The Deodorizing Factor in Dryer Sheets

Senior Citizen Journal received an email this past week lauding the many household benefits of dryer sheets. Unfortunately there was no reference to the author, and no information about the veracity of the claims.  So we checked one of the online fact-check sites, snopes.com.  Dryer sheets, such as Bounce, can indeed help clean and deodorize some items around the house.  We are passing along the ones that have been proven to work.

• To deodorize around the house, put dryer sheets in things like books, photo albums, drawers, closets, vacuum cleaner bags, stored luggage, under the front seat in your car, wastebaskets and trash compactors, dirty laundry, shoes…  anything that has a nasty or musty smell that you want to eliminate.
• Clean dust from your computer monitor or TV screen with a dryer sheet.  Eliminates static electricity.
• Dissolve soap scum from shower doors with a dryer sheet.
• Wipe dust from window blinds with a dryer sheet to prevent dust from resettling.

The claims about dryer sheets chasing off mosquitoes, mice and bugs were not verified.  However, some still claim it works, and they use dryer sheets tied on their clothing when working outside, and in areas in the house where bugs and mice travel (corners, cupboards, etc).

Dryer sheets are made for drying clothes in an automatic dryer, including reducing the static problem and creating a fresh smell in the clothing.  So it makes sense that they will improve odor and reduce static when used other places in the home.  Be sure to comment and let us all know how you use dryer sheets in your home!