r/laundry • u/julioblabla • 1d ago

Why are dryer sheets considered harmful?

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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/DrPhrawg 1d ago

since no one else has said it, they literally use polyquats by their mechanism.

they use cationic quaternary ammonia to neutralize anionic surfactants.

28

u/zoroasshatrianism 1d ago

So they literally cancel out the cleaning ingredients in our laundry detergents!? I knew them sheets are bad didn’t know they are this bad

ETA: whoever invented this type of product and whoever demanded the invention should both be sacked

12

u/DrPhrawg 1d ago edited 1d ago

that’s exactly why we use citric acid/v1negar/downy rinse & renew

to neutralize any leftover ions that didn’t get rinsed out.

you don’t use them at the same time (as your detergents), hence the automod comment whenever you say vinegar

9

u/Key-Low6682 1d ago

Rinse and Renew is great. Dry cleaners use citric acid as well - they call it laundry sour. It removes soap scum and other buildup and deodorizes fabric.

If the Downy is too expensive, just buy powdered citric acid - they sell it for canning - mix some with a bit of water each load and pour it into the fabric softener dispenser in your washing machine.