List creative uses for dryer lint here:

[da_chimperor]

My roommates have been complaining about our dryer continually switching off. This happens when the ventilation system becomes clogged with lint and the dryer overheats as a result of nobody bothering to clean the screen after their laundry is dry. The handy-dandy power-shutoff thingie kicks into action, and the dryer is nothing more than a Swedish-made lump of metal and plastic until someone pushes the reset button on the back.

I decided to fix it, as I'm the only guy out of three that knows anything about tools. It's basically a crescent wrench and screwdriver job, far from rebuilding a transmission (like I have any idea how to do that) but still a pain in the ass.

Semi-pointless but oddly satisfying background information aside, I just finished and damn. I don't have quite enough to stuff a pillow, but a few more times and I will. The only use I know of for dryer lint is as tinder for starting fires, which I learned thanks to my pyromaniac boy scout troop. Any other uses? Turkey stuffing, tobacco substitute, etc.?:silly:

[Mutley]

1. knit a sweater?

never tried it, but hey, it could work.

[da_chimperor]

3. How the heck would you make it into yarn?

I kinda skipped the knitting merit badge anyhow. :shrug:

[Mutley]

5. I dunno... spin it into thread

like they did back in the day with cotton and all. My mom tried to teach me to knit, but it just didn't work out.

[da_chimperor]

7. Mom never bothered teaching me, but I watched a few times.

I tried needlepoint for the fun of it, but doing much more than not stabbing myself is beyond me.

[DS1]

2. Suffocation

Especially royalty.

[da_chimperor]

4. Ah! Perhaps as a substitute for cotton balls.

Gotta love that taste of cashmere and denim.

[Blue-Jay]

6. Belly button refills.

[benburch]

8. Gun wadding for blackpowder arms. nt

[da_chimperor]

9. There we go.

I've shot black powder arms before. Fun stuff, especially getting to play with molten lead while making bullets. :evilgrin:

[Mabus]

10. Here's a site for you.

http://www.stretcher.com/stories/01/011112g.cfm

My favorite:

Dryer Lint Clay (inedible)

* 3 cups lint
* 2 cups cold water
* 1 cup flour
* 3 drops oil of cloves or wintergreen flavoring (if you want scented clay)
* newspaper
* saucepan
* paint, glue, glitter (or whatever else you might want to use to decorate your finished clay project)

In the saucepan, soak dryer lint in water. When the lint is soaked through, add flour and stir until smooth. Cook dryer lint mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until it forms peaks and holds together. Pour onto several layers of newspaper to cool completely. Use like modeling clay or press into a mold (paper mold or cookie mold). Set aside where it won't be disturbed; allow to dry for three to five days. After modeled object is completely dry, paint and decorate. This mixture can also be used like paper mache' and placed -- while wet -- over a form like a balloon.

[da_chimperor]

11. You really can find almost anything on the Internets.

Thanks. :D

[Mabus]

14. and that was just the first hit

Kinda scary, but pretty cool too. Now, back to my search to find the website that allowed me to actually nuke the spammers....

[prole_for_peace]

12. heloise says you can make firestarters.

you put some dryer lint into the cups of a cardboard egg carton and then put some melted wax into each cup. when cooled and hardened you cut apart the cups and there ya go.

i have not tried this.

[mzteris]

13. fire starters and bird nests

..... I vaguely remember from my old Girl Scout days - something about taking the dryer lint, putting it in the egg carton cups (the cardboard kind!) and then pouring in wax. Let harden. Then take them with you to start fires when you camp. (Or something like that.)

Also, you can put lint out in the spring for birds to build their nests with.

I think you can also use it as an additive when making homemade paper.

[I Have A Dream]

24. I like the thought of putting it out for birds to use in their nests!

This really is recycling at its best.

[NV Whino]

15. Art

Dryer lint was very big in the 70s. I could be wrong here about the artist, but I believe it was Betty Sayer who made some great art with different layers/colors of dryer lint.

This, however was layers pulled from the screen, not great gobs pulled from the vent. Still worth a try, though.

[da_chimperor]

17. I can't find anything on her.

It's a shame, I'd like to see something like that. I'm finding other referrences to lint art from the 70's, but nothing on her.

[NV Whino]

29. I may have the wrong artist.

She may have been the "box" lady. I'll check around in my books. Doubt if I can find my notes at this stage.

[sakabatou]

16. Paper maché

[judaspriestess]

18. a female sanitary napkin (kotex)

}(

[dajoki]

19. toupee

:)

[SOteric]

20. Shellac them, hot glue on some ribbon and voila,-

holiday ornaments with that personal touch.

[Dukkha]

21. cat toys

Mine love it! Wad it up in a tight ball and toss it on the floor. They'll play it it for hours.

[libodem]

22. I heard of a woman that used the different colors

for art work. Basically she painted with it by blending and gluing down the colors. Seems pretty messy. All that glue on your fingers with all that lint. I say go ahead and stuff those pillows.

[WilliamPitt]

23. Dryer lint is great for starting campfires

When I go camping, I empty the dryer lint filter and put the stuff into a plastic baggie. When camping, and especially if it is damp, a bed of dryer lint beneath the needles, leaves and twigs really helps get the fire going.

[samplegirl]

25. If you put it out in the woods

The birds use it for nesting.

[all.of.me]

26. stick in your belly button!

[Momgonepostal]

27. Ebay!

I've always wanted to sell dryer lint on Ebay. Never had the guts to do it.

[I Have A Dream]

28. Yeah, if they'll buy a grilled cheese sandwich...

with a bite out of it, there's always a chance that you'll find some sucker if you market it the right way! (Oh no, I'm starting to sound like the Enemy! :))

[Momgonepostal]

30. Hey! that gives me an idea!

Make a picture of the Virgin Mary out of your dryer lint and THEN sell it on Ebay!

Call it Authenic, Blessed, Holy Mother of God dryer lint.

Damn, we're good.

:evilgrin:

[DemReadingDU]

31. We just threw away 2 basketball-size wads of lint

that were stuck in the dryer vent of a 2-story house; wish I had read this thread first!

Isn't all that lint a fire hazard?

[Heidi]

32. Use it to replace belly-button lint after one's weekly shower. (nt)