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I have always used dryer sheets, specifically, to remove the static from my clothes.

I purchased a new High Efficiency Dryer/Washer combo from LG, and they sate that if you use Dryer sheets, you void the warranty.

I read somewhere that dryer sheets interfere with the dryer sensors of the machine, therefore, causing them to not work properly. Apparently, they have a residue that gets on the sensors. I also read that the sensors work by checking the static levels and I am assuming if their is static detected, maybe that signals the clothes are dry and dryer sheets interfere with all this. Are the above statements true?

Tester101
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Xaisoft
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3 Answers3

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Yes.

The dryer sheets shed tiny bits of its fabric. They sometimes coat the sensor. Causing the dryer to work harder, thereby shortening the life of your dryer. This could easily be fixed (if there was an issue) with soap, water, sponge... The same thing goes with the lent filter. Even if you clean out the lint, the very small particles from the dryer sheet can get stuck in the cross-hairs. Also can be fixed with soap, water, sponge...

This is comparable to saying does soap cause tiles to get dirty. Yes but you need to use soap in a shower and can clean a little.

DMoore
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  • If the sensor is in the back of the drum as a majority are, is coated it would turn the heat off sooner these are just moisture sensors, the humidity sensors that control variable heat the same thing happens but it damages the humidistat that's why some models the sheets void the warrantee , also if the lint filter is left out that can damage the humidistat, my daughter has done both plus other things then calls dad to fix them. – Ed Beal Jul 29 '18 at 19:05
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I purchased the same dryer, and the sensor never consistently worked within the 1st 17 days. So I called LG, and the guy on the other end had a script in which he asked if I used dryer sheets. I said yes. He said then that the sensor wasn't working because I used dryer sheets and that the manual says I can't use them.

In fact, the manual says in the fine print, "Do not use fabric softeners or products to eliminate static unless recommended by the manufacturer of the fabric softener or product." It is the weirdest statement ever. It doesn't void the warranty. And that that statement also says that fabric softeners or static cling reduction products are in charge of customer use, not LG.

I also found this video at YouTube from LG -- https://youtu.be/DJxkCgLCpgc -- it educates the consumer on where is the drying sensor. AND!!! in the last few seconds (1:51) it shows a dryer sheet IN THE DRYER before clothes are thrown in. THIS IS FROM LG, showing you how to use the dryer.

LG showing you how to dry with a dryer sheet in its dryer

Nonetheless, there are other websites online that do say that the microfibers of dryer sheets do have anti-static chemicals on them which can get stuck in the inner workings of dryers and degraded their efficiency over time or get stuck on sensors. We found the sensor and have wiped it with some alcohol to clean it -- nothing came off it. It was clean to start with. After all, we're only 17 days since it was delivered. But I suppose that if it were a longer time of usage, perhaps there would be residue there that we could have wiped off.

Within the inside of the dryer's duct system, however, it could potentially be a problem. But one would hope that your lint trap would pick up most of those fibers and any related 'gunk' so that it wouldn't be a problem.

Sarah W
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It is hard to tell from what I can find, but there may be at least two different technologies sensing moisture. Any particular dryer would use only one of them.

The first is two metallic strips inside the drum somewhere, maybe on the back wall. If wet clothes touch both strips, the resistance between them is low. If there is nothing but dry clothes touching the strips, resistance is high. Look inside for something like this. If the finish of those are shellacked, then indeed the dryer would stop drying prematurely.

The other is a temperature sensor in the exhaust system. As the clothes dry, the evaporative cooling effect decreases, so the exhaust gets warmer. There would have to be some smarts in the dryer to recognize a trend. However, I can't see how dryer sheets could possibly affect that.

wallyk
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