Last week I posted a tip about dryer sheets. (Cut them in half).
I received some really great tips that I didn’t know!
I want to share these new tips with all of you because they are really great tips!
Megan from Bug Creator swears by the Bounce Dryer Bar.
I have yet to try the dryer bar, but my interest is certainly peaked. Anyone else have an opinion about the bar?
Jenny from Our Nifty Notebook pointed out that instead of unfolding all of them and then cutting them in half, it’s easier to just leave them folded and cut in half the other direction.
Wow, I sure felt dumb after I read that! Dur! Just cut them in half width-wise. Oh man, it seems so obvious now.
Lisa over at Condo Blues suggested to cut them into fourths and reuse them 3-4 times!
She then went on to suggest that instead of dryer sheets, just use a couple of clean tennis balls in the dryer. No nice smell but no static cling!
(Image borrowed from HERE.)
Hmmm, I’ll have to look into that!
My “In Real Life” BFF Heather suggested to wash out your dryer lint catcher with SOAP and water every month or so. Dryer sheets leave a film on the lint trap that will build up, not allowing proper air flow and will lead to a fire. (To see if yours it built up, just run it under water. It looks clean, but the water doesn’t run through.)
(Image borrowed from HERE.)
I did not know that. I don’t think I’ve ever once in my life washed the lint catcher. Oops!
Kathy @ Gone North mentioned that it’s just as easy to tear them in half.
I’ve torn them as well, but I like to cut them so they are “neater”. I swear I’m so OCD sometimes!
Lisa suggests to make your own dryer sheets:
“Years ago, I cut 4″x6″ sections from an old holey white t-shirt. I soaked these in liquid fabric softener, squeezed out the excess, and hung them up to dry. I toss one in each dryer load. You can use the same one over and over again for months. I have only had to soak them again once or twice. SUPER CHEAP!”
If you want handmade ones, but don’t want to make ’em yourself…
I found these handmade ones on etsy:
(You can purchase these adorable handmade dryer satchels HERE.)
While I was researching and searching Google for this post I found a list of 25 things to do with dryer sheets.
You can check out this cool list HERE.
You can also make some yummy smelling adorable sachets from used dryer sheets.
(To read how to make these, click HERE.)
I also found a tutorial explaining how to make beautiful envelopes from used dryer sheets.
(To read the tutorial click HERE.)
So there ya go!
I never realized there were so many alternative uses for dryer sheets! I’m definitely going to try out a few of these ideas!
Do you have any other ideas for dryer sheets?
Thanks for all the great tips!Who new haow much info was out there on dryer sheets. I like the make your own idea, gonna check out those links!
I love the dryer bar! but am intrigued by the tennis ball idea also! thanks for sharing all of this!!!
Hi! I don’t use dryer sheets. I hardly ever iron. I am still using a folding method my old super-picky college boyfriend (NOT my hubby now) taught me. And we have very few wrinkles and no static cling. I’ve also found my clothes get just as clean using only 1/2 the suggested amount of detergent. So, doing my laundry is ultra-inexpensive and easy! Have a great weekend!
Are you going to share how to fold? I hate to iron so I’m all ears!!
I tried the dryer bar, but wasn’t impressed. Sure, it made my clothes smell good and all that, but it didn’t last as long as the package said and then it left a sticky mess on the inside of my dryer. Bummer.
I definitely recommend washing your lint filter every month. It’s amazing how much junk builds up from the dryer sheets!
Thanks for all the great tips!
Well that was interesting. I am off to cut my dryer sheets in half for sure!
Thanks for sharing.
Brooke
Great ideas!
Jocelyn
http://justalittlesouthernhospitality.blogspot.com
http://happycottagequilter.blogspot.com
Wow! Who knew you could do all of these things with a simple dryer sheet!? Very cool!
Hugs
SueAnn
Who knew? Seriously — some great ideas and suggestions!
Good ideas! I always wondered if there was a way to wash the lint trap. OUrs definitely needs it!
LOL, no reason to feel dumb! It just saves a bit of time. I like to cut mine too, because it’s neater than tearing. 😛
I’ve heard of the tennis balls, but haven’t used them.
It’s probably on the list, but I’ve used dryer sheets to soak in a pan with baked on crud. Leave it for awhile and the junk will be much easier to wipe out.
I have heard last week, haven’t tried it yet, but heard that if you rub a dryer sheet over clean blinds the dust won’t stick and you will hardly have to clean your blinds!
I don’t use dryer sheets. But those crafts look, too cute!
I’ve heard of making your own before. I wonder how they compare?
Another thing: Many older ladies swear by using a dryer sheet to keep mosquitoes away! I don’t know for myself if it works since I don’t use dryer sheets. But I would guess if it did work, it would probably also depend on the person’s body chemistry.
Ok…the dork will shut up now! LOL
Thanks for all the useful info. I feel all “Martha Stewart like” just contemplating it!
I think I want to try the t-shirt dryer sheet one…
Have a great weekend!
Mmm, those sachets look like they smell divine!
We don’t use dryer sheets chez nous, instead I use a cup of white vinegar per load, scented with essential oil. The trick of course is catching the rinse cycle {if you don’t have a machine you can pre-load}.
Someone made really pretty drawer sachets from used dryer sheets. Of course now I can’t find that blog, but they were really pretty. Thanks for the other tips. The Army decided to screw our lint catchers to the dryer & the screw is so rusty/stuck in there that I can’t get it out to vacuum it clean.
You can also run a fresh dryer sheet over your hair to combat static electricity.
After your original post I was at Walmart and checked out the Bounce Bar. I ended up passing as I thought it was expensive (here in Canada anyway) but there was a good deal on Bounce Sheet and now that I am going to be cutting them in half ( 😀 !!!) the deal was even better!
I have some Dryer balls but I find them so loud bouncing around inside the dryer that I tend not to use them.
I love the Dryer Bar! I have to send them to my MIL back in Italy because they still don’t have them on the market!! I found that they are cheeper at Wal-Mart or Target, and usually I can find coupons for them too!
I really like the Dryer bars – they last a long time and it’s one less thing i need to worry about or throw away.
So now you tempt me with all these uses for dryer sheets, and I may just have to buy a box to NOT toss into my machine.
My question is…any good ideas for using the used sheets??
Put them in the bottom of your trashcans.
Not to be dumb but..why does it matter which direction we cut the sheets? lol
Katharine @ Kat’s AlmostPurrfect World
http://katspurrfectboutique.blogspot.com
It doesn’t matter at all. But if you cut them horizontally then you don’t have to unfold any of them first! I was unfolding each one and then cutting.
I came over here from The Girl Creative. Wonderful ideas! I had heard about cleaning the lint trap before, but I had forgotten so thank you for the reminder. We almost had a dryer fire a few weeks ago because of lint buildup that got under the dryer. I can’t wait to try some of your ideas.
Ha! I love this post!! I was just standing in front of my dryer the other day wondering what I could re-use the dryer sheets for. Thanks!
Ha! I love this post because I was just standing in front of my dryer the other day wondering how I could re-use those dryer sheets. Thanks!!
You could also make dryer balls.
Just wind some wool yarn into a ball as large as you’d like. Make sure the end is secured in. Then put it inside of a sock or pantyhose and toss it in the washer & dryer a few times to felt it and you’re good to go! Then just use it in the dryer with your clothes (like you would the tennis balls).
I thought I would give you a heads up on the bounce dryer bar. I love mine and asked my husband to get me some refills, but first I went on line to get a coupon. It seems as though they don’t make refills you must purchase the whole thing each time! What a shame… I loved it while it lasted though….
i LOVE the dryer bar. smells so good! but definitely gonna try the tennis ball trick!
Kimra
crafty-cove.blogspot.com
kimraskreations.blogspot.com
And here I thought I was so creative with my little post on dryer sheets today! Thanks for all the tips!
I just painted some used ones and glued them onto candles.
LOVE the reusables from Etsy! Awesome!!
I hated the dryer bar, it kept falling off my dryer drum and would leave chunks of the bar on my clothes. 🙁
Now, I don’t use anything at all in my dryer. I don’t use a liquid softener in the washer either. I have no static cling and my clothes come out nice and soft. I actually just posted a blog post about laundry on my blog yesterday. 🙂
these are great ideas for recycling those dryer sheets!! thanks for the link to my tutorial!! :))))
I used to do this years ago, but kinda forgot about it until now….I used to take Downy liquid fabric softener and put some in a spray bottle and spray an old washcloth with it, then toss it in the dryer. It worked like a charm and no dryer sheets to keep buying. Not only that, but a few squirts on the washcloth made the fabric softener last forever.
I got a new t-shirt, and accidentally used a dryer sheet when it said not to. Now my shirt stinks!! I had this happen one other time on a pair of fleece pants. Does anyone know why the shirt stinks now? I need help?
You shouldn’t use fabric softner on your towels. The fabric softner leaves a waxy layer on your laundry so that there is less friction, hence less static. But that waxy layer will make your towels less absorbant. You could use aluminum foil balls instead of tennis balls, less noisy. Oh, and if you’ve been using softner on your towels and they have become less absorbant, you can remove the build up with vinegar or Epsom salt. Just google it, lots of instructions out there.
I use a product that is sold at a local hardware store. It is a lint free cloth sold 2 to a box to use in the dryer. I also saw it at Amazon under a different brand name. The box says to use it for 50 loads but at 5 + years later they are still working. I just use 4 of them and leave them in the dryer. No worry about a film coating the lint trap or family members being allergic. The reason why I switched in the first place. My SIL uses the dryer balls but then her dryer is far from her main living area.
I don’t remember ever having bought a box of dryer sheets during my lifetime so far, and I am fairly certain that I never will. That said, I DO use them from time to time. That is possible because over the years I have lived in apartment buildings which have always had small community laundry rooms with a few coin-operated machines. On rare occasion, I find and re-use laundry sheets previous launderers have left behind, either on the floor, or in the waste basket, If they seem to have another tumble’s worth left in them, and are acceptably clean, I toss them in with my clothes. Dryer sheets: use ’em if I find ’em, don’t if I don’t!
I just wanted to suggest the dryer balls can be scented with essential oils my fav is lilac it last for about 6 loads then you may have to reapply. Try it FUN