The Unexpected Hair Dryer Hack That Removes Stubborn Fabric Lint

You're already running late getting ready for an important meeting (could be a date?) and when you pull your dress out of the dryer, it's full of lint. It's a black dress, so it really shows. You're fresh out of a working lint roller or brush, and you need something that actually works. Turns out if you have a hair dryer and a dryer sheet, you're in luck — and we're going to find out how to use them, with this unexpected hair dryer hack that removes stubborn fabric lint.

In fact, there are quite a few unusual lint-removing hacks you may or may not be aware of. For example, if you have some self-adhesive contact paper for lining drawers with, use it to get a large surface area of a piece of clothing at a time. Just like with a piece of double-sided tape, just "stick" the lint onto the contact paper. Or stop the lint from happening in the first place by adding a cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle. Also, wash your outfits inside out to minimize lint.

To use your hair dryer to remove lint, make sure the piece of clothing is on a hanger first. If you're right-handed, grab a dryer sheet in your left hand. Take the hair dryer in your right (or dominant) hand and use the "cool" setting. As you're wiping down the clothing with the dryer sheet, maneuver the hair dryer so it blows the lint free as you go. You'll be amazed at the clean and efficient results you get. Don't cancel your date, cancel the lint stuck to your clothes instead. This method works wonders.

The really cool thing about using dryer sheets is they work pretty well with or without the hair dryer. You can also simply brush a dryer sheet over the garments for a fairly effective way to remove the lint. The antistatic and slightly sticky qualities of the dryer sheet will attract the lint and remove it from the clothes. Try dampening the dryer sheet or the clothing with an antistatic spray first if it doesn't lift off right away.

If you've never heard of a fabric shaver before or you thought you didn't need one, think again. The fabric shaver is somehow reminiscent of the hair clipper hack that removes couch lint we loved so much. They look kind of like a personal hand-held fan and have multiple different blades. They come in different sizes and shapes, and they actually shave the lint and threads from the fabric. Not only that, but they also vacuum up the material as they go. This is definitely the lint-removing gadget to buy.

Simply push the button to operate — no pressure needed. You just roll the shaver across the garments and empty the container when finished, just like a miniature canister vacuum. Some of the better models even have different safety covers depending on the type of fabric you're shaving. Singer makes a terrific little model you can find at Walmart for $11.98. You'll never look at lint the same way with these lint-removing hacks in your arsenal.