How can I reuse or recycle car sun shades?

car-shadeBecause of all the random things on this site, I get a lot of spam emails from people trying to sell me those random things in bulk for a super cheap price. My delete key is all but worn out.

However, every now and again, a message comes through that’s actually inspiring instead of annoying – and that was the case again this week when someone tried to sell me carshades – the things you put along your dashboard/rear window to stop turning the car into a giant dehydrator oven.

Last week, I’d seen someone using one of the silver-sided ones to reflect more sunlight into their garden and seeing the email yesterday made me wonder what else they’d be good for. I imagine the silver-sided ones (typically cardboard with a foil layer) would also work well behind radiators.

Any other suggestions? What about the ones that are just shades rather than reflectors?

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13 Responses to “How can I reuse or recycle car sun shades?”


  1. How about as a light reflector for photography? Bloggers who take photos of food, crafts, kids, etc might find this extremely useful.

  2. Melinda says:

    I’ve heard of them being used to make solar cookers and reflectors.

  3. Lizzy says:

    *loves the radiator reflector panel idea*
    The shiny ones could be cut into decorations , christmas , kid’s bedroom etc.
    They could also be a part of a homemade coolbox methinks……Old plastic box for the inside, put that in a bigger plastic box, fill the gaps with broken up bits of polystyrene,cover the top bit between the big and small box with tape and put shiny sunshade on the outside to reflect heat , using the lid of the larger box as a lid….. *is secretly rather proud of that idea*

  4. Chris says:

    If you’re into sewing, they make good liner for small, soft-sided coolers.

  5. Jayne says:

    We use one to reflect the sun away from our coll box on camping trips. Keeps it cool for an extra day or so…

  6. Olia says:

    Hang it over kitchen window to keep away the heat.

  7. Olia says:

    Use for halloween costume.

  8. Olia says:

    Insulate the pipes. Make shiny purse or a bag. Turn into an apron. Cover the table. Make place mates. Make slippers. Make oven mittens. Make a screen for a room.

  9. Olia says:

    Cover the table, when doing something messy.

  10. Joke says:

    Use it underneath your campingbed to stop the cold from the ground.

  11. Keoma says:

    I make lunch bags and shopping bags with them . Perfect way to bring home hot or cild foods.
    They are also great packing material when shipping or storing things.

  12. bb says:

    Use an over the door hook that is used to hang hats, belts, etc. Mine has 6 hooks. Poke holes in the end of a car shade and hang on a curtain rod above a window. Instant heat relief. The window blinds keep the sun out, not the heat.

  13. RIO says:

    I have 2 that hubby wouldn’t use, I used my hot glue gun to attached the bottoms together so it makes a large mat and that it all folds up the same way, I had purchased some foam board from the Dollar store and cut it down to size to fit the folded spaces and hot glued them on. Now I have a cost effective blocking board for all my knit and crochet pieces that I need to block before use.



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