9 Best Dryer Sheets for the Softest, Best-Smelling Clothes
Updated: Aug. 17, 2023Say goodbye to static and wrinkles, and hello to soft, fresh-smelling fabrics.
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The case for dryer sheets
Is there anything better than opening up your dryer and gathering an armful of still-warm clothes? Yep: an armful of still-warm clothes that smells fresh and clean. The most intuitive part of learning how to do laundry is understanding that the best-smelling laundry detergent and best dryer sheets can give your clothing a spring-fresh scent.
There is a handful of genius uses for dryer sheets, but they’re best known for their ability to take your laundry routine up a notch. They’re simple to use, they eliminate static, and since they’re coated with fabric softener, they leave your laundry feeling—you guessed it—super soft. But before you toss a sheet or two in with your clean clothes, there are a few things you should know.
Too much fabric softener is actually a bad thing. It leaves a light coating on your clothes that can make them more flammable, lock in odors, and damage fabrics, especially synthetics like workout wear. This residue can also clog the screen in your dryer’s lint trap. The solution: If you’re going to use the sheets, skip the fabric softener in your wash cycle and clean your lint trap after every load. Ready to take your laundry to the next level? We’ve rounded up the nine best dryer sheets to give you the softest, best-smelling laundry. And while you’re here, you may also want to check out the safest laundry detergents and the best laundry detergents for sensitive skin.
Gain Dryer Sheets
Best Overall
If you want the best bang for your buck, this is it. These dryer sheets soften clothes, fight static, reduce wrinkles, meaning you might be able to avoid using a steamer or iron. Even better, they have a long-lasting scent that thousands of customers love. Plus, you’ll get 240 sheets per box. You only need one per load, but at this price, you won’t hesitate to toss in an extra for an added scent boost.
Highlights:
- Great value
- Smells great
- Available in most stores
Downy Infusions Calm Dryer Sheets
Best Scented
If you’re a lover of all things scented, then you’ve probably used, if not amassed, a collection of Downy scent beads. Well, scent lovers, get ready to rejoice because those heavenly fragrances are available in one of the best dryer sheets. Stick one of these in with your laundry to have the soothing scent of lavender and vanilla bean wash over you every time you walk into your laundry room. With these fragrant sheets, you’ll never need to learn how to use fabric softener.
Highlights:
- Smells amazing
- Lasting scent
- Easy to use
Molly’s Suds All-Natural Fabric Softener Dryer Sheets
Best Natural
Did you know that dryer sheets can actually be made with things like animal fats, skin irritants, plastics, and a slew of other ingredients that can make you say “ick”? Not these! If you’re looking for the best dryer sheets made from natural ingredients, then you can stop right here. These biodegradable sheets have just five ingredients, and they’re all plant and earth-based. Choose from lavender or unscented for the softest and safest laundry experience. And make sure you’re aware of the best dryer settings for each item of clothing.
Highlights:
- Certified cruelty-free
- Nontoxic
- Made with essential oils instead of synthetic fragrances
Snuggle Plus Super Fresh Fabric Softener Dryer Sheets
Best Odor Eliminator
Some odors can be especially tough to get out, even after a wash cycle or two (think of those musty towels you forgot to take out of the washing machine). Enter Snuggle Plus with odor-eliminating technology. Sold 105 sheets to a box, they have the same great scent you remember from when your mom still did your laundry. Only now, they do so much more. They soften your clothes, reduce static and wrinkles, and are the best dryer sheets if you want to get smells out of clothes.
Highlights:
- Eliminates tough odors
- Same fresh scent you’ve come to know and love
- Affordable
Bounce Pet Hair and Lint Guard Mega Dryer Sheets
Best for Pet Hair
Finding pet hair in the most unexpected places is just par for the course for pet owners. But thanks to Bounce pet hair dryer sheets, your clean laundry doesn’t have to be one of those places. These sheets are the best for people with pets because they contain ingredients that actually repel pet hair and reduce static from your clothes. They’re twice the size of other products, so they have even more ingredients to fight static, wrinkles, and pet hair.
Highlights:
- Repels pet hair and lint
- Twice the size of other sheets
- Three times more hair- and lint-fighting ingredients than other brands
Arm & Hammer Clean Sensations Dryer Sheets
Best Budget
Fresh-smelling clothes don’t have to cost an arm and a leg, and they don’t require loads of complicated ingredients. These dryer sheets soften clothes, reduce static, and will leave your clothes smelling fresh for just pennies a load. They are sold 100 sheets to a box and are made with Arm & Hammer baking soda, which in and of itself is an effective laundry booster. Baking soda in laundry can brighten and deodorize clothes and, if used alone in a machine, can clean a washer.
Highlights:
- Made with baking soda
- Smell isn’t overpowering
- Affordable
Seventh Generation Free & Clear Fabric Softener Sheets
Best Unscented
If someone in your family has sensitive skin, you’ll want to avoid scented sheets. But that doesn’t mean you still can’t add extra softness to your clothes. Seventh Generation’s dryer sheets are made with just four ingredients and are a USDA-certified bio-based product, with 97 percent of its ingredients being certified plant-based. By the way, here’s how to unshrink clothes.
Highlights:
- Hypoallergenic and dermatologist tested
- Made with 97 percent plant-based ingredients
- Unscented, with scented options available
Grab Green Natural Wet Dryer Sheets
Best Reusable
We know what you’re thinking: Why would I use wet sheets if my ultimate goal is to dry my laundry? But hear us out. Place a wet sheet into the dryer, and it’ll soften your clothes, reduce static, and reduce wrinkles—and it’ll also last for another load. Each box of 32 fragrance-free sheets is good for 64 loads. Buy it in a three-pack to save even more money. Best of all, the dryer sheets are created without wax or animal-derived ingredients, are non-toxic, and are compostable. Looking for a product you can reuse even more times? Try dryer balls.
Highlights:
- 94 percent natural
- Reusable and compostable
- Nontoxic
Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Dryer Sheets
Best Scent Selection
Smelling like a fresh mountain or an April shower isn’t for everyone. If you’re looking for some more sophisticated scent options, then Mrs. Meyer’s is for you. These paper dryer sheets contain plant-derived softening agents made without parabens and phthalates, and they come in garden-inspired scents like basil, honeysuckle, geranium, and lavender. In the mood for more laundry know-how? Read up on how to separate laundry for the cleanest, brightest clothes.
Highlights:
- Products not tested on animals
- Garden-inspired scents
- Biodegradable product and packaging
