DRYER SHEETS - More than just a fabric softener

My dryer sheet of choice is Bounce. There are always great coupons or sales on bounce around where I live so I get the big box when it's on sale and it lasts me a long time!

The first use for a dryer sheet is of course to put it in the dryer with the wet clothes from the washing machine. Yes this does work (LOL)! Makes your clothes smell good, nice and soft, and most of the time, static free.

Reducing static is another one that is kind of obvious with dryer sheets. You can rub a new dryer sheet over your panty hose or legs to help prevent static cling. It will help keep your skirt or pants from sticking to your legs.

You can also eliminate electricity from your television or computer screen by wiping them down with a used dryer sheet. This helps keep the dust from settling.

There are many ways a dryer sheet can freshen odors in your home. Here are just a few that I have used them for that have worked.

• Putting one in a closet, either in the corner where the kids won't get to it or on the shelf with nothing covering it. This helps keep the closet and clothes smelling fresh.
• I put them in dresser drawers to help keep clothes smelling fresh too.
• Putting them in the bottom of your clothes hamper or laundry basket helps keep the smell of the clothes under control. When you wash the clothes, throw the used sheet in the trash and put another one in for the next round.
• Place them in shoes that are not worn all the time. I have nice dress shoes that I only wear on occasion and putting the dryer sheets in them helps cover any odors. This is also a good idea for the front hall closet in my home where all the shoes and coats pile up.
• Put them in the bottom of the trash can to help eliminate odors
• Put a sheet or two inside suitcases or travel bags to help prevent musty odors. Put a sheet in before storing.

Some ideas of freshening odors that I have not tried but have heard about are:

• Putting them in your desk at work
• Locker at the health club
• Under the seat of your car or truck
• Leave several in the RV or camper while it is in storage
• Take the odor out of books and photo albums (I would never do this because I love the old book smell and would be afraid that the chemicals in the dryer sheets would hurt the pictures in my photo albums).
• Slide a sheet in between a pillow case and the pillow to keep the pillow smelling fresh for days
• Put a dryer sheet in between the toilet paper roll so each time it spins it will release a fresh scent into the air
• Put a sheet inside the vacuum cleaner and as you vacuum the scent from the dryer sheet will circulate with the vacuum and release a fresh scent into the air
• Rub a dryer sheet over your dog's fur to keep it smelling fresh (I'm not sure I would ever do this one either)

The dryer sheets do actually work for removing hair. I've used them several times when we have had cats to pull the hair off the furniture. You can also use them to get hair off rugs and carpets. All you do is rub a used or unused dryer sheet over the furniture, and it will remove the unwanted pet hair.

Dusting with a dryer sheet has become a huge thing all over the Internet. People use them for all sorts of dusting purposes. Here's are some things I have dusted with a dryer sheet.

• Mantle on the fireplace
• Fan blades
• Wooden coffee tables
• Railings on the stairs
• Base boards all around the house (this takes a lot of time to do LOL)
• Book cases

I have never tried any of these cleaning ideas, but here are some that I have found to be interesting.

• Wiping up sawdust on shop workbenches
• Rub it over your iron to remove rust or residue stains
• Rub it over the hood of your car to remove insect stains that have baked onto the surface
• Wipe down window blinds

One of the biggest ones I have heard about lately is removing soap scum from the tub or shower using a dryer sheet. To do this you save the dryer sheets after you use them in the clothes dryer. It doesn't matter if they are scented or unscented, both work the same. You wet the dryer sheet with plain water. Squeeze out the excess water so it remains wet but not dripping. Scrub the shower walls, doors and bathtub surfaces with the wet dryer sheet to remove the soap scum. Start at the top of the wall or door and work your way to the bottom. Fold the dryer sheets to get into the corners and hard to reach spots. After you are done scrubbing, wipe the walls, doors and tub with a towel to remove the excess moisture.

I have not tried using a dryer sheet as a bug repellent and I'm not sure it would work at all but here are a few things I have heard dryer sheets are able to do.

• Mosquito repellent - hang a sheet outdoors during mosquito season and it is said to help keep those mosquitoes away (and freshen your outdoors as well).
• Ant deterrent - put a dryer sheet in the path of an ant line and it is supposed to send the ants in the other direction. (I would think that the ants would just go around said dryer sheet)

Before sewing, run a needle through a dryer sheet and this will help prevent the thread from tangling while you are doing your stitching.

I found some comments on other pages that claim dryer sheets can clean baked on foods from pots and pans as well. How? Well, you put a sheet in the pot or pan, fill the pot or pan with water and let it sit overnight. The next morning you should be able to sponge it cleane. It is said that the antistatic agent weakens the bond between the stuck on food between the surface and the softening agents help to soften the baked on food. I'm not sure this works, I'm not willing to try it on any of my pots and pans. I have other solutions for cleaning baked on foods from pots and pans.