Those little dryer sheets can be used for more than just softening or eliminating static cling with your clothes in your dryer. “Static builds up when fabrics rub together and exchange electrons,” says Behnam Pourdeyhimi, director of the Nonwovens Cooperative Research Center at North Carolina State University, in Raleigh. “Dryer sheets contain positively charged ingredients that are released by heat and movement, such as the tumbling motion of the dryer. These ingredients bond loosely to any negatively charged fabric surface, such as a piece of clothing with static cling, neutralizing the charge and acting as a lubricant.”
Here are just eight smart tips for using dryer sheets can help to make your travels smoother:
1. In transit. Tuck dryer sheets between items in your suitcase to
keep them smelling fresh.
2. For storage. Between trips, keep dryer sheets in your luggage bags
to avoid the musty smells of basements, attics, and garages.
3. Reduce your own static cling. Pat yourself with a dryer sheet to beat static
on your clothes — it works in hair, too.
4. Freshen your shoes. After a long day on your feet, pop a dryer sheet in each
shoe to freshen them overnight.
5. Air freshener. Stick a dryer sheet to the air vent in your hotel
room to quickly combat any unwelcome smells.
6. Insect repellent. Rubbing a sheet on your skin can help to keep the
bugs at bay. (You could also drop a sheet into a picnic basket or
under your sun lounger.)
7. Screen wipe. Easily erase the dust off of your laptop computer screen. Just wipe it with
a dryer sheet.
8. For diapers. When there’s nowhere close to dispose of a used
diaper, roll a dryer sheet in the diaper to minimize odors until you
reach a bin.
