPam on Mar 30, 2017

    Will lavender scented dryer sheets keep moths out of my wool sweaters during storage?

  • I put dryer sheets in the bottom of the hamper to keep it smelling a little better. Also have used them for sachets, you can glue or sew the edges shut and then stuffing with some cotton balls dipped in lavender oil.