22 Uses for Dryer Sheets (That Aren’t Laundry)
Updated: Jun. 07, 2023
Don't toss dryer sheets after one load of laundry—hold onto them instead. From eliminating dust to fighting static, here are our favorite uses for dryer sheets.
Along with making clothes soft and sniffably fresh, dryer sheets can be used in dozens of ways around the house. Their clean scent covers up plenty of odors, and they’re abrasive enough to clean, but won’t damage most surfaces. Here are the most unexpected uses for dryer sheets.
FYI: This is how dryer sheets actually work.
Clean Baseboards
Vacuum the carpet or sweep the floor, then wipe a dryer sheet along the baseboards to remove stubborn dust and pet hair. Bonus: It repels dust later, too!
Dust Your TV Screen
The sheets have anti-static properties that will help prevent dust from settling on the TV screen.
Clean Window Blinds
Just like with the TV, dryer sheets will repel dust and make blinds easier to clean over time. See our best cleaning tricks for hard-to-clean household objects.
Tame Flyaway Hair
Did dry air make your hair static-y? Rub a dryer sheet between your brush’s bristles to smooth things over.
Clean Up Pet Hair
Dryer sheets are great grabbers. Rub one along the floor or couch to pick up pet hair—or clippings from at-home haircuts.
Freshen Up Your Shoes
Stick a dryer sheet in your flats or sneakers overnight to get rid of funky odors.
Scrub Away Soap Scum
Rub a sheet on glass shower doors to clean caked-on grime.
Easily Scour Pans
If food gets burned on a pan, let it soak overnight with water and a fresh dryer sheet. Check out this dryer sheet hack in action!
Give Chrome a Polish
From bathrooms to vehicles, dryer sheets can help restore chrome’s trademark shine.
Clean Up Pantry Spills
Flour, pancake mix and other powdery ingredients will stick to dryer sheets, unlike paper towels.
Freshen the Air Fast
Place sheets in vents or behind fans to fill your home with a fresh, clean scent.
Cover Up Diaper Smells
Tuck a fresh sheet into your diaper bag or bathroom garbage can help take the edge off odors.
De-Musk Old Books
You scored some great reads at a garage sale—but they’re a little musty. Put old books in a bag with some dryer sheets—after a few days, they’ll smell as good as new.
Remove Crayon Marks
Lightly rub walls with a sheet and watch the crayon disappear. Magic! Parents, here’s how to remove crayon from furniture and more.
Get Paint Off Brushes
Put a dryer sheet in warm water along with the brush—within a few minutes of soaking, the paint should wash right off.
Sharpen Scissors
Run a used dryer sheet along the blades to restore their snipping power.
Repel Insects
Mosquitoes don’t like the smell of dryer sheets, so slip one into your belt loop to ward off the pesky insects.
Keep Camping Gear Fresh
Toss dryer sheets into your tent and sleeping bags to stave off a mildewy smell.
Banish Post-Beach Sand
This is one of the most surprising uses for dryer sheets! Wipe yourself and your kids with a dryer sheet to rid skin of dry sand before getting in the car.
Keep Cars Smelling Fresh
Put a few sheets underneath the seat to freshen up your car without hanging something from your rear-view mirror.
Clean the Toilet
Dryer sheets are great to for cleaning the toilet—especially that crevice at the back that traps all kinds of hair and dust.
Remove Deodorant Stains
Keep your clothes streak-free (and smelling fresh) with a quick dryer sheet wipe on deodorant stains.
