The best shelf and drawer liners for every room in your house

  • Lining your drawers and shelves helps to protect their surfaces from damage, and makes them safer for storing delicate goods.
  • For example, in the kitchen shelves and drawers, you'll want something durable and stain-proof, while smooth canvas liners can help prevent clothing from snagging on wooden dresser drawers.
  • We found Gorilla Grip Non-Adhesive Shelf and Drawer Liner to be incredibly versatile and easy to install. It works perfectly on kitchen and bathroom shelves and in drawers.

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You may think that lining dresser drawers, kitchen cabinets, and every shelf in your linen closet are a waste of time, but it's actually an easy investment in your home the longevity of your belongings. That's because selecting the correct type of liner for each situation protects your storage units as well as the goods that you stash inside of them.

In the kitchen, durable, easy-to-clean shelf liners shield expensive cabinets from stains, moisture damage, and scratches (or they just hide the damage that's already been done). They also protect your dinnerware from chips and scratches by providing a non-skid, slightly padded surface — one that also muffles the sounds of pots and pans being put away.

When it comes to storing clothing and linens, shelf and drawer liners protect fabrics from snags and provide a line of defense against staining from untreated wood. Liners on wire shelving prevent small items from falling through the gaps and help prevent creases from the wire itself. And, if you're storing your off-season clothes, cedar and lavender-scented liners help scare off fabric-eating insects.

To help you find the best shelf and drawer liners for all of your home storage needs, I have tested many different types and considered each for ease of use, price, and efficiency.

Here are the best shelf and drawer liners you can buy:

  • Best shelf and drawer liner for kitchens and bathrooms: Gorilla Grip Non-Adhesive Shelf and Drawer Liner
  • Best shelf liner for under the sink: Drymate Under The Sink Shelf Liner
  • Best shelf liner for wire shelves: Sterling Wire Shelf Liners
  • Best shelf and drawer liner for clothes and linens: Container Store Natural Cotton Canvas Liner
  • Best scented shelf and drawer liner for clothes and linens: Scentennials Lavender Scented Liners

The best shelf and drawer liner for kitchens and bathrooms

Amazon

Gorilla Grip Non-Adhesive Shelf and Drawer Liner is simple to install, easy to clean, and comes in 19 colors and patterns.

When I built my home a few years ago, I was in love with my fresh, clean kitchen and bathroom cabinets. Before I even moved in, I was carefully measuring and cutting rolls of Gorilla Grip Non-Adhesive Shelf and Drawer Liner to fit every shelf and drawer.

Gorilla Grip is made out of flexible, rubberized plastic and because it is non-adhesive, it is super simple to install and replace. Adhesive liners should be avoided because removal will often destroy the finish of the cabinets and require scraping. The variety of widths and lengths — 12, 17.5, and 20-inches by 10 or 20 feet — fit almost every shelf and drawer. Any trimming needed can easily be done with household scissors.

I have been using my current liners for at least three years and when I have a spill (sticky honey is the worst), I just remove the liner and it cleans up easily with dishwashing liquid and a sponge. I allow the piece to air dry and reinsert it with no problems.

Gorilla Grip liners are heavier than other brands made with similar materials and provide more cushion for dishes and stemware. I have even used a sheet under a cotton mat to hold my dog's food bowls and it works perfectly.

Available in 19 colors and patterns from beige to blue, you are sure to find one that will enhance your kitchen and bathroom. And because it's a reasonable price, you can change the liners when you change your decor too.

Pros: Durable, easy to install, easy to clean, a large variety of colors and patterns

Cons: Not suitable for highly lacquered, stone, or acrylic surfaces

The best shelf liner for under the sink

Amazon

Where there is water, there is a potential leak. The Drymate Under The Sink Mat will protect your expensive cabinetry from disasters.

The problem with sink cabinet interiors is that they are out of sight, out of mind. A small leak can keep going for quite some time before it spills out onto the floor. By that point, the damage to the cabinet (and possibly the flooring and floor joists) is done. That's a very expensive repair.

Drymate's Under The Sink Mat is excellent for preventing that exact scenario. Made with a patented material that features fibers derived from recycled plastic water bottles, this 24 by 29-inch or 24 x 59-inch mat can be easily cut to fit any cabinet configuration. The absorbent fabric will hold up to five times its weight in liquids, and the non-slip waterproof backing prevents leaks from getting through to the wood. It saved my cabinets after my garbage disposal malfunctioned.

The mats are machine washable. I have one under every sink in my house and they are still in great shape after five years and repeated cleanings.

Pros: Waterproof backing, absorbent, easy to cut and install, non-slip, non-adhesive, easy to clean, made in the USA

Cons: Only available in charcoal color

The best shelf liner for wire shelves

Amazon

Sterling Wire Shelf Liners keep small items secure and upright and prevent creases from the wire itself.

Wire shelving was once only found in warehouses and garages. But builders and closet organizers soon found that the economical shelving was suitable for interior closets and pantries thanks to its durability and versatility. I have wire shelving in my pantry and some closets and all of the shelves are topped with Sterling Wire Shelf Liners.

While I love that the shelving is easy to clean and adaptable to different configurations, I do find it frustrating when small food containers fall or tilt over, or when high heels slide through the gaps in the wire, or when I pick up a folded sweater and it has grid creases on one side. Sterling shelf liners solved all of those issues.

Available in 11.75 or 15.75-inch widths to fit 12 or 16-inch standard wire shelves, each order is for four 47.025-inch long rolls. While they are made of a heavier plastic than other similar liners I've tried, they do not have locking tabs to hold them in place. I tried a brand with locking tabs but they never seemed to line up where I needed them anyway. If slipping is a problem, use a tiny amount of poster putty in each corner.

The slightly opaque liner allows you to see what's on top of the shelf and is waterproof and easily wiped clean. The 30-gauge polypropylene is easy to cut with household shears, and the rolled plastic flattens easily after a few hours.

Pros: Simple to install, durable, waterproof, easy to clean, made in the USA

Cons: Slightly smaller than standard wire shelf sizes

The best shelf and drawer liner for clothes and linens

The Container Store

The Container Store's Natural Cotton Canvas Liner not only protects your dresser drawers, but it also shields your clothes from snags.

Why bother to line dresser drawers or solid closet shelves? Well, wood and even some plastics don't mix well with fabric. The acids in unfinished wood can discolor clothes, and tough spots can snag delicate textiles leaving pulls and holes. Plastics give off gases that can cause clothes to yellow.

My favorite liners are The Container Store's, which are made from natural cotton canvas. Heavyweight with a non-slip silicone backing, they stay in place, and since there is no adhesive I can remove them easily for cleaning. You simply wipe them down with a damp cloth, allow them to dry, and put them back into place.

Each roll is 16 inches wide and five feet long. The liners can be cut with household scissors to fit any configuration. And, they can even be stitched together if you need a wider or longer run. The natural, snag-free surface is safe for every type of fabric.

I do wish that the liners were available in a range of dye-stable colors. Other than that, I love them.

Pros: Safe for all fabrics, easy to clean, simple to cut and install, non-adhesive

Cons: Only available in ecru

The best scented shelf and drawer liner for clothes and linens

Walmart

Scentennials Lavender Scented Liners not only leave your clothes smelling nice, but they also protect them from rough dresser drawer wood and fabric-eating insects.

My mother liked to use mothballs to protect our stored woolen clothes, but they made our sweaters smell horrible. So when I had my own home, I researched the benefits of lavender as an insect repellent and made the switch. Scentennials Lavender Scented Liners do double duty by protecting my clothes from insects and infusing them with a pleasant scent.

I store off-season woolens in drawers lined with these sheets and have had no insect activity. The scent does fade away after a couple of years but the 16.5 x 22-inch liners are extremely simple to replace.

The lavender-scented sheets feature delicate purple sprigs of flowers and are available in boxes of 6, 12, or 18 sheets. If you would prefer a different design and scent, Scentennials has dozens of styles and fragrances ranging from coconut-lime to jasmine-lily to baby powder.

Pros: Easy to install, safe to use with all fabrics, acts as an insect repellant, pleasant scent

Cons: Scent fades after several years

When you're ready to line your drawers and shelves, follow these steps:

  1. Empty your shelves or cabinets. This is a great time to sort, toss, and donate unwanted items.
  2. Clean the area well to remove dust and grime.
  3. Measure the surface, and mark the dimensions on the liner.
  4. Cut the liner to fit.
  5. If the liner feels slightly slippery, use a bit of tape or reusable poster mounting putty in the corners to hold it in place.
  6. Return the items to your shelves and drawers.

Mary Marlowe Leverette is a freelance writer and editor who specializes in home, kitchen, and gardening. As an expert in laundry and home care, her work has appeared on numerous sites. Mary holds a master's degree in Journalism from the University of South Carolina. Go Gamecocks! When she is not writing about products for Business Insider, you can find her entering recipe contests and searching for the best shells on the beach.Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here.

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