Simplify Your Life With These Hair Dryer Hacks
Sometimes, the best solution to a problem is right in front of our eyes. We just don't always think to look in obvious places. For example, many of us know how great hair dryers are from a beauty perspective -- after all, this is a must-have tool for drying and styling hair.
But it turns out that hair dryers can be used for a lot of different purposes beyond keeping your tresses looking stylish. Keep reading to learn some genius ways you can use your blow dryer to help solve some aggravating household problems, from removing stubborn stickers to erasing stains from wooden furniture.
Remove Heat Stains From Wood
If you've ever set a too-hot dish on a wooden table, you've probably seen what a heat stain looks like. It's a white mark that won't wipe away no matter how long you work at it. Fortunately, there's a simple way to get rid of these marks for good.
Just take a hair dryer and hold it over the spot. You'll want to hold it at close range over each area for a few seconds before moving away and coming back to it. It will take some time but eventually, the white stain will be completely gone.
Painter's Assistant
There's an expression saying that nothing is more boring than watching paint dry, and most people would agree with that. However, if you're doing a painting project that requires multiple coats, you sometimes need to make sure that one coat is dry before you apply another.
Here's where a hair dryer can become a painter's best friend. Just use the dryer on medium or high heat and gently wave it over the paint until it's dry enough for another coat.
Tight Shoes? Try This!
Many of us have been there: you try on a pair of shoes and they're so cute (and marked down so low) that you buy them even though they're a little bit too snug. And then those shoes sit unworn at the bottom of your closet until you finally accept reality and drop them off at Goodwill or donate to a friend with smaller feet.
Now, you don't have to do either! Just wear your thickest socks, put on the shoes, and point your hair dryer at them for a couple of minutes. This will stretch them out and make them comfy to wear!
Stop Salt And Pepper From Clumping
Did you know that if you don't dry your shakers out completely, salt and pepper can form clumps and stick to the sides of the glass? Then, it’s almost impossible to shake out when you need to season your food.
You can stop this from happening, though. The next time you wash out those salt and pepper shakers, use your blow dryer to make sure they are completely dry before filling them again. Your taste buds will thank us for this one.
Safely Remove Old Photos From Albums
If you have any old family albums lying around, you've probably thought about taking the photos out so you can scan them to make a digital copy. But over time, photos tend to become stuck in those sticky album pages.
Fortunately for you, there's a safe way to get those precious memories out. First, remove any clear protectors from the page. Then, aim the blow dryer at the back of the album page on low for 30-45 seconds. Then, you should be able to carefully peel the photo off the page. Repeat as necessary.
Remove Stickers With Ease
Stickers and decals are a lot of fun to decorate with, but what about when you're tired of looking at them and want them gone? They can sure be a pain to remove from windows, furniture, and car bumpers.
Luckily, using a hairdryer to warm them up first makes them a lot easier to peel off. This trick works with just about any adhesive, including contact paper you've lined your drawers and shelves with. It's also great for price tags and product labels.
Buh-Bye, Clothing Wrinkles
No time to bust out an iron and ironing board? No worries! If you spot some last-minute wrinkles you want to smooth out while you're on the go, look no further than your trusty hair dryer. You can even do this trick while you’re wearing the clothes in question.
Just spray or splash the item lightly with water, then aim the dryer at any wrinkles and watch the wrinkles disappear. Just be sure not to get the heat too close to your skin.
Reheat Leftovers
Staying in a hotel room without a microwave but have a bunch of leftovers you still want to eat? No problem. You can use the hair dryer in the room to heat up those expensive restaurant or delivery leftovers in a pinch!
This means no more leftovers getting tossed out while you're traveling just because you didn’t have a way to reheat them. Just be sure the food has been cooked first.
Get Rid Of Water Rings
If you had a guest who didn't use a coaster when they set their glass on your heirloom dining table, don’t fret about it! The heat from your hair dryer can help dry out and erase water rings from wood furniture.
If your dryer has one, put the nozzle attachment on it. Then set it to the coolest temperature and point it at the water ring. After a few seconds, increase the heat, and the ring should vanish.
Keep Fabric Blinds Looking Their Freshest
Cleaning wooden or aluminum blinds is simple enough -- just wipe them down every so often to get rid of any built-up dust or pet hair. But fabric blinds are a little trickier to keep clean because you can't just run a damp rag over them.
The home pros at BobVila.com have a remedy to keep your fabric blinds looking their best. Once a week, just "[s]et the styler to the cool setting, and blast each slat to effectively remove dust from hard-to-reach spots. Don't forget to run a vacuum over the floor when you’re finished to ensure that you’re getting rid of the dust for good."
Fit Your Glasses To Your Head
Shoes aren't the only accessory that you can alter with a hair dryer. If your glasses are too large or too tight, the heat from a blow dryer can help you adjust them so they fit perfectly.
It’s so easy to do. Just heat the arms of the glasses for a few seconds to make them more pliable. Then, gently bend the arms inward or outward to make them the right size for your head.
Seal Up Leftovers To Make Them Last Longer
Want a way to make your leftovers last longer? Here's a tip you might not have thought of. You can shrink wrap plastic wrap or even a plastic bag over your leftover containers with a hair dryer.
Just use the blow dryer to apply warm air to the sides of the container, sealing the wrap into place. Your food will stay fresh and tasty much longer with this helpful hack.
Get Professional-Looking Cakes And Other Desserts
You can use your trusty hair dryer to give your homemade cakes and other desserts a glossy, professional look. Simply blow warm air on the frosting until it starts to look shiny, then let it cool.
The heat from a hair dryer can also make any thick icing a bit easier to spread evenly. If you have a really high-heat hair dryer, you can even use it to caramelize the tops of desserts, such as creme brulee.
Candle Wax Messes Are A Thing Of The Past
If you've gotten candle wax (or any other type of wax) dripped onto your floors and other surfaces, you don’t need to spend hours scraping it up and potentially damaging the wood in the process.
Instead, use your hair dryer on a low setting to soften up the dripped or spilled candle wax. It will be much easier to clean up once it’s softened. Just wipe the wax away and you’re done.
Dry Toiletry Items Before Packing
Have you ever packed a slightly-damp loofah or shower pouf before heading on a trip because you just didn't have enough time to let it air dry? Don’t ever let that happen again – we all know that damp shower items and other toiletries are breeding grounds for bacteria.
Instead, use your hair dryer to dry out your toothbrush, loofah, and any other damp items before you pack them up. This will also help prevent them from developing an unpleasant musty smell inside your luggage.
Loosen Tight Screws
Sometimes you'll come across screws that just won't seem to budge with a manual screwdriver, and even with an electric drill in some extreme cases. Whatever the type of screw, this hair dryer hack can help you get it unstuck.
All you need to do is blast the stuck screw with hot air from the dryer for a few seconds and it should easily come out. This has even been known to work with screws that have been completely stripped of their threading!
Painlessly Remove A Bandage
If you have an injury of some sort, the last thing you want is to add extra pain to the situation. Unfortunately, bandages can tend to stick to the skin and can become painful to remove after a while.
Fortunately, you can also use that handy-dandy hair dryer to make bandaids less painful to peel off! Just blow the heat at the bandaid for a few seconds to warm up the adhesive and it should come right off.
Defrost Your Freezer
Experts recommended that you defrost your freezer about once a year, or whenever the layers of ice become more than a quarter of an inch thick. This is a chore that not many people look forward to, but a hair dryer might make the work go by a bit faster.
First, unplug the freezer. Get your trusty hair dryer and get to work waving it back and forth over the thickest sections of ice. Be sure not to get the dryer too close to any plastic parts that could melt.
Mirror, Mirror
Many of us have used this hairdryer hack already because it's such a no-brainer. If you get out of the shower and find that your mirrors are all fogged over, don’t use your hand to wipe the condensation away.
Instead, reach for your blow dryer (it’s probably right there in the bathroom anyway!) and slowly run it back and forth over the mirror. The fogginess will disappear right before your eyes.
Get Your Bed Warm And Toasty
On a cold winter's night, climbing into a chilly bed can be downright excruciating at first. Before you slip between those frosty sheets next time, why don’t you try this quick and easy warming hack first?
Just grab that trusty hairdryer and use it to distribute heat evenly on the sheets as well as any blankets or comforters. Get in quickly and the bed will be toasty and warm for you. Sweet dreams!
