Everything You Need To Know About Dryer Sheets

Both dryer sheets and scented fabric softener are designed to leave your clothes smelling fresh, but are they all that they are cracked up to be? 

If you want to keep your laundry smelling fresh and static-free, then using dryer sheets is one of the best laundry tips you can follow.

However, there are some circumstances in which dryer sheets are both a blessing and a curse. They can soften your clothes and leave them smelling heavenly, but they can also leave behind residues that cause allergic reactions in people with sensitive skin.

So should you keep using dryer sheets - or ditch them? In this post, we’ll tell you all about everything that dryer sheets do to your clothes and some alternatives you can try instead.

Where Do Dryer Sheets Come From?

Dryer sheets are technically a type of fabric softener first invented in the mid-1900s to help clean clothes softer and nicer-smelling. The first fabric softeners were pretty rudimentary, with chemicals added later on to help prevent static cling.

Although fabric softeners were revolutionary, it took some time for them to catch on. They weren’t the most convenient products to use, since they had to be added after the first wash cycle when using an automatic washing machine. That’s because the softeners were cationic, with positive electrical charges, and detergents are anionic, or negatively charged, so using the two at the same time made them counteract.

A few decades later, scientists figured out how small sheets of fabric could be treated with softener. It was in the 1960s when a scientist named Conrad J. Gaiser came up with a method of treating tiny sheets of material with fabric softener. Once the sheets were added to the dryer, the heat and moisture warmed the softener and distributed it across all the pieces of clothing.

Even when automatic washing machines were updated later to include automatic fabric softener dispensers, dryer sheets remained popular. Today, they are still widely used, not just for laundry, but for other “off-label” purposes like cleaning and keeping insect and rodent pests away.

So that’s where dryer sheets came from. Since then, the technology has undergone some minor tweaks, but has more or less remained the same. There are hundreds of brands of dryer sheets out there but they all work to accomplish more or less the same task.

How Do Dryer Sheets Work?

All dryer sheets are a bit different depending on the brand, but for the most part, they all work in the same way.

Most are tiny pieces of non-woven fabrics (usually synthetic) that are coated with a solution of a silicone oil-based fabric softener or quaternary ammonium salt fabric softener.

These sheets can be made of recyclable materials like natural or cellulose fibers, too.

Either way, the heat that is produced by the dryer will work to soften the fabric softener, making it possible for the coating to be transferred to a fabric. This coating is what makes your clothes feel soft (and smell great, too).

If you’re familiar with the other benefits of dryer sheets, you’ll know that they can help reduce static electricity, too.

What is static electricity? It is when a static charge has built up as the result of two different types of materials rubbing against each other. This friction can knock loose electrons from some fabrics onto others.

This static forms in the dryer when there are too many loose electrons. This gives the clothing atoms a negative charge. That’s why you might notice clothes sticking together when you pull them out of the dryer.

Some clothes shed that static electricity quickly, but others require a long time for it to wear off. When you get a static charge from touching your fingers to the doorknob, the static goes away quickly because it is highly conductive. A sweater or sock, however, is not very conductive, so the static will linger.

The easiest way to prevent static is to take your clothes out of the dryer when they’re still a little bit damp. Water is an excellent conductor so it will disperse the electric charge before it can build up. However, who wants to walk around wearing damp clothes all day? Probably very few people!

That’s where dryer sheets come in handy. When you use fabric softeners like dryer sheets, it equalizes the ions and electrons to prevent this static.

Of course, although not all dryer sheets are scented, most have a nice fragrance added in for an extra touch of class.

Are Dryer Sheets Good For All Fabrics?

Most people use dryer sheets in every single load of laundry that they do, but this isn’t a great idea.

The residue left behind by dryer sheets isn’t beneficial for all types of fabric. It can make some types of clothing, like nightgowns and pajamas, more flammable. It can also make some materials, like cotton and microfiber, inefficient at absorbing water. This might not matter for most garments, but when you're washing things like towels or athletic wear (which is meant to be moisture-wicking), it can be problematic.

That said, for many types of fabrics, dryer sheets are incredibly beneficial. They prevent the build-up of static and help resist future stains. They help prevent clothes from gathering lint and make ironing a bit easier.

Of course, you can’t overlook the fresh burst of scent that dryer sheets add to your clothing, either!

You don’t have to use dryer sheets in every load of wash. Stick to using dryer sheets in regular loads but avoid using them when you’re washing towels, cloth diapers, microfibers, and moisture-wicking athletic wear.

If you’re not sure whether you should be using dryer sheets or not, check the label on your clothing. You can also look at the list of ingredients on the box of dryer sheets. It will tell you about any chemicals that are used in the making of the dye sheets.

Do Dryer Sheets Harm My Dryer?

What many people don’t realize is that the overuse of dryer sheets can also affect how well your dryer runs.

While fabric softener dryer sheets don't necessarily damage your dryer in any way, it can make it run less efficiently. When that efficiency is reduced, your utility bills will likely skyrocket. Here’s why.

Dryer sheets naturally leave a residue on your clothing - that’s the whole point, after all. However, it’s not just your clothing that you’ll find a residue but also inside of the dryer. This residue can create clogs in the lint filter screen and reduce air circulation.

You need to have good circulation or your dryer will have to work harder. This can lead to overheating and of course, to fires - something we’d all like to avoid.

You probably already know that you need to clean out this lint filter after every load of clothes. However, if you use dryer sheets, too then you should make a point of cleaning the lint filter once a month with a fine brush and a bit of dish soap and hot water. Rinse it well, then allow the screen to air dry before you replace it in the dryer. 

Of course, you should also make sure the sheets come out of the dryer with each load of clothes you dry. They often become lodged in the lint filter or over a vent. Again, this prevents proper circulation and can cause your dryer to malfunction or even worse, catch on fire.

Dryer Sheets and Electronic Moisture Sensors

Most dryers come with cycles that prevent your clothes from being dried too much  by monitoring moisture levels and powering down the cycle once the load is properly dried. This cycle uses an electronic moisture center inside the dryer drum.

You might not even be aware of this moisture sensor, but it’s important to realize the effect that your dryer sheets might be having on it. When you use dryer sheets, it can cause the electronic moisture sensor to become coated with residue, which then stops the sensor from working the way it should.

This can cause your clothing to over-dry, raise your utility costs, and again, increase the likelihood that your dryer will malfunction or catch on fire.

This isn’t necessarily a reason to eschew dryer sheets entirely, but if you do decide to use them, make sure you clean the electronic moisture sensor on a regular basis. Once a month, locate the sensor and use a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol to clean it off.

More Dryer Sheet Tips

If you’re like most people, you probably have no interest in giving up dryer sheets any time soon. They smell great and make your clothes feel luxurious, too!

However, if you're going to use them, it is important that you keep a few things in mind.

One is that dryer sheets can sometimes leave behind spots on freshly washed and dried clothes. These spots may resemble grease spots. They are from left behind residue that was deposited on the fabric from heated dryer sheets left in the same spot for too long. 

Often, this happens because a dryer sheet has gotten lodged in a crevice of the dryer drum or because you overloaded the dryer. The dryer sheets and clothing both need lots of room to tumble about freely.

If you have pets or children, keep them in an out-of-reach area. For whatever reason, dogs, in particular, seem to love chasing the lightweight sheets as they float to the floor! However, the chemicals used in dryer sheets can make both cats and dogs extremely ill. In extreme cases, they can even kill, so make sure these are stored out of reach. 

Dryer sheets may not be all that good for your own health, either. Some dryer sheets contain laundry chemicals that are harmful to ingest or inhale, such as ethanol and alpha-pinene. The amount of chemicals used on dryer sheets tends to be small but can still be potentially harmful when used regularly. You may want to avoid using them on young children’s clothing or use more natural dryer sheets instead.

If you decide to forego standard dryer sheets entirely, you may want to use an alternative like dryer balls, reusable sheets, or natural dryer sheets made with gentler detergents. Some are even made with things like vinegar to offer your clothes the same effect without the harmful chemicals.

You can always just pour a bit of white vinegar onto your clothes during the rinse cycle, too. The vinegar has an anti-static effect and it can soften clothes just as well as dryer sheets. As an added bonus, it can also help prevent mildew. Adding a few drops of lavender essential oil during the spin cycle can make your clothes smell great, too.

You can even make your own dryer sheets, if you want to know exactly what you’re putting in your laundry.  Simply soak squares of cloth in the fabric softener of your choice - just know that these sheets may not work quite as well as the store both options since they aren’t engineered with the perfect amount of fabric softener per each square.

Finally, on a more lighthearted note, know that there are many ways you can put your used dryer sheets to good use. Many people use them as pest control - some swear that they help keep rodents away - while others use them to scrub car grills, pots and pans, and more. So don’t toss them out - recycle them in one of these creative uses!

Dryer Sheets Are A Staple In Many Household Laundry Rooms

Dryer sheets are a staple in many households. They add a fresh scent to the laundry and stop clothes from clinging together. However, if you’ve ever wondered what dryer sheets actually do to your clothes, you aren’t alone.

Over time, dryer sheets can damage your clothes or dryer components - but when used sparingly and correctly, they offer lots of benefits. In addition to all of the help they can give your laundry, they can also be used around the house to repel pests, for basic cleaning tasks, and even to give your home a fresh, appealing scent!

Follow the laundry tips above and you’ll benefit in so many ways.

Karen A Mulvey is a personal social blogger and mom with 14 years of experience in the every day world of motherhood and sustainable product research. Karen is on a mission to help everyday families select sustainable, non-toxic organic products, stop stressing about uncertainties on sustainable home goods and apparel, and start living the life they’ve always wanted.

Follow Karen at @karenAmulveycs | Karen A Mulvey

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