What Can Take the Place of Dryer Sheets to Get Lint off?

Lint Roller or Tape

• A lint roller does a good job of removing lint, hair and other particles from clothing. It's essentially a spinning roll of sticky paper on a wand. Roll it over any particles you see, especially on dark clothing, before washing the clothes or before removing your clothing for the night. Do this again after removing items from the dryer or as you wear them. If you don't have a lint roller, wind some packaging tape around your fingers -- sticky-side out -- and press it onto linty areas of your clothing. Rotate the tape as it gets covered with fibers.

Vinegar in Wash Cycle

• Vinegar can help prevent lint from building up on your dark clothing. During your washing machine's rinse cycle, add 1/2 cup of water once there is some water already in the machine.

Preventing Lint

• Mixing lights and darks in the laundry, or even mixing some items made of synthetic fibers and some from natural fibers, can increase the chances of lint appearing. Wash all your darks separately, and, better yet, keep synthetics with synthetics and natural fibers with natural fibers. This way stray fibers won't be as common and will at least be the same shade. Also ensure all pockets on all your washables are completely empty before washing. One tissue in the wash can create a great deal of lint.

Washer and Dryer Interior

• Check the interior of both the washer and dryer before doing laundry. Wipe inside the washer and dryer drums with your hands to collect any buildup that may have been left from previous laundry loads. Check the dryer's lint trap, and empty any lint found in it; a clogged lint trap can mean more lint on your clothes and can also be a fire hazard. Clear the lint trap after each load has dried.