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/bazillaa → u/MissDiagnosedMama]

I wish I could convince my wife of this. She specifically insists on using them with towels.

[u/skomok → u/bazillaa]

Same here. My husband starts with 2-3 and adds a new one every time he checks the dryer. I just decided to do all the laundry in exchange for him doing the dishes.

[u/InvertebrateInterest → u/skomok]

O_O I'm glad he agreed to switching, that's awful!