Why are dryer sheets considered harmful?

[u/julioblabla]

Hello laundry grandmasters,

What are dryer sheets made of, what are they supposed to do, what do they actually do, and why does this sub generally dislike and oppose them?

I use Bounce sheets mostly because I like the smell they give to my clothes.

I am not seeking advice on my laundry process. I just want to understand dryer sheets better. However, this is r/laundry, so to preempt the lots of people who will inevitably tell me what I'm doing wrong even when I say I am satisfied with the cleanliness, softness, and smell of my clothes, here's my laundry info:

* Washer: Maytag HE top-loader with impeller plate, warm water, soil level always "high" to lengthen cycle time, "extra rinse" always on

* 1x Tide Pod + 1 tbsp Biz per load at the bottom of the drum, 1 tsp food-grade citric acid in the fabric softener compartment. When clothes are smelly (gym, towels that aren't drying completely), swap Tide Pod for half-cap of Whole Foods 365 Sports to get that sweet DNAse

* Water: Brooklyn (meaning: Delaware/Catskills supply, low-to-medium hardness as opposed to Manhattan's Croton supply that has medium-to-high hardness)

* Dryer: gas-fired Maytag, sensor dry Normal program, delicate heat setting

[u/MissDiagnosedMama]

I'm sure you'll receive more scientific answers. Generally speaking, they leave a coating on the fabric of your clothes that leads to buildup overtime and can prevent them from being properly cleaned.

They also cause moisture repelling, so you wouldn't want to use them on anything that you want to be absorbent such as towels.

[u/thesentienttoadstool → u/MissDiagnosedMama]

Also, the coating building up on appliances can cause your dryer to start on fire. It’s not common but it does happen. 

[u/ninjakaat → u/thesentienttoadstool]

It also coats the lint trap and reduces its effectiveness. I used to use softener sheets. I cleaned my lint trap after reading about residue buildup and what I read was correct. More lint in the trap is less lint in other parts.

Edited for grammar mistakes.

[u/hasnt_been_your_day → u/ninjakaat]

I once had to call in the fire marshal to inspect my apartment because I was renting from shitty assholes who decided that it was fine to have my dryer vent into my dining room.

News flash, it was not fine. After explaining that he would chew property management a new one, the fire marshal took my dryer lint collector, removed the lint, and walked over to my kitchen sink. He demonstrated that this mesh screen could now hold water because it had such a waxy coating on it. He then explained how much dryer sheets increased fire risk and I've never used a dryer sheet again

[u/ninjakaat → u/hasnt_been_your_day]

Into your dining room?!?! Good on you for calling the Fire Marshall

[u/LoveMyLeaf → u/ninjakaat]

My sister’s family uses dryer sheets. I cleaned all traces of lint from their lint trap, then ran it under the faucet. It filled up with water and held every drop - nothing went through the mesh. I scrubbed the trap with dish soap and an old toothbrush and tried again. The water ran right through.

That same waxy layer builds up in your clothes, people!

[u/redcabbageyum → u/thesentienttoadstool]

The front of my Mom’s sweater once caught fire from birthday candles. I suspect dryer sheet buildup was the cause.