Uses for Old Sheets: 25 Clever Ways to Reuse Them

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Almost every linen closet has one: the lonely sheet that lost its set, or the flat sheet nobody puts on the bed anymore. It hogs shelf space, yet you keep it around in case you ever need a last-minute toga or ghost costume. Rather than saving it for “someday,” give it a job today.

Sheets are big, cheap, washable pieces of fabric, which makes them one of the handiest things in your house to repurpose. Keeping them in use matters, too. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates Americans generated 17 million tons of textiles in 2018, and 11.3 million tons of that went to landfills.

Once you see how many jobs a spare sheet can do, you may start hunting for them at garage sales and thrift stores on purpose.

Which old sheets work best

A stack of folded fabrics in yellow, hot pink, light pink, green, blue and beige sits on a white surface — Folded fabrics in different colors and textures are ready to sort.

A quick sort before you grab the scissors saves time, because not every sheet suits every project.

Cotton is the most versatile. It soaks up spills, so it makes the best rags, wipes and napkins, and it’s easy to sew.
Flannel is soft and warm, which is perfect for baby wipes, pet beds and quilts.
Polyester blends wrinkle less and hold up well, so save them for bags, dust covers and drop cloths.
Thin or torn spots don’t ruin a sheet. Cut around the damage and use the sturdy sections for sewing.
Fitted sheets are harder to lay flat, but the elastic edges make them handy as covers.

Around the house

1. Curtains and shower curtains

Plain off-white curtains hang open on both sides of a tall window with a small potted plant on the sill — Simple white curtains let soft daylight into a room.

Any flat sheet is practically a curtain already. Thread a rod through the wide hem at the top, hang it, and you’re done. It’s a quick fix for a shower, a sliding glass door or a closet that’s missing its doors. Linen or gauzy white sheets give you that light, airy look for a fraction of what new panels cost.

2. Cleaning rags

Pastel purple, yellow, pink, green and blue waffle-weave cloths hang from clothespins on a line against a bright blue sky — Colorful cloths dry in the sun on a clothesline.

Cut worn sheets into squares and keep a stack under the sink for dusting, wiping counters and shining glass. Wash them, reuse them, and watch how many fewer paper towels you buy.

3. Paint drop cloths

A paint can, brush and roller tray of orange paint resting on a crumpled canvas drop cloth — Spread an old sheet doubled under the paint tray.

Spread an old sheet over floors and furniture before you paint. Fold it double over anything you really care about, since paint can seep through thin fabric.

4. Dust covers and garment bags

A sofa, chairs and lamps draped in white cotton sheets in a closed-up room with tall blue curtains — Old sheets keep dust off furniture in a closed-up room or during a move.

Drape sheets over stored furniture, a guest bed or out-of-season clothes. Fabric keeps the dust off while still letting air move, which plastic doesn’t do.

5. Packing material

Moving or storing breakables? Wrap dishes, frames and lamps in sheet fabric instead of buying bubble wrap, and stuff smaller pieces into box corners so nothing shifts. You’re packing your linens at the same time.

6. Draft stoppers

Sew a long tube from a strip of sheet, fill it with dry rice or beans and stitch it closed. Lay it along a drafty door or windowsill to block cold air this winter.

7. Storage boxes, drawer liners and wall art

Patterned sheets are an easy way to add color without buying anything. Glue fabric over plain cardboard boxes with decoupage glue such as Mod Podge, and you have matching storage bins for a closet or shelf. Cut pieces to line dresser drawers or the inside of a bookcase. A favorite print stretched in a big embroidery hoop makes quick, cheap wall art.

Outdoors and on the go

8. Picnic and beach blanket

A white cloth printed with purple flowers and green leaves drapes over a small table on a sunny lawn — A floral cloth turns a plain outdoor table into a sunny picnic spot.

A sheet covers more ground than a beach towel but weighs far less than a blanket, so it’s easy to pack for the park, the beach or an outdoor concert. Spread it over a picnic table and it doubles as a tablecloth.

9. Car seat and trunk protector

Keep one folded in the car. Throw it over the seats after a sandy beach day, line the trunk when you haul plants or mulch, or use it as camping bedding.

10. Frost cover for plants

Purple violet flowers and scalloped green leaves are rimmed with white frost in a garden bed — Frost edges the leaves and blooms of violets on a cold morning.

When an early frost is in the forecast, an old sheet can rescue your tender plants. Michigan State University Extension says loosely draping a bed sheet or similar lightweight fabric is the most effective method for home gardeners, because it traps heat rising from the ground. Cover plants in the evening and pull the sheet off the next morning once it warms up. On a sunny day, heat builds quickly under the cover and can damage new growth.

Good to know

Skip the plastic. University of Georgia Extension warns that plastic sheeting can trap too much heat. If you can, prop the sheet on stakes or set a chair over small plants so the fabric doesn’t press down on the leaves.

11. Plant ties

Tear sheets into soft strips and use them to tie tomatoes, peppers and floppy flowers to their stakes. Fabric is gentler on stems than wire or twine.

12. Reusable shopping and produce bags

Sew a few simple totes or drawstring produce bags from sturdy cotton. They fold up small, wash easily and cut down on plastic bags.

Sewing projects

A sewing machine needle and presser foot rest on blue fabric beside a metal thimble, a bobbin of red thread and scissors — A sewing machine stitches a seam in blue fabric.

13. Pillowcases

Lay a pillowcase you already own on a flat sheet, trace around it and add a little extra for seams. A large flat sheet gives you about six standard pillowcases. Stitch a strip of trim or lace along the open end so they look store-bought.

14. Fitted sheets and crib sheets

Have extra flat sheets you never use? Sew elastic around the corners to turn them into fitted sheets. Even a sheet with a worn spot may have enough good fabric left for a crib sheet, a thoughtful gift for new parents who always need a spare.

Safety first

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says a crib sheet must fit the mattress snugly enough that tugging a corner won’t pull it loose, and it warns never to put a regular adult sheet on a crib mattress. Measure the mattress before you cut, and test the fit before you use it.

15. Quilts

Close-up of a patchwork quilt pieced from cotton prints in purple, green, cream and rust — Old sheets make good quilt backing and patch pieces.

Quilters love old sheets for their soft feel and fun prints. Cut them into quilt squares, or use a whole sheet as the backing. A thin cotton sheet can even stand in for batting in a lightweight summer quilt.

16. Aprons

One sheet holds plenty of fabric for aprons, and cheerful prints make them great gifts. Sew a mini version for the little chef in your family.

17. Cloth napkins

A stack of blue, white and linen striped cloth napkins tied with twine on a wooden kitchen stool — Hem squares cut from old sheets for a set of everyday napkins.

Cut squares, hem the edges and you have a set of washable napkins. Make a tablecloth from the same sheet and everything matches.

18. Cloth baby wipes

Soft cotton or flannel makes gentle, reusable wipes. Cut the fabric into 9-by-9-inch squares, round the corners if you like, and finish the edges with a serger or a zigzag stitch so they don’t fray.

19. Doll clothes

Sew outfits for baby dolls or fashion dolls as a gift for a young doll lover. Sheet fabric makes a sturdy pattern, too. Trace a paper pattern onto it and it will outlast tissue paper by years.

20. Rag rugs

A close-up of a shaggy rag rug made from short strips of blue, green and red knit fabric — Short fabric strips give a homemade rag rug its shaggy texture.

Slice sheets into long strips, then braid, knit or crochet them into a rug. A handmade rag rug is a lovely gift that goes right in the washer.

21. Reusable gift wrap

Wrap presents in squares of patterned sheet and tie them with ribbon or a strip of the same fabric. The wrap becomes part of the gift, and there’s no paper to throw away.

Just for kids

22. Indoor tent or fort

A cozy indoor fort made of draped green, white and pink sheets with fairy lights, paper garland and pillows inside — Drape old sheets over chairs, add pillows and a string of lights.

Keep a spare sheet ready for when kids visit. Drape it over chairs or a table, and lunch suddenly becomes a picnic in a secret hideout. Don’t be surprised if they beg to take the tent home. Let them.

23. Puppet theater

Hang a panel of sheet from a tension rod in a doorway or across a closet opening, and kids have an instant stage for a puppet show.

24. Easy costumes

Three dogs draped in white sheets with cut-out eye holes sit on dry grass beside a glowing jack-o'-lantern — Three dogs pose in simple sheet ghost costumes beside a jack-o’-lantern.

A sheet is the start of a classic ghost, a toga or, torn into strips, a mummy. Cut eye holes big enough to see clearly, and keep the hem short enough to avoid trips. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends flame-resistant fabrics such as polyester or nylon for homemade costumes, so a polyester-blend sheet is a better pick than cotton. Add reflective tape so drivers can spot your trick-or-treater after dark.

For pets

25. Pet beds and crate liners

A white dog with black spots sleeps with its eyes closed on rumpled red-and-white gingham fabric — A spotted dog naps on a soft gingham cover.

Fold a sheet into a crate or over a dog bed, or sew two layers together and stuff them with fabric scraps for a washable bed. Drape one over the couch to catch fur and muddy paws.

Animal shelters often use donated sheets for bedding and cleanup, but check before you drop them off. Policies vary: some shelters want flat sheets only, some turn down fitted sheets, and some can’t use sheets at all. A quick call or a look at the shelter’s wish list saves a wasted trip.

When a sheet is too far gone

Sheets still in good shape can go to a thrift store or a homeless shelter. For fabric too ragged to reuse, ask your local recycling center whether it accepts textiles.

Frequently asked questions

What can I do with old bed sheets? Turn them into cleaning rags, curtains, drop cloths, pillowcases, pet beds, gift wrap or a frost cover for your garden. Kids love them for forts and costumes.

Can you donate old bed sheets? Yes. Thrift stores, homeless shelters and many animal shelters accept them. Call first, because some animal shelters take only flat sheets and others don’t take sheets at all.

Are old sheets good for cleaning rags? Cotton sheets make excellent rags because they absorb well and wash up again and again. Cut them into squares and keep a stack handy.

Can I use an old sheet to protect plants from frost? Yes. Drape it loosely over plants in the evening and remove it the next morning once temperatures rise. Don’t use plastic, which can trap too much heat.

How many pillowcases can you make from one sheet? A large flat sheet makes about six standard pillowcases. Trace a pillowcase you already have to get the size right.

Can I make a crib sheet from an old adult sheet? Yes, as long as you sew it to fit the crib mattress snugly. Never tuck a regular adult sheet around a crib mattress, because it can come loose.