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Lowly no longer: 13 productive uses for dryer lint

Posted Jan 07 2008, 04:34 PM by Karen Datko
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Just think of the waste: All these years you've been throwing away dryer lint when you could have been putting it to perfectly good use. Who woulda thunk it? In a post that ranks right up there with Leah Ingram's about things you didn't know you could compost (human hair is among them), Stephanie at Stop the Ride offers "13 ways to use dryer lint." Make that lint work for you as a fire starter in the fireplace, as lint paper and lint papier-mâché. Give it to critters for nesting material.

Stephanie says you can use lint for plant mulch or put it in the bottom of planters to keep soil in while allowing excess water to drain. How about lint as packing material? Or you can return it to its previous state by spinning it and knitting a sweater. Got an old sock? Fill it with lint for a homemade door draft stopper. 

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Comments

 

I don't know of any mold that grows pink and I work in a lab.The pink stuff in my tub comes from a mix of minerals in the water and soap scum. The used dryer sheets are great for removing that without the use of harsh chemicals. It's still a good idea to use something to sanitize the tub if you use the dryer sheets. The dryer sheets are also good to put on a swiffer to pick up hair (they don't work great on picking up dust). You are going to throw out the used dryer sheets anyway so you might as well use them.

Vickie (Posted 04.14.09 10:53 PM ) Report Abuse

I used an old toothbrush to get the pink stuff out of the corners of the bath tub, by the walls but an old dryer sheet sounds better. Frankly, I just throw the lint away.

Dutch (Posted 04.14.09 11:13 PM ) Report Abuse

It seems like Kathie is the only one who caught that my dryer lint sweater and cat hair purse was a joke.  Sometimes these hints on how to save money (and the planet) go too far.  If any of you would actually wear a dryer lint sweater, do you know how totally creepy that is?  If you really want to save the planet, stop having children!!!!!  Using dryer lint is not going to make up for all the crap you use and discard:   plastic one-day diapers, packaging on every little item you purchase, bottled water, synthetic clothes that look crappy after you wear them five times but don't disintegrate for 100 years.  Quit being all ridiculous over dryer lint - give it to the birds and go on with your life.

Sandy (Posted 04.15.09 2:49 PM ) Report Abuse

"or make a suflay!!"

What is a "suflay"?

expatinasia (Posted 04.18.09 2:56 AM ) Report Abuse

The lint filled pillow idea actually sounds good, though if it's mixed with pet hairs I'd definitely avoid redistributing the dander. The thought to save dander to fill a hand made comforter for my bed comes to mind suddenly too ^_^ Mmmm cushy!

fluffylick (Posted 08.20.09 7:29 AM ) Report Abuse

re "I don't know of any mold that grows pink and I work in a lab." Pseudomonas Fluorenscens can be pink.

zee (Posted 10.24.09 4:37 PM ) Report Abuse

I use a clothes line and do not have any dryer lint.  Ha !

sandy (Posted 11.09.09 11:42 AM ) Report Abuse

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