12 Clever Uses For Pillowcases You’ll Wish You Knew Sooner

Got old bedding collecting dust in the linen closet? Put it to work all around the house with these clever new uses for old pillowcases.

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Use a pillowcase to keep matching bedding together
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Use a pillowcase to keep matching bedding together

Your recently arrived overnight guests want to go to bed, but it’s not made. You run to the linen closet, but you can’t find a matched set of sheets. Next time, file away your linens. Place newly laundered and folded sheets in their matching pillowcase before putting them in the closet.

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Uses for pillowcases - man packing suitcase
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Repurpose pillowcases as laundry bags

When you travel, you always want to keep your dirty laundry separate from your clean clothes. Stick a pillowcase in your suitcase and toss in the dirty laundry as it accumulates. When you get home, just empty the pillowcase into the washer and throw in the pillowcase as well.

Here are more travel hacks that’ll come in handy.

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Use a pillowcase to dust ceiling fan blades
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Use a pillowcase to dust ceiling fan blades

Have you ever seen dust bunnies careening off your ceiling fan when you turn it on for the first time in weeks? Grab an old pillowcase and place it over one of the ceiling fan blades. Slowly pull off the pillowcase. The blades get dusted and the dust bunnies stay in the pillowcase, instead of parachuting to the floor.

Find out eight things professional cleaners do every day to keep their own homes spotless.

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Uses for pillowcases - family on road trip
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Prepare travel pillows

Family road trips can be a lot of fun, but they can also get a little grimy too. Your youngsters may want to bring their own pillows along for the ride, but after several days in the car, they’re likely to get dirty with candy, food and markers. Take their favourite pillows and layer several pillowcases on each. When the outside one gets dirty, remove it for a fresh start!

Looking for travel inspiration? Don’t miss our roundup of the best road trips in Canada.

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Turn a pillowcase into napkins
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Turn pillowcases into napkins

Who needs formal linen napkins that need to be pressed every time you use them? Pillowcases are available in a wide array of colours and designs. Pick a colour or design you like, and start cutting. Prevent fraying by sewing a hem on each side, or simply finish with iron-on hemming tape. You’ll have a new set of colourful napkins for a fraction of the cost of regular cloth napkins.

Discover more home hacks that’ll stretch your decorating dollar.

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New uses for pillowcases
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Use a pillowcase to wrap a present

Trying to wrap a basketball or an odd-shaped piece of art? Is your wrapping paper not doing the trick? It’s a cinch: Place the gift in a pillowcase and tie closed with a ribbon.

Find out 50 dollar store solutions for life’s little dilemmas.

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Use pillowcases to store sweaters
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Use a pillowcase to store your sweaters

Stored in plastic, winter sweaters can get musty. But stored in a closet, they’re prey to moths. The solution can be found among your linens. Put the sweaters in a pillowcase for seasonal storage. They will stay free from dust but the pillowcase fabric will allow them to breathe.

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Use old pillowcases as garment bags
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Use old pillowcases as garment bags

You’ve just laundered a favourite dress shirt or skirt and you know you won’t be wearing it again for a while. To protect the garment, cut a hole in the top of an old pillowcase and slip it over the hanger and clothing. Psst—you can also use this trick when you’re packing for a vacation.

Here are more laundry hacks that make garment care a total breeze.

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Use pillowcases as dust bags for leather
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Use pillowcases as dust bags

You reach up to pull a leather purse or suede shoes down from a shelf. Of course, the item is dusty and now you have to clean it. Save yourself the time and hassle next time by storing infrequently used items in a pillowcase. They’ll be clean and ready to use when the occasion arises.

These home organization hacks are sure to come in handy.

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Use pillowcases to wash delicates
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Wash your delicates in a pillowcase

Sweaters and pantyhose can get pulled out of shape when they twist around in the washer. To protect these garments during washing, toss them into a pillowcase and close with string or rubber band. Set the machine on the delicate setting, add the soap, and worry not about knots.

Find out the laundry mistakes everyone makes—and how to fix them.

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Wash Stuffed Animals inside a pillowcase
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Machine-wash stuffed animals in pillowcases

Your child’s favourite stuffed animal is cute, but mighty dusty. Time for a bath! Place it in a pillowcase and put it in the washer. The pillowcase will ensure it gets a gentle but thorough wash. If any parts fall off the stuffed animal, it’ll be caught in the pillowcase so you can reattach them after the washing machine bath.

Enjoying these upcycling ideas for pillowcases? Don’t miss this roundup of our all-time favourite aluminum foil hacks.

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Cover a broom head with a pillowcase
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Use a pillowcase to clear out cobwebs

There’s a cobweb way up high in the corner of your dining room. Before you take a broom to it, cover the broom with an old pillowcase. Now you can wipe away the cobweb without scratching the wall paint. It’s also easier to remove the cobweb from the pillow than to pull it out of the broom bristles.

Next, check out 13 cleaning hacks that take the hassle out of housekeeping.

Originally Published in Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things

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