Reuse that dryer lint!

Three good ideas … and one bad one

Maybe you recycle your plastic milk jugs. Maybe you turn them into bird feeders. A lot of the used odds and ends in our homes can be reused rather than tossed out—including that fuzzy gray stuff that comes out of your clothes dryer.

Yes, you can reuse dryer lint. And to keep your dryer safe and working well, you need to remove the lint after every use. So you might have plenty of it!

Before you think, “Ewww,” remember that the fluff in your dryer is (mostly) wadded up threads from clean clothes. Okay, there may be some dog hair and bits of paper in there, but you’re using it for crafts, not clothing!

Make arty paper

You know that fancy paper that has flecks of color in it and costs a fortune at the store? Turns out you can make it. The most complicated items you’ll need are a piece of window screen and a wooden picture frame for forming the paper itself. TheSpruce.com has step-by-step instructions, including how to add color. Use small squares of it for gift tags or note cards.

Get that campfire started

If you like to camp or have a fireplace, some dryer lint, a cardboard egg carton, and leftover candle stubs can be used to make effective fire starters. Lifehacker explains how.

Stuff a pillow

For any small project, like a stuffing a doll or pillow, lint will do the trick. The key is not to use lint for anything you might want to wash, because it will absorb liquid and become misshapen.

Dryer lint: Not for the birds!

When we were coming up with ideas for dryer lint, one seemed obvious: We’ve been told for years that dryer lint was a great source for birds to use in their nests. But the National Wildlife Federation explains that dryer lint can take on water and have chemicals from detergents, etc., that are harmful to birds.

(Interestingly, it turns out throwing rice at weddings doesn’t hurt birds, according to science. The world is turning upside down!)

Time to add or replace a clothes dryer? See what Appliance Warehouse can do for you!