8 Genius Ways to Use Dryer Lint in Your Backyard and Garden
Updated: Apr. 10, 2023
Dryer lint should be collected after each load of laundry to prevent a fire hazard. Here are some good uses for that debris in your garden and yard!
When dryer lint piles up, it can become a fire hazard. In fact, 34 percent of home dryer fires are caused by failing to clean out the dryer, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. If your lint comes from natural fibers like cotton and wool, you can use it for one of these purposes:
- Start a fire. Dryer lint is flammable, which is why we’re urged to clean out the trap after each load of laundry. Collect it in a sealed jar to use as tinder the next time you start a fire in your backyard fire pit. For a self-contained fire starter, stuff cardboard toilet paper rolls with lint. (And once your fire is hot, get ready to make one of these camping meals.)
- Use as mulch. You can add dryer lint as a mulch around potted plants as long as you’re not using dryer sheets, which may leave an unwanted chemical residue.
- Prevent erosion. When spread out and dampened with water, dryer lint can form a barrier to protect soil from erosion. If you don’t like the look of soggy lint, use the lint as an underlayer and cover with decorative stones.
- Discourage weeds. Just like a thick layer of lint can prevent erosion, a base of dryer lint can prevent weeds as well. Use it as a substitute for landscape fabric and top with a decorative mulch. Keep your garden free of pesky insects, too.
- Add to compost. Lint from natural fibers is biodegradable, so you can add it to the compost pile as a source of carbon.
- Oil down tools. Use a clump of dryer lint to apply linseed oil to wooden-handle tools to keep them from cracking, and to metal parts (after cleaning) to keep them from rusting. Then toss the lint in the trash.
- Line garden containers. Line the bottom of a plant pot with dryer lint to keep soil from spilling out the drainage hole. The lint layer will also act as a blotter, soaking up extra moisture and making it available for the roots later. This container gardening tip is not recommended for cacti, succulents and other plants that like soil on the dry side.
- Soak up spills. Keep a jar of dryer lint in the garage to use when you need to soak up oil spills.
Replace your iron
That magical permanent-press setting that most people never use is a wrinkle-reducing marvel and gentler on clothes, helping them last a little longer. The secret? It runs a little less hot than a standard drying cycle and switches to an even cooler temperature later in the cycle to help keep wrinkles at bay. Check out these laundry mistakes you should avoid. 
Sound the alarm if something’s wrong
Some newer dryers have built-in sensors that monitor the dryer-vent status. These models will sound the alarm if the vent gets clogged—which could help you prevent a fire. 
Refresh your down comforter
If your down comforter has flattened out a bit and lost a little bit of its fluff, running it through a dryer with several tennis balls can help restore its usual loft. Find out the one laundry trick you should definitely know. 
Be super energy efficient
For the longest time, clothes dryers didn’t earn Energy Star ratings because they were energy devourers. But within the past few years, several models have been released that can use 20 to 40 percent less energy than standard models. Check out what should never end up in your washer. 
Dry your sneakers silently
Drying sneakers can make a sound like a cement mixer, and they could wreck your dryer. But with a drying rack installed in the dryer, you can cut back on the noise that comes with running heavy, clunky shoes in the dryer. Be sure you know these 20 uses for dryer sheets that aren't for laundry. 
Kill germs
Most dryers these days come with a handy sanitize cycle—and you’ll definitely want to take advantage of it. Run your germiest clothing through the dryer on that setting, and you can kiss those germs goodbye. 
Dry your delicates
You don’t necessarily have to air-dry your unmentionables—or your child’s beloved stuffed animal—anymore. Newer models, like the Samsung FlexDry, have a separate, smaller dryer section custom-made for keeping your not-so-dryable items safe. Find out the safest laundry detergents you can buy. 
Refresh an outfit
Some newer clothes dryers can help you easily get a wrinkled or not-so-fresh outfit ready to go. The dryers are hooked up to cold water: The machine heats the water to create steam, releasing wrinkles and adding freshness. 
Kill off bugs
The heat of the dryer is an all-natural (and fast) way to murder ticks, bedbugs, or lice, according to the University of Minnesota. Just make sure to run the objects in the dryer for at least 30 minutes at high heat to kill them off. Now be check out the items you should never put in your dryer.
