Three Surprisingly Practical Uses for Drying Fluff
Cleaning your dryer’s lint trap after every load is a must if you want your machine to run efficiently and safely . Scraping out that pile of bluish-greyish-pinkish fluff you probably do without thinking, but before you toss it in the bin, as usual, stop. What if you didn’t throw away the lint? This hodgepodge of leftover fabric isn’t necessarily trash – you can actually put it to good use. Here are a few reasons to start hoarding your old pile and get the haters who call you a curmudgeon for it.
Create a starter to kindle the dryer pile
The main reason you need to get lint out of the dryer is that it is highly flammable. It’s dangerous in a car. However, in the real world, this is a bonus. The pile is excellent for kindling a fire .
The next time you’re out camping, add some homemade fire starters to your kit. Take toilet paper or a paper towel tube, some wax paper, and some lint from your dryer. Loosely fill the tube with lint, leaving things a little fluffy so oxygen can still enter the fire. Wrap the whole thing in wax paper and twist the ends like candy. Once you’ve lit the fire, drop the pipe into the kindling, light one of the twisted ends, and watch it ignite easily and spread the fire through the wood.
Pack small valuables
We are always looking for efficient ways to pack and store small and fragile items such as plates or china. From Swiffer pads to paper towels , we’ll try anything that will keep our belongings scratch-free, intact, and whole. So why not dry the fluff?
If you need to pack a mug or other breakable item for shipping, add drying lint to the box for additional shipping cushioning. Combine this with bubble wrap, newspaper, or whatever you plan on using, but keep the lint close to the delicate item so that the softest material touches it, which will help prevent scratches.
Soak up the mess
This great tip from The Spruce comes in handy when you don’t have your usual mess-inducing materials on hand, like cat litter or cornstarch. You can use the dryer to soak up damp stains, from oil in the driveway to a spilled bottle of oil on the kitchen floor. Toss a large wad on the spill while you prep other cleaners, and let the absorbent bits that used to be part of your clothes do most of the work. This is a smart way to cut down on paper towels and use dryer waste instead of getting your towel dirty and then washing it. The best part is that after that you can just throw the trash in the trash can.