9 Surprising Ways To Use Dryer Sheets In Your Living Room

Dryer sheets are a staple in many households, particularly for use in the laundry room. They are thin, non-woven polyester pieces containing fragrances and other molecules that work in the dryer to add a nice scent and prevent clingy or staticky fabric. However, dryer sheets have many uses outside of the laundry room that may be surprising to you. A popular room in your home that has multiple uses for dryer sheets is your living room. You can use dryer sheets to wipe down, clean, and freshen your living room — use them on your furniture, electronic screens, baseboards, window blinds, and even to take crayon off of your walls.

Using your dryer sheets in the dryer may not be all it's cracked up to be. There are some things you might not be aware of when using them in this fashion. Lint builds up in your dryer, and you have to clean your filters each time you dry. The dryer sheets themselves can also leave a film or residue on your lint screens and filters. The effect can actually lessen the overall efficiency of your dryer. Instead of using your dryer sheets for laundry, consider using them throughout your living room in other helpful and practical ways. Here are nine surprising ways you can utilize dryer sheets in your living room.

Because of their ability to remove static cling, dryer sheets attract dust and allergens, and that includes — you guessed it — pet hair. Your furniture can be a magnet for fur when your pets are shedding, and it often isn't easy to remove. Try wiping a dryer sheet across your furniture fabrics, like you would a lint roller. It loosens up all of that pet hair so you can grab it and get rid of it. You'll be amazed at all of the pet hair that it can pick up!

Televisions and computer screens are always collecting dust. The silicon coating found on dryer sheets makes them exceptional at grabbing dust and dirt off of your screens while keeping them scratch-free. Just ensure you don't get it wet since moisture can harm the screens. This dryer sheet hack will leave your electronics dust-free with a gentle swipe of a dryer sheet across your living room TV, device screens, or glass shelves. Ensure that you're careful not to leave any film; it's best to go back over the screen with a dry microfiber cloth. 

Window blinds collect a lot of dirt and dust in your living room. A dryer sheet can come to the rescue when you don't have the time or patience to clean each slat individually. Simply close the blinds so they are flat when you wipe them to make it easier. The coating on the sheets is a great barrier for keeping the dust at bay, so you don't have to clean them as often.

Air movement allows allergen particles and static electricity to collect so easily on top of your ceiling fan in the living room. After using it during the summer months, it has likely accumulated quite a few dust bunnies. A dryer sheet is an easy way to fix the dirt by wiping the blades clean.  It helps to put that coating on the blades and keep the dust from coming back anytime soon.

Baseboards in your living room get dingy and grimy with age and wear. There's also dust and hair that collects in the corners. A used dryer sheet is the perfect solution for a quick wipe down of your baseboards when company is coming over, and when you don't have time to wash and scrub them. You can get your baseboards sparkling clean with this laundry room essential. The cool part is that the sheet also reduces any static, so dust doesn't easily settle back on it again.

When you want the fan running in your living room, a dryer sheet can be helpful for that, too! Take a dryer sheet and add it to your fan, securing it with some duct tape to the back so it stays in one place. When the fan moves air, the sheet can help prevent dust from blowing around.  It also leaves a clean, fresh scent in the air, like an air freshener, which can help create a nice space for settling in.

Your couch is a popular and comfortable seating area in the living room. Over time, it can start to accumulate smells, and if you don't have a ton of time for cleaning and washing cushions, a dryer sheet is an excellent substitute. Add a couple of dryer sheets to the inside of your couch cushions and a couple more underneath the cushions, or tucked out of sight into the sides of your couch. Your couch will smell better each time you sit down!

If you have children, chances are there has been at least one time a kid has taken out crayons to decorate the living room wall. The waxy residue that it leaves can be difficult to clean, and sometimes soap and water aren't enough to help get rid of it. If you don't have any of the melamine sponges around to use, dryer sheets have a special waxy coating that can help break down the crayon marks and remove them from your walls with ease.

When you have carpet or area rugs, they often trap dust and dirt, as well as smells. Using a dryer sheet in your vacuum can help to refresh the air in your home. Secure it to the roller part inside, or directly on the outside of your vacuum with a rubber band. It can work as an extra filter to trap the dust, but the scent also helps to get rid of pet smells from dander and hair that are on your floors as you vacuum.