Uses for Used Dryer Sheets: 17 Surprisingly Helpful Tips

Dryer sheets are a lifesaver in more than one way. Not only do they eliminate the static cling that can lead to some pretty embarrassing moments, they can help solve a host of everyday problems, from foul-smelling shoes to household messes and beauty blunders. Read on for 17 genius uses for dryer sheets — most will work used or new dryer sheets.

1. Dryer sheets remove glitter nail polish

You gave yourself a sparkling manicure for a party, but now the glitter polish won’t come off. The save: Dab nail polish remover on a dryer sheet and use it to scrub your nails. The sheet’s rough texture will pull off the stubborn glitter. (Prefer acrylics? Click through for natural acrylic nails for short nails.)

2. They make it easy to clean your car

To lift stubborn gunk like bugs, leaves and mud from your windshield in seconds, enlist the help of a dryer sheet, suggests car expert Jody DeVere from AskPatty.com. “Simply dampen an unused dryer sheet with water, rub it over any spots and the mess will disappear!” Turns out the same compounds in dryer sheets that condition fabric also absorb dirt and grime.

Bonus tip: Clean your dashboard as well! When it’s sunny out, more air particles make their way into the car, leading to dust. To the rescue: dryer sheets. “They have positively charged ions that attract negatively charged dust,” says Varda Meyers Epstein, editor-in-chief of Kars4Kids. “Swiping them across your dash traps dust and repels new residue.”