5 Surprising Ways to Use a Hair Dryer

By Erin Dailey

Nope, it's not just for taming your tresses.

1. Detach a photo from an album.

To work a delicate photograph off one of those sticky pages, blow warm air onto the back of the page while gently tugging the photo free.

2. Dust tough-to-reach places.

Set the dryer on cool and point it at dusty shelves or intricate knickknacks to blow the debris right off. (Start from the highest shelf to make gravity work for you.)

3. Dewrinkle plastic shower curtains or table-cloths.

Blow hot air onto fresh-out-of-the-bag material to "iron" out wrinkles—just keep the dryer 12 inches from the surface so it won't melt.

4. Perfect frosting or icing.

To harden frosting on cakes or cookies, blow cool air directly on it. To brighten a dull finish, give the icing a hit of hot air.

5. Erase crayon marks or wax spills.

Kids gone wild? Blow-dry the stain on high until the wax melts, then wipe with a soapy sponge.