26 Ways To Reuse and Upcycle Old Pillowcases

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Did you ever try to test your DIY skills with a dash of reusability? Did you ever feel bad getting rid of old pillowcases and just wanted to reuse them because they were so pretty?

If your answer is yes to any of these, what’s coming next is going to help you a lot. Pillowcases can be a fantastic starting point for home projects or mini crafts. Owing to their convenient, boxy shapes, they can be used for a wide range of jobs, from organizing to simple sewing and whatnot.

Recycling and reusing pillowcases can be done very creatively and you can always invent something new out of them. In my opinion, I have divided their usage into categories and subcategories like travel, household, and cleaning. Presenting an easy guide to pillowcase hacks.

26 Pillowcase Hacks

Cleaning:

If you prefer reusability of old and worn out pillowcases, we have got the best reusability hack for you. It is always a good idea to use old clothing items as dusting material and if you are not ready to get rid of your cute pillowcases, reuse them for cleaning and dusting!

1. Ceiling Fans

You would never love to see petite dust particles careening off your ceiling fan once you turn it on after a few weeks, would you? Here comes your old pillowcase to the rescue!

Place the pillow cover over the blades and wipe the dust-out in a slow-motion for better cleaning. In this way, the dust bunnies won’t parachute to the floor anymore!

2. Dustbags and Sweater Covers

As convenient as it sounds, pillowcases can dust suede shoes, leather purses, and whatnot. But, considering a more efficient way, you can keep these items in the pillowcase. So the next time you bring your shoes out of the shelves, they will be ready to use!

Is it winter? Time to say Hi to sweaters! I love the look they provide and the cozy feeling but storage is not that simple. They cannot be stored in a closet due to moths and plastic covering can make them musty. I use pillowcases for seasonal storage of wools as they allow the fabric to breathe, and my work is done.

3. Friend to your broom

Cover the top of your broom with your old pillowcase when you are buckling up to clean those clingy cobwebs, residing in your ceiling corners. Cleaning will not only be an easier job but it is very easy to remove the cobwebs from pillowcases than to pull them out of the broom bristles.

Travel Buddy:

Traveling is an essential aspect of our lives; let’s say it is the most effective stress reliever! I am a travel enthusiast and need at least three vacations yearly to get my ass going with the mundane and hectic life. I am pretty sure you have had such feelings when you want to leave everything and just go to an unknown island.

Not sure of the anonymous island, but here are some travel hacks that can make your holiday easier. Courtesy: none other than pillowcases!

4. Car pillows

Road Trips are real fun, aren’t they? But they are tiring as well and we must do our best to make some arrangements for our comfort. Travel pillows come handy in this case but they do get dirty along the ride together with several days in the car. Also, not keeping them in the vehicle is not an efficient solution either.

You can wrap the pillow with more than one cover and boom! Your job is done. So the next time your youngsters make a pillow dirty with candy and markers, remove the layer and it’s a fresh start!

5. Napkins

This can be both travel and hacks for domestic help as well. Pillow covers come in a wide range of colors and materials, so why use linen napkins and press them every time? Pick a design of your choice and start cutting, sew hems on each side to avoid fraying and your very own, customized napkins are ready to use!

Use them at home or carry them to your travel destinations without the hassle of pressing them after use. This is a simple hack that is truly cost-effective and yields you a colorful set of napkins!

6. Laundry Bags

I find it extremely necessary to keep my clean and unclean clothes separated while traveling. My floral print, pink-colored pillowcase serves as the holder for my unclean clothes.

Use this hack to keep your dirty laundry separated and just throw them in the washing machine as soon as you get home. Throw in the pillowcase as well!

7. Carry-on Pillow

Did your check-in baggage exceed the limit? You don’t have to dig a hole in your pocket anymore. Like laundry bags, you can stuff pillowcases with clean clothes and garments to save room in your suitcase.

Carry a pillowcase in your hand baggage and stuff it with your jacket for a full-fledged human-size pillow. So, did you sleep well on your recent flight?

Creative Household!:

When it comes to my household work, being creative causes no harm! I always tend to reuse and recycle domestic stuff quite creatively (at least I think so) and trust me, I do get good results.

With these simple hacks, you can refurbish your old pillowcases and use them again (or just buy a new one), just for a different job now this time.

8. Skirt for stools!

Suitable for taller stools, place the pillowcase over the stool and tie the extra part with a ribbon or colorful belt. The unused material will deform into a skirt, providing a sassy and cute look.

For smaller stools, cover the stool with the pillowcase and use some creativity to tie the excess part somewhere below the stool. If nothing can be done, just cut them out.

This can also be considered as a simple decorating hack meant for kitty parties or birthdays.

9. Baskets

Did you ever get attracted by those embellishing storage baskets or lined hampers? They surely are pretty but can be very expensive as well. So? Make your own!

Cover the sides of your basket or storage box with the pillow cover and tuck the extras in the side up to create thicker borders. You can also use tapes to keep them in place.

10. Customized Chairs

All of us have chair covers but most of them are expensive and hardly come in a stylish design. You can use your pillow covers with this one as well!

Choose from various materials and designs and make them your chair covers. You can also test your painting or sewing skills by designing a pillowcase of your own, in case you want the perfect customizing for your chair.

11. Bags and Dresses

Appreciating the versatility and pricing of pillowcases for the hundredth time, turn it into a tote bag. Wouldn’t it be terrific for a beach day or some green shopping?

You can also turn it into a cute dress for your little girl. With floral prints and comfortable material, it would be a wonderful summer dress, isn’t?

12. Aprons and More

Do you spill liquids and food on your apron often? Tired of buying new ones or washing them every week? We have one convenient and reasonable option for you!

Turn your old pillowcases to aprons and there you go! You don’t have to worry about spilling things anymore neither you have to worry about washing them since you have replacements waiting.

You can also sew dark-colored ones together and use to as curtains for doors and windows. This DIY version for curtains is definitely better due to its cost-efficiency

13. Easy Bedding

Storing bedding items can be stressful, especially if you have kids around. The linen items can turn into a real mess when kept unorganized. Here is a secret- store all your sheets inside matching pillowcases and assign them to your family members according to the color or design. In this way, it will be easier to locate and more convenient for them to store!

You can also use fancy pillowcases to change the decor of your bedding and make the bed an attractive location for your little ones. With shiny bed covers and colorful pillowcases, is your kid having a nice sleep now?

14. Washing Hacks!

Washing your delicates like sweaters and mesh garments in the washing machine can be very risky as they can be deformed due to the heavy twisting.

Protect your clothes by wrapping them in pillowcases and toss them in the machine after closing the tip with a string. Set it to a delicate setting and don’t worry about the knots anymore!

I love stuffed toys and they are my best friend (though after my pet dog), but I adore them pretty much and it really hurts when they get dirty and my hands were tied. And, the savior arrived again! I covered my stuffed teddy with a pillowcase and bathed it. None of the delicate parts were affected and the dirt was gone.

Similar to the delicate washing trick, use this easy hack to wash your stuffed animals but don’t forget to gentle throughout the bath!

15. Laundry Hangers

Did your favorite dress just return from the laundry and you won’t be wearing it for a while? Cover your gem with a pillow cover. Cut a hole in the pillowcase and slip it over the hangers and dress. This will keep your garment clean and fresh for a longer period of time.

16. Decorative Items

You are not alone if you find usual gift wraps boring and out of style. To get over this, you can use pillowcases as gift wraps. This would look classy and unique and surely add that special vibe to the gift.

You can also open the stitches of your pillowcase and turn them into a table cloth. Undoubtedly, this won’t be too pricey and raise the style quotient of your dining table. Try to choose a material that stays in place for a longer period of time to avoid any issue while you are enjoying a family dinner.

If you believe in capturing memories then you must keep keepsake prints at your house! Take hand or footprints with tempera paints of your loved ones in your old, cotton pillowcase and frame them into memorabilia.

17. Organizing

Just like travel and laundry bags, pillow covers can also be used to store old newspapers before you take them for recycling. This would help you keep the papers and place, without cluttering your house.

They can also be used as packing material for your expensive china and glass vases for better cushioning in case you are moving house. After proper packing, please place them in boxes for better resistance

18. Clothing

As mentioned earlier, pillowcases can be used to make a beautiful summer dress for your younger girl, it can also be used as other clothing items.

Cut out a longitudinal portion of the pillowcase and turn it into a trendy scarf. With cutting slightly large than napkins, use them as bandanas in summer and pair it with your favorite shorts.

They can also be turned into comfy nightgowns at minimal costs. You can also gift your little daughter a dress for her barbie by simply sewing a pillowcase!

Handy Hacks:

They might not belong to any particular category, they definitely are very useful in our day to day lives.

19. Make a chew-toy for your dog with polyester pillowcases. Roll them into a snake-like, knotted structure and your little dog can chew them all day long!

20. If you are interested in pants with sexy patches, cut out portions from pillow covers and use them as patches for your denim or jackets.

21. Sew an old pillowcase into tubes and leave one end open. Use that end to fill the tube with long cooking rice and sew up the end. Your hot bag is ready to use anytime you want by simply microwaving it!

22. Make compartments in the pillow cover by sewing accordingly and store wrapping foils to prevent unraveling by keeping them isolated.

23. Cover your hot water bottles with pillowcases to make the heat last longer.

24. Store flour or other powdery items in pillow covers as they provide enough isolation and prevent clustering of the item, without the ill effects of plastic.

25. Pillowcases can work very efficiently as a replacement for cheesecloth! So if you are making jam or cheese and want materials to be separated finely, use pillow covers if you are out of cheesecloth. They come handy in making wines as well.

26. You can also cover the changing table of your baby with pillowcases for extra care as it will keep it completely dust-free!

Reusing old stuff is not only pocket-friendly, but it is a positive aspect for our environment as well. Most of us would love to decorate our houses with simple, not too pricey stuff and something that can be customized with our vibe.

Pillowcases will definitely tick all the boxes here. Hoping that your mind is now brimming with new ideas and creativity to implement these hacks. Why wait? Get to work with your bunch of pretty pillowcases!