When you get out of the shower, your hair dryer might just be your best friend.
It's perfect for smoothing and taming hair, and for getting you dried off and ready to go. It's especially great in the winter, when no one wants to step out of the house with wet hair!
But when you're not in immediate need of drying your tresses, what's your hair dryer doing? It's probably in a cabinet or closet, just waiting for your next shower, isn't it?
At the same time, there are probably times when you could use a little heat around the house. However, if you're like most people, you might not realize there's a perfect, portable tool just waiting for all kinds of uses outside of hairstyling.
If you're a thrifty, savvy sort of homeowner, then the fact that you can use your hair dryer for all kinds of things around the house probably comes as no surprise to you.
After all, there are all kinds of clever ways to use everything from panty-liners to toothpaste to wine that have nothing to do with their intended purposes.
Check out some of our favorite hair-dryer tricks below, and if we skipped one that you've used, let us know!
And as always, be careful when handling anything hot. Don't get too close to anything flammable, and if something starts to smell like it's burning, turn off and unplug your hair dryer immediately. Safety first!
Hair Dryer Use #1: Remove Stickers, Price Tags, And Labels
Nothing's more annoying than picking off a stubborn label or tag with your nail — half the time they shred and leave smudgy glue behind anyway. Gross.
Instead of trying to peel it off cold, heat the glue with a hair dryer. It will become looser and more liquid, and you'll be able to peel it off much more easily.
Hair Dryer Use #2: Clean Up Spilled Wax
Wax can be tough to get off a surface, and scraping at it can cause scratches and damage to wooden surfaces like tables.
Heat the candle drips with a hair dryer and wipe the wax away with a tissue.
Hair Dryer Use #3: Clear Up A Foggy Mirror
It's hard to do your hair if you can't see it, but rubbing away the fog on a mirror can leave unsightly streaks.
If you need it cleared up quickly, give your mirror a blast to dry away the water droplets, and then turn it on your hair!
Hair Dryer Use #4: Dust Delicate Objects
Sometimes getting the dust out of tiny nooks and crannies is impossible with a rag or even a feather duster, but a hair dryer can blast it away in a matter of seconds.
Try it on small or intricate knickknacks, fake flowers, and even electronics like keyboards or anything with lots of little components.
For electronics, it's best to put the dryer on the cool setting to keep them safe.
Hair Dryer Use #5: Keep A Compress Hot
Hot compresses are great for aches and pains, but to do their job, they have to stay hot.
And if you're nursing an injury, getting up to re-heat a compress can be a real pain! Instead, keep the hair dryer handy to warm it up for reapplications.
However, we don't recommend blasting your body directly with the hair dryer, as it can get too hot.
Hair Dryer Use #6: Unstick Old Photos
Peeling old photos apart or, worse, off old album pages can be tricky to do without damaging the pictures.
Try heating the glue gently to loosen it before peeling the photo away. Use a low heat to avoid damaging the paper.
Hair Dryer Use #7: Clean Off Scribbles
Just like cleaning up melted candle wax, heat can also help when it comes to cleaning up after wayward little artists.
Heat up the crayon wax and wipe away with a tissue or paper towel.
Hair Dryer Use #8: Unstick Frozen Foods
Whether in packaging or not, food can become all fused together in the freezer. Instead of breaking out the ice pick, use a hair dryer to defrost the items and separate them.
Hair Dryer Use #9: Painlessly Remove A Band-Aid
Just like getting sticky glue off another surface, a little heat goes a long way when it comes to taking off a stubborn Band-Aid, and that's extra nice because it won't hurt!
Gently heat up the Band-Aid, and it will peel off smoothly and evenly with a fraction of the ouch.
Hair Dryer Use #10: Make Frosting Shiny
If you're looking for a shiny finish to some frosting for a smooth, polished look, bring the hair dryer right into the kitchen.
Using a low heat, blow evenly across your frosting. Keep moving and don't let it get too hot or it'll melt!
Have you used a hair dryer on non-hair things? Did it work?
Let us know, and SHARE these toasty tips with anyone who loves using regular things in new ways.
