X

10 totally helpful things you can do with a blow dryer (other than styling your hair)

It's time to take your blow dryer out of the bathroom. This hairstyling tool has so many other uses.

Alina Bradford
Alina Bradford has been writing how-tos, tech articles and more for almost two decades. She currently writes for CNET's Smart Home Section, MTVNews' tech section and for Live Science's reference section. Follow her on Twitter.
Alina Bradford
shoes-on-sale.jpg
1 of 10 Alina Bradford/CNET

​Re-shape your shoes

Hey, no shame. I've come home with a few pairs of ill-fitting shoes because they were on sale, too. If your shoes are too tight, you can make them bigger by using this simple trick with a blow dryer and a few pairs of socks.

getting-labels-off-of-jars.jpg
2 of 10 Alina Bradford/CNET

Remove labels

If you like to reuse jars and bottles, then removing labels is probably on your top 10 list of most hated chores. Next time, heat the label with your blow dryer for a few seconds on high heat. The glue will melt and the label will peel right off.

bumper-stickers.jpg
3 of 10 Alina Bradford/CNET

​Get rid of old bumper stickers

Your blow dryer can help remove bumper stickers just like it removes jar labels. You just need a long extension cord and to set the dryer on a high heat setting. This is an old trick truck drivers would use to remove company logos from their 18-wheelers when they changed gigs.

clean-silk-flowers.jpg
4 of 10 Alina Bradford/CNET

​Dust your fakes

Silk flowers are huge dust magnets and are next to impossible to get dust-free. Try this: Take your arrangement outside and blast it with your blow dryer on a cool setting. The dust will fly off and your arrangement will look good as new.

removing-crayon-from-walls.jpg
5 of 10 Alina Bradford/CNET

​Expel crayon art

My kid, now a budding teen artist, used to love to draw on the walls with her crayons. If you have a wall artist too, don't grab the bucket and sponge. Set your blow dryer to a warm setting and melt the crayon wax. Then, just wipe the wall with a rag.

cleaning-up-candle-wax.jpg
6 of 10 Alina Bradford/CNET

Eradicate candle wax

A romantic evening can turn sour when your "mood candles" drip wax all But it's just another good time to break out the blow dryer!

Set the dryer to high heat and warm the wax until it becomes soft. Then, scoop the wax off the wood using a plastic spatula. Finish the cleanup by buffing the area with a clean cotton cloth.

getting-wrinkles-out-of-shirts.jpg
7 of 10 Alina Bradford/CNET

Banish wrinkles

No one wants to start their day with ironing. Hang your wrinkled clothes item in the bathroom while you shower so that it can absorb some of the humidity. Then, before drying your hair, blast away the wrinkles with your blow dryer on a medium-warm heat setting.

removing-band-aids.jpg
8 of 10 Alina Bradford/CNET

Make boo-boos less ouchie

Removing a band aid isn't always a good time. To get the adhesive to let go a little easier, get it warm with a blow dryer set on low heat. This is also a good trick to try on MRI diodes or any other stick-on medical device.

blowing-up-an-air-mattress.jpg
9 of 10 Alina Bradford/CNET

​Blow up a mattress

I have lost the pump to my air mattress more times than I can count, but I've never lost my hair dryer. Luckily, most hair dryers will fit perfectly into the valve of an air mattress. Just make sure it's switched to a cool air setting.

cleaning-electronics.jpg
10 of 10 Alina Bradford/CNET

​Clean your electronics

If you're out of compressed air to clean your electronics, your blow dryer set to a cool, high output setting will get the job done until you can run to the store.

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos