Travel gadgets that take up little or no space but serve a number of travel needs and cost next to nothing? Sign us up, please. One of our favorite travel hacks is dryer sheets. It’s amazing how many ways they come in handy while traveling. You can use them to reduce static in your hair and keep your suitcase smelling nice. Here are 10 terrific reasons for packing dryer sheets for your next trip.
Travel Hacks for Dryer Sheets
Dryer sheets aren’t just for the laundry room any more! At home, you use dryer sheets for everything from cleaning the soap scum buildup on your shower doors to cleaning up pet hair and freshening your gym bag or laundry hamper. You can put a fabric softener sheet behind a fan or an air conditioning unit to act as a makeshift air freshener at home.
Next time you travel, don’t leave the dryer sheets at home. These 10 clever uses for dryer sheets will make your travels easier and fresher smelling.
1. Dryer Sheets Keep Suitcases Smelling Fresh.
It can be awhile between trips. If those suitcases are stored in the aging attic or the musty basement, they can absorb odors. Just slip a dyer sheet inside before you put them away to await your next trip. If you’re a camper, put a new dryer sheet inside the sleeping bags before you store them to await the next camping trip.
2. Dryer Sheets Can Deodorize Shoes.
Before you pack those shoes, tuck a dryer sheet into each one. Then put the shoes in a bag — one you got from the grocery or an actual shoe bag if you have one of those — before packing them in the suitcase. The dryer sheet will hold down that nasty shoe smell and the bag will keep the shoe dirt off of your clothes.
3. Dryer Sheets Can Repel Bugs
According to a study funded by the Fred C. Gloeckner Foundation, Bounce brand dryer sheets effectively repel bugs. (The foundation is NOT the philanthropic arm of the company that makes Bounce dryer sheets. I checked. The foundation supports horticultural research.) If it works for plants, it can work for people. Wipe the dryer sheets on your clothes, then tuck one in a pocket in case you need more mosquito repellent later.
4. Dryer Sheets Can Freshen Hotel Rooms.
Who knows what’s been in those hotel room dresser drawers before you start loading in your unmentionables? Put a dryer sheet in the drawer first and it will help keep your clothes smelling fresh. Does the hotel room trash can smell a little funky? Drop a dryer sheet in there, too. If the TV screen is dusty, give that a swipe with a used fabric softener sheet to clean it.
5. Dryer Sheets Can Refresh a Car.
Tuck a dryer sheet beneath the seats in the car. It is always nice to have a fresh scent in the car, but it’s particularly nice on those long road trips when you feel like you’re living in the car, eating half your meals in the car and generating lots of garbage in the car. These air fresheners are especially helpful when you eat a banana in the car and leave the peel in the car. Overnight. In the South. In the summer. Which I may or may not have done in the past.
6. Dryer Sheets Can De-Cling You, Too!
Dryer sheets aren’t just for getting rid of static cling in dryers. Keep a dryer sheet in your purse or backpack and use it to rub over pants and skirts to reduce static cling. Same for your hair. Rub a dryer sheet over your hair to calm fly-away static electricity during the winter. And rub them inside hats before you put them on your head to help hold down the stattic after you get inside and take off the cap.
7. Dryer Sheets Can De-Bug Your Car Window
After that road trip, the car is likely to be covered in dead bugs. Dryer sheets are the answer! Use warm water to wet a dryer sheet then apply a little elbow grease to wipe the grill and windshield until all of those nasty critters are gone.
8. Dryer Sheets Make Great Beach Cleaner Uppers
The only bad part about going to the beach is bringing home the sand! Dryer sheets to the rescue. Rub them over your legs and feet to remove the dry sand before anyone is allowed back in the car.
Read More: The Complete Beach Vacation Packing List.
9. Dryer Sheets Make Great Fire Starters.
If you’re going camping, you’re gonna want a campfire! Put a couple of dryer sheets under the kindling and you’ll be roasting marshmallows in no time.
Read More: Essential Tips for Camping Newbies.
10. Dyer Sheets Can Clean a Sticky Iron.
Who knows where that hotel room iron has been. Or when it was last cleaned. Or what it was used to iron. Use one of those dryer sheets you packed to clean the iron before you use it to press your favorite blouse. Simply turn the iron on low heat then wipe it with the dryer sheet until the sheet glides smoothly. Any stickiness or dirt will be gone.
Do you pack dryer sheets when you travel? Tell us how you use them.
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I love dryer sheets. I always put them in my suitcase before I put it away when we get home. Helps freshen up the bag for its next use.
What a great idea Beth, one to add to the list. Suitcases can get “funky” smelling after all that travel, and a dryer sheet will keep them fresh!
Wow, I had no idea they repel bugs or can be used to get rid of bad smell! And I just use them to wipe my computer screen or my glasses… 😉 Thanks for sharing these precious tips, I’ll definitely take more or those next time I go on a trip!