Are Dryer Sheets Bad For My Dryer?

Yes.
Yes, dryer sheets are bad for your dryer. Dryer sheets are the soft, tissue-like sheets added to your laundry to make it softer and to add fragrance. Because of their tissue-like texture, these sheets tend to leave lint in the dryer. Dryer sheets can cause a film of lint to coat over the mesh of your lint trap making the heating unit burn out. It can also the moisture bar to clog up, and this layer of film that sits on top of the moisture sensor will affect how the unit detects the amount of moisture inside the chamber. This also can lead to overheating. The sheets could also be sucked into the lint filter, and the resulting overheating can result to fire.


No.
Clogging is a result of the accumulation of lint coming from fabrics and clothing, especially if the hose and filters are not cleaned on a regular basis. In fact, dryer sheets are not that effective when it comes to forming a complete layer over the lint filter screen. The more likely reason why overheating occurs in most dryers is that accumulated lint from clothes and other fabrics blocks the screen, and this results to overheating that when left unattended, often turns into an electrical fire.

Alternatives
There is no sure reason why overheating occurs in most dryers. Just to be on the safe side, you can use other alternatives to a dryer sheet such as a liquid fabric softener or a number of homemade solutions such as vinegar or baking soda. Since it is the lint in dryer sheets that tend to accumulate and clog up your filters, using liquid fabric softeners should reduce the lint buildup considerably.

Another way to reduce lint would be to add ¼ cup of vinegar in the wash cycle. This is a cheap and proven method of reducing lint and softening your laundry. Aside from being a great fabric softener, vinegar also removes odors and can help preserve the color of your clothes. You can also use ¼ of baking soda added during the wash cycle. This is another cheap and effective fabric softener which will eliminate the need to use a dryer sheet. You can also add baking soda during a washing machine cycle to soften the water, reducing the amount of mineral buildups in your washing machine.

Yes, dryer sheets may cause a film or a fire but so far, clear-cut cases of overheating and fires caused by these sheets are are rare and far in between. As long as you keep your lint filters free from trapped lint and you clean your traps with soap and water and a brush every six months, your dryer should not suffer from these occurrences.

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