Of course, you use it to dry and perhaps style your hair, but did you know that there are many unusual but handy uses for your hair dryer while RVing? It’s true! Read on and you’ll see exactly what I’m talking about (even though it’s hard to believe!).
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Defrost RV fridge
If I’m short on time, I use the hair dryer to help defrost our RV’s refrigerator. I’m careful not to use the hottest setting and to keep moving the dryer so as not to overheat and damage the plastic interior panels. The warm air quickly melts the ice buildup, and the job is finished in no time.
Separate frozen foods
A hairdryer can help separate steaks that have become tightly frozen together. Blow warm air on the meat just long enough for them to become unstuck. Once separated, the meat will thaw much more quickly.
Defog RV bathroom mirror
Our RV’s bathroom is small. When someone showers—even quickly—the bathroom mirror fogs over. My husband used to wipe the mirror with a towel, but now? We use the hair dryer to remove the “fog” from the mirror. A quick burst of warm air and the view is restored—with no streaks or smears.
Remove stickers
Our local RV tech always tapes a service tag to our rig. It used to take a long time to carefully scrape off the tape and its residue. Ditto for those manufacturer’s stickers on our RV. By using a hair dryer, I can remove the tape and stickers quickly and easily. The warm air helps soften the glue and the tape comes right off.
Upsize boots
Recently, I purchased some new hiking boots. I was in a rush and grabbed what I thought was my correct size. Turns out, the boots were a bit too tight for my comfort. (Of course, I didn’t realize this until we were miles away from the store.) I learned this trick online: Put on the thickest socks you own. Or put on several pairs of socks. Slip on your boots and use the hair dryer to apply low-medium heat on the boot’s exterior. The heat helps relax the leather and it stretches!
Expel wrinkles
Who hasn’t pulled out a favorite shirt only to realize that it’s terribly wrinkled? No worries! Just spray a mist of water over the wrinkles. Then run the hair dryer over the cloth, using a high heat setting. Wrinkles should disappear.
Resize eyeglasses
My sunglasses perpetually slipped down my nose—especially while work-camping in the heat. I decided to use the hair dryer to fix my problem. I used a medium setting to warm the tip of each temple stem (the part that bends around my ears.) When the plastic had warmed, I gently bent the temple stem for a tighter fit. Then I ran cold water over the temple stems to set the plastic in its new position.
Clean dust away
My laptop keyboard gets dirty with dust and crumbs. An easy way to dispel the gunk is to use a hair dryer. Set the heat to cool and use the highest setting to blow debris out from under the keys.
Remove wax
We seldom use candles in our RV for safety’s sake. Friends of ours burn scented candles frequently and wax dripped onto their wooden RV dining table. We used a hair dryer to soften the wax and carefully scrape it away. (Note: Warm air from the dryer will also help remove crayon marks from the RV’s interior walls.)
Fireless s’mores
Yes, it’s unconventional, but it works. It’d be a good trick to play on your grandkids: “Watch Grandma make our snack using her hair dryer.”
Most hair dryers produce air that’s about 200 degrees Fahrenheit when held two inches from a surface. Turns out, that’s the perfect temperature for melting chocolate without burning it! (See where I’m going here?) To make a fireless s’more, you place some chocolate on a graham cracker. (Use a fork or other utensil to hold the chocolate in place. Otherwise, the dryer will blow it off the cracker.) Top the chocolate with a marshmallow, again making sure to hold it in place. The heat from the dryer won’t brown the marshmallow, but it will melt it. When you’ve sufficiently melted the chocolate and marshmallow, top with a second cracker and enjoy!
Thaw locks
Traveling in an RV in winter is not always fun. One especially cold, wet winter day we discovered that the door locks on our truck were frozen tight. We could not get the key in the lock to turn it. Not wanting to wait for the sun to thaw the locks, my husband grabbed an extension cord and our hair dryer. Within a minute, he was inside the truck, and preparing to leave the campground.
Dry and warm feet
Doggie feet, that is. If your pooch wants to reenter your rig after a romp in the wet snow, grab your hair dryer. Not only will a warm setting help dry her paws, but the air will also warm her cold feet.
Remedy dents
Got a dent in your tow vehicle or RV trailer? Perhaps a hair dryer can remedy that. Heat the dent using the highest temperature setting on your hair dryer. The heat should expand the plastic. Once the dent is hot, immediately apply compressed air to the affected area. The cold air should cause the area to contract, making the dent disappear.
Can you add to my list?
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Thank you, Gail!
If you find yourself suffering from poison oak, heat the area with the hair dryer (hot but be careful). The heat will deaden the nerve endings for a number of hours. Repeat as needed.
Easily remove decals from the exterior of your Rv. Just gently heat and carefully slide a plastic scraper under them and peel off as you go. Clean the area after removal with diluted Simple Green, Dawn dish soap, etc..
Blow out sticks and leaves from inside your vent screens.
Gail, be very careful defrosting your rv refrigerator with a hair dryer! Most RV technician’s would advise against that!
citrus (typically orange) oil based solvent will remove most adhesives, crayon or wax marks, etc. without damage to the underlying surface.
We used it dry out the wife’s smart phone….had gotten moisture in the camera lens, store said shot, file warranty….while waiting to talk to warranty company we applied the hair dryer heat and the phone is back to normal…..be patient, takes some time, but works…..
Gail….next time your truck locks freeze, use the lighter your husband should keep in his pocket. A simple 3 second pass of the lighter over the key and insert. Works every time. No need for the extension cord or the hair dryer.