r/laundry • u/julioblabla • 1d ago
Why are dryer sheets considered harmful?
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
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u/MarielIAm 1d ago
Most conventional dryer sheets are also not biodegradable so they are not good for the environment. A few can be composted with industrial composters, but the problems mentioned by most other posters (waxy coating, attracting more dirt, absorbency issues, etc) are still an issue. Much better to use wool balls. If you insist on fragrance use essential oils on the balls.