Why Dryer Sheets Actually Belong In The Kitchen

Should the thought of dryer sheets ever cross your mind, it's probably in some sort of laundry-related context, right? (Either that, or a terrible nightmare involving the Snuggle Bear...) Would it shock you to learn that dryer sheets actually have many uses outside the laundry room? They can also be used as a beauty hack, taming static and deodorizing hair as well as clothes. One of the best ways to use them for non-dryer-related purposes, however, is for cleaning pots and pans in the kitchen.

Seriously, one of the easiest ways to clean out a scorched pan involves using a dryer sheet. It's super-simple, but unlike many so-called helpful hints that are anything but, this kitchen cleaning hack actually works. All you need to do is take that scorched pan, put it in the sink, squeeze in a few drops of dish soap, then fill it with hot water (not boiling, but as hot as your tap will make it). Then you grab a dryer sheet, drop it into the pan, push it down so it's completely submerged in the water, and wait for an hour. (Yeah, we know, the waiting is the hardest part.) Even though it may not look like that dryer sheet is doing anything should you peek into the pan before the time is up, just be patient. After an hour, rinse out the pan, and voilà. All clean.

Well, mostly clean. According to The Kitchn, after soaking with a dryer sheet, about 80 percent of the burnt stuff in that formerly scorched pan will rinse right off. The rest of the messy bits can be easily removed by using the dryer sheet to scrub out the pan, which may even remove old burnt grease stains as well. Perhaps not the kind of cleaning tip you want to use every time a pan gets slightly soiled, since dryer sheets can't be re-used and are pricier than plain old soap and water, but when you've got a big old burnt mess to deal with, you might as well make that darn Snuggle Bear work for you (instead of haunting your dreams, chasing you through endless stacks of fluffy folded towels...)

If you do use up your last dryer sheet scrubbing pots and pans, don't worry, we've got you covered. Believe it or not, you can get the static out of your clothes in the dryer using a ball of aluminum foil. Yes, really.