# Where do the socks go? (no joke!) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 30, 2014, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-socks-go-no-joke/684936 "2014-03-30T21:58:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![squish7](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squish7/32/104_2.png) [@squish7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squish7)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2014, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-socks-go-no-joke/684936/1 "2014-03-30T21:58:48Z")
Seriously, WTF… ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2014, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-socks-go-no-joke/684936/2 "2014-03-30T22:38:02Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2014, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-socks-go-no-joke/684936/3 "2014-03-30T23:05:37Z")
Off to MPSIMS. Enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2014, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-socks-go-no-joke/684936/4 "2014-03-30T23:13:33Z")
Entropy wins. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2014, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-socks-go-no-joke/684936/5 "2014-03-30T23:48:34Z")
I’m right there with you. At the beginning of the school year I bought my child _20_ pair of socks. 20. Now there are only 4 or 5 _socks_ left. Where the heck did they all go?!? ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-socks-go-no-joke/684936/6 "2014-03-31T00:41:30Z")
They get banned. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-socks-go-no-joke/684936/7 "2014-03-31T03:50:04Z")
Check the toes of boots. If you have a top loading washer, you might find some missing socks by removing the tub. I once found a bra underwire while helping with some machine repair - along with two unmatched socks and some underpants. But the real answer is that missing socks are just the embryonic form of extra wire hangers. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-socks-go-no-joke/684936/8 "2014-03-31T04:02:32Z")
Many years ago now (when my four kids were living at home) we of course had the eternal problem of finding **pairs** of socks. So one day when I had nothing better to do, decided to do a ‘socktake’ of every damned one in the house. Cupboards, drawers and laundry baskets were upturned, beds upended…you know the drill. It took a whole day, but in the end there were 68 pairs of socks! Why five people would need 68 pairs of socks still eludes me, but there ya go. What was more astonishing is that there were **194** _single_ socks without a mate. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-socks-go-no-joke/684936/9 "2014-03-31T04:49:47Z")
I know the answer to this one - in the corners of your fitted sheets! ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-socks-go-no-joke/684936/10 "2014-03-31T05:09:32Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > It took a whole day, but in the end there were 68 pairs of socks! Why five people would need 68 pairs of socks still eludes me, but there ya go. That works out to just 13 pairs per person, which really isn’t many at all. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-socks-go-no-joke/684936/11 "2014-03-31T05:18:35Z")
Black Vulcan: In my _pants_. ---
**Author:** ![Trick\_Rider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Trick\_Rider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trick_Rider)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-socks-go-no-joke/684936/12 "2014-03-31T07:06:32Z")
I never noticed this when I lived with my parents or in university residence. It only seemed to start happening after I moved into a place where I was responsible for feeding myself. Therefore, I’m forced to assume that I’ve been putting meat in the washing machine and cooking my socks. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-socks-go-no-joke/684936/13 "2014-03-31T07:17:52Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > That works out to just 13 pairs per person, which really isn’t many at all. The fuck it isn’t! I did washing every 1.5 days, and there is no reason at all why we needed thirteen-fucking-pairs-of-socks each. Especially as the boys (x3) grew awfully attached to their foot-things, and wanted to wear them for weeks at a time. The stink was memorable! Oh gawd, am I ever grateful they’re all grown up now! IOW…their sock issues are somebody else’s problem now. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-socks-go-no-joke/684936/14 "2014-03-31T07:20:29Z")
> [@carnut](#): > > But the real answer is that missing socks are just the embryonic form of extra wire hangers. No, you are confusing socks with paperclips. Paperclips are the eggs, wire hangers are the larvae, and bicycles are the adult form, displaying sexual dimorphism. Socks, because of their naturally paired state, are liable to quantum tunneling through to a parallel universe, caused by spontaneous symmetry breaking. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-socks-go-no-joke/684936/15 "2014-03-31T07:29:53Z")
I count the socks when they go in the wash bin. Today: 18. Out of dryer: 18. They only disappear when ya don’t count 'em. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-socks-go-no-joke/684936/16 "2014-03-31T08:09:46Z")
They’re with all your missing pens, partying it up. ---
**Author:** ![Barking\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Barking\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barking_Dog)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-socks-go-no-joke/684936/17 "2014-03-31T08:31:10Z")
And why is it always just the left sock that disappears? ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-socks-go-no-joke/684936/18 "2014-03-31T10:13:04Z")
The answer is the to [Il Paradiso dei Calzini](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDFH1c53n_Y). Have you ever cried over lost socks before? Well you will now. If you speak Italian, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-socks-go-no-joke/684936/19 "2014-03-31T15:21:38Z")
I thought everyone knew that the dryer lint trap was actually a portal to another dimension. ---
**Author:** ![Stealth\_Bragg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4bbf92/32.png) [@Stealth\_Bragg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stealth_Bragg)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-socks-go-no-joke/684936/20 "2014-03-31T15:48:09Z")
When I became single I threw out all my socks, then bought eighteen pairs (they came in 6-packs) of identical socks. Now I never have to pair any that come out of the wash or worry about single socks going missing…! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-socks-go-no-joke/684936.md?page=2)