Can You Put Scent Beads In The Dryer? (Find Out Now!)

Matthew Mountain
by Matthew Mountain

The smell of fresh laundry is one most individuals enjoy. Understanding this, many companies have endeavored to create a product which gives the ultimate aroma of fresh laundry, and such in part explains the creation of scent beads and similar products.

Using scent beads in the washer is beneficial for a variety of reasons. But can sent beads go in the dryer? Such is the question this article answers.

No, scent beads should not be put in the dryer. Scent beads should only be used in the washing machine. If you put scent beads in the dryer, you run the risk of starting a dryer fire. If you want your clothes to smell better, you should use regular dryer sheets or a scent-boosting alternative.

What Are Scent Beads?

Scent beads are tiny beads that go in the washing machine to enhance the smell of whatever is being washed with them. They are not fabric softener, and according to P&G they are four times as strong as the scenting-ingredients that are found in liquid Downy.

They help clothes and linens smell fresh for a long time after the wash cycle, and there are many more benefits associated with using these beads. Another distinct benefit is that using these beads saves an individual from having to use traditional liquid detergents and fabric softeners, which can be messy. Some have equated scented beads to deodorant for clothes.

Can Scent Beads Be Used in the Dryer?

If you’re considering using scent beads in the dryer, you’re not alone. Many individuals who’ve seen scent beads work in the washer wonder if they’d be just as effective in the dryer. But the answer is: No, scent beads should never go in the dryer.

Scent beads are broken down by hot liquid—not hot air. Therefore, putting them in the dryer is likely to cause more damage instead of producing a positive effect. There are other ways to make clothes smell better in the dryer, and using dryer sheets is the method most individuals know and utilize.

Avoiding Over-Scenting

But you don’t always need to have a scent-enhancing element in the dryer, especially when plenty of scent-enhancers have been used in the wash cycle beforehand. A good way to avoid over-scenting your clothes is relegate scenting to only one part of the laundry cycle.

For example, if you’re going to use scent-boosting products in the washing machine, you shouldn’t use an excessive amount of dryer sheets. In fact, a single dryer sheet should be used, unless the load is particularly large, in which case two is permissible.

While it’s not something individuals think of immediately when doing laundry, it’s true that combining different scents may actually produce one that’s unpleasant. Furthermore, exposing your skin to the chemicals and inorganic compounds that are used in scenting agents can result in irritation.

Below are some other methods you should consider when you want to dry your clothes without using dryer sheets.

How to Make Clothes Smell Good Without Using Dryer Sheets

Dryer sheets have long been associated with fresh-smelling laundry, but such doesn’t mean you have to use dryer sheets to make your clothes smell better. In fact, some avoid using these products because they don’t want anything inorganic to be part of their laundry cycle. If you’re looking to try something else, there are plenty of simple alternatives you can try at home.

To create your own scent-booster, all you’ll need is perfume, essential oils, or another kind of liquid fragrance. When you opt for one of these alternatives instead of using dryer sheets, you can get clean, fresh-smelling laundry without the harmful side effects.

All you need to do is dab any of the aforementioned liquids on a paper towel and then throw this in the dryer. Only a few drops are needed to create a wide-reaching booster. There are, however, some things to consider before you try any of these alternatives.

Scent-Boosters Work Best When the Heat Is High

Scent boosters like the ones discussed above perform best when the heat setting is medium or high. Therefore, you should make sure the clothes you are drying are able to handle this high heat, as you don’t want damaging your clothes to be the result of you trying to make them smell better.

Mixing Dryer Sheet Alternatives With Dryer Sheets

If you’re using a dryer that others use as well, you should be careful when using dryer sheet alternatives. The smells these alternatives create are not like those which emanate from traditional dryer sheets. Moreover, sometimes these smells can linger, even after the clothes have been removed from the dryer.

And if someone uses dryer sheets to dry their clothes after you just used your alternative scent-boosters, their clothes may absorb the dryer sheet smell as well as the lingering smell which your clothes left. And as noted before, such a combination could lead to an unpleasant result. For this reason, you should only use these alternative scent-boosters if you’re the only one who uses the dryer, or if everyone in your house/apartment uses these alternatives as well.

Should Wool Balls Be Used Instead?

A lot of individuals use wool dryer balls when they don’t want to use dryer sheets, and these essentially perform in the same way that scent-enriched paper towels do. But wool balls are reusable whereas paper towels aren’t, and therefore the balls are the more eco-friendly option. Cleaning a wool ball once it’s been used is not difficult, so you won’t have to worry about lingering aromas.

Consider These Points Before Using Scent Beads

Before you use scent beads in your washing machine, you should be aware that still not much is known about the ingredients used to make these products. If you look at some of the labels, you’ll see that the only ingredients are perfume dispersant, perfume, and dye.

These aren’t ingredients but rather categories of ingredients. And if these categories are all that’s included on the label, one can’t say for sure what’s in these products. It’s been found before that detergents, fabric softeners, dryer sheets, and other products that are used to make clothes smell better contain components that are not only harmful to humans but to the environment as well.

Matthew Mountain
Matthew Mountain

Matt loves everything DIY. He has been learning and practicing different trades since he was a kid, and he's often the first one called when a friend or family member needs a helping hand at home. Matt loves to work with wood and stone, and landscaping is by far his most favorite pastime.

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