The Blow-Dryer: Not Just For Hair. 9 Surprising Uses You Need to Know.

11 September, 2024

If your clothes are wet and you need to dry them quickly, try using a towel and a hairdryer. Hairdryers, which are commonly found in households for drying and styling hair, have many other useful applications. If you only use your hairdryer for drying your hair, you’re missing out on a host of other convenient functions that this appliance can offer.

Removing Stickers and Labels

Newly purchased items often have stickers and labels, and removing them by hand can be challenging, especially when the adhesive has dried and hardened. To easily remove the adhesive without leaving a trace, you can use a hairdryer.

Hold the hairdryer close to the sticker or label, turn it on to the hot setting, and blow-dry for about 5 minutes. The heat from the dryer will cause the adhesive to loosen its grip, allowing you to peel off the sticker without damaging the surface of the product.

Drying Clothes

When your clothes are wet and you need to dry them quickly, use a towel and a hairdryer. First, lay the clothes on the towel, roll them up tightly, and squeeze to absorb the excess moisture. Then, place the clothes in a plastic bag with two small holes cut in the bottom for moisture to escape.

Insert the hairdryer into the bag, seal the opening, and blow hot air inside. After about 10-20 minutes, your clothes should be dry. If your clothes are only slightly damp, you can also blow hot air directly from the hairdryer onto the clothes to dry them.

Drying Shoes

In addition to drying clothes, a hairdryer can also be used to dry shoes. This is a handy solution on rainy days or when there’s no sun. Turn on the hairdryer to a high-temperature setting to dry wet shoes. Afterward, you can sun-dry the shoes to completely eliminate any bacteria.

Blowing Dust off Hard-to-Reach Areas

When items in your home are placed in high or difficult-to-reach areas, cleaning can become a challenge. In such cases, you can use a hairdryer to blow dust away from these hard-to-clean spots. Set the hairdryer to a cool air setting and high power to effectively remove dust.

Removing Wrinkles Without an Iron

Clothes tend to get wrinkled after washing, but if you don’t have an iron, you can use a hairdryer to smooth them out. Lay the clothes on a flat surface and spritz them with water to dampen them. Then, use the hairdryer to blow hot air onto the clothes until they are dry and wrinkle-free.

Drying Electronic Devices

If your electronic devices get wet, unplug them or turn off the power source, and then use a hairdryer on a cool setting to blow air onto the devices to speed up the drying process.

Turn off electronic devices and use the hairdryer on a cool setting to dry them if they get wet.

Melting Wax

When candle wax drips onto a table or floor, it can be challenging to clean up. Instead of using a sharp object to scrape it off, use a hairdryer to melt the wax, and then wipe it away with a cloth.

Removing Kitchen Grease

Kitchen grease, especially on exhaust fans, can be difficult to clean. Spray a cleaning agent onto the surface, and then use the hairdryer to blow hot air, softening the grease and making it easier to wipe away.

Kitchen grease, especially on exhaust fans, is tough to remove, but a hairdryer can help.

Crisping Up Snacks

If your cookies or snacks have become soft and lost their crispness, you can use the hairdryer to blow hot air on them. This will help restore their crispness as if they were fresh.

Apart from these applications, hairdryers can also be used to address some health issues. For instance, if you have a sore neck, you can massage oil onto the sore area and then blow hot air from the hairdryer along your shoulders and neck to improve blood circulation and relieve pain. Or, if you have the hiccups, blowing hot air onto your abdomen for about 10 minutes can help stop the hiccups.

Frequently asked questions

Aside from styling your hair, a blow dryer can be used for a variety of tasks around the home. It can be used to dry wet shoes, remove stickers or price tags, defrost frozen foods, and even clean dusty furniture.

If your shoes are damp from rain or snow, simply point the blow dryer at them on a low setting to speed up the drying process. This is especially useful for drying out leather shoes, which can be susceptible to water damage.

Yes, the heat from a blow dryer can help loosen the adhesive on stickers and price tags, making them easier to remove. Just apply heat to the sticker and then gently peel it off. This is a handy trick for removing labels from jars or price tags from new purchases.

Using a blow dryer on frozen foods, like meat or bread, is a quick way to defrost them. The concentrated heat will speed up the process, saving you time. Just be sure to use a low setting and avoid direct contact with the food to prevent overheating.

A blow dryer can be a useful tool for removing dust from delicate furniture. Set it to a low setting and gently blow the dust away. This is ideal for hard-to-reach places or intricate details on furniture where a cloth may not be able to reach.