10 handy uses for dryer sheets

Dryer sheets ensure your laundry comes out of the tumble dryer feeling soft and static-free. They also lock in a freshness and crispness into your clothes leaving them with a pleasant scent. But that's not all — dryer sheets can also be used for a number of other purposes, making them a very versatile household aid, as the following 10 examples demonstrate. 

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1. Hairbrush

Have you ever noticed that a lack of humidity and cold winters can cause your hair to dry out, either making it stand on end or stick flat to your head? Either way, it's a bit of a nuisance! Try placing a dryer sheet over your brush, letting all the bristles stick through. After brushing your hair, you simply remove the sheet and the hair that has fallen out with it. You'll see it's most effective in removing static electricity from your hair.

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2. Shoe deodorizer

Place a folded dryer sheet in each of your shoes and see how unpleasant odors quickly dissipate. Nasty smells disappear and are replaced with freshness and pleasantness all day long! 

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3. Suitcase

You can use dryer sheets as an air freshener when traveling. Just place a sheet in your suitcase whilst packing and your clothes will smell as fresh as a summer's day when you unpack them later on in the hotel. This is especially helpful if your suitcase has not been used for a while and smells a bit musty. 

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4. Vacuum cleaner

This is a great hack — whenever you change your vacuum cleaner bag, make sure to place a dryer sheet inside it. That way every time you vacuum, you’ll be sucking up dirt and pumping out a fresh smelling scent into all your rooms.

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5. Banishing rodents

If you have problems with rodents in your home, stick a few crumpled up sheets in all the nooks and crannies where you suspect your unwelcome visitors enter from. While it might not be a permanent solution, the smell will scare them off for a while. 

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6. Insect repellent

Rodents aren't the only creatures who can't stand the smell of dryer sheets, most insects feel the same. Place some dryer sheets under your garden furniture or near windows. Another helpful hack is to stick a dryer sheet in your pocket, in your belt loop or even in your socks to repel mosquitoes while taking a walk or barbecuing outside with friends. 

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7. Closet deodorant

Simple but effective: lay a few sheets amongst your folded sweaters in your dresser drawers or in your closets to keep your clothes smelling fresher for longer. 

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8. Removing deodorant stains

There's nothing worse than noticing a big, ugly deodorant stain on your shirt when getting ready for work. Your hair and makeup's already done and you're ready to walk out the door only to find that nasty and very noticeable surprise. It's not worth changing your entire outfit, just grab a dryer sheet and rub the stain with a used dryer sheet and the mark should come right off.

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9. Removing pet hair

In case you can't find your lint remover and you're covered in pet hair, forget picking them off one-by-one, just use a dryer sheet instead. Rub the sheet over your pants or dress and the static will effortlessly remove all the hair. Animal scent on your clothes might remind you of your beloved pet but your work colleagues will almost definitely prefer the fresh odor left behind on your clothes now!

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10. Dusting

Dusting becomes child's play using a dryer sheet: it not only magnetically draws all the dust to it because of its electrostatic properties, but also gets in all the hard to reach places. Things like lamp shades, radiators and the TV are no longer the dreaded places to dust. Give it a whiz — you'll find it’s a lot quicker and easier than an old-fashioned duster and you'll never want to go back.

It's amazing how many different ways a simple household item can be used and they don't even have to be new, used ones work just as well for most of the above purposes.

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Not everyone has a tumble dryer at home, preferring to hang out clothes in the fresh air to dry but as you can see from the above list of household hacks, it might be worth getting some dryer sheets anyway — I know I will be!

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