Proving that something can always be made of nothing, this Hall of Frugal Fame (HOFF) is dedicated to those brave souls who, no matter how small, worn or seemingly useless an item is, find a way to reuse it in a new way.
In this case, we are talking about dryer lint. C’mon, you know you thought about it. As you were cleaning the lint filter in the dryer, you held up the soft, feathery substance and thought to yourself, I’m sure I could use this for something. No? Well, then that is what i am here for, to put these odd thoughts in your head.
And without further ado, I present to you…(drumroll) real uses for dryer lint.
One: Make it into paper. Believe it or not, dryer lint makes a very nice paper. Place torn scraps of paper and some lint into a blender with water and blend for a few minutes until it is soft and slushy. This is called slurry in the paper making world. Pour the slurry mix into a paper making frame that is placed in a pan of water or a sink of water. You can by these frames or kits in the craft store, or make one yourself, using a photo frame and a piece of window screen material. Lift out the frame, carefully flip the paper out and let dry. You can use the paper for all sorts of things from letters to gift wrap to scrapbooking.
Two: Make some lint clay. For this project, you will need about two cups of firmly packed lint (gosh I love that phrase). In a large bowl, mix the lint, 1/3 cup of warm water, 1 tablespoon of dishwashing liquid (clay will take on the color of the dishwashing liquid, so you might want to use a clear brand), 6 tablespoons of white glue, and some food coloring and/or glitter if desired. Mix and knead until you have a nice even clay.
Do you have any dryer lint recipes to share?