# Dryer sheets - how do they work? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 1, 2003, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dryer-sheets-how-do-they-work/178877 "2003-06-01T02:40:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dryer-sheets-how-do-they-work/178877/1 "2003-06-01T02:40:49Z")
So, I did some accidental experimentation today with laundry, and discovered your machine-dried clothes really _are_ more staticky if you don’t toss in one of those sheets with the wet clothes. I know you can get them with fabric softener on them, or just the anti-static type. I also recall their being (briefly) a combo sheet - it had powered laundry detergent on it, the theory being you just tossed it in the wash, transferred it, and elimnated some great element of trouble. IIRC, these were pretty useless. But how do those li’l sheets work? They seem to be coated with something plasticky-feeling before drying, and soft and thinner post-drying. Tried Googling it, but I couldn’t find that much (and I’m feeling a li’l lazy, too.) ---
**Author:** ![Earthling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/90db22/32.png) [@Earthling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthling)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dryer-sheets-how-do-they-work/178877/2 "2003-06-01T02:48:36Z")
[http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5\_175.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5_175.html) ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dryer-sheets-how-do-they-work/178877/3 "2003-06-01T03:04:16Z")
:smack: D’oh. That easy to find, wasn’t it? Thanks for the link…