Does the dryer actually eat your socks? Laundry experts reveal the truth

One of the oldest household mysteries is that a single sock is missing after washing. We check the washer and dryer, the insides of our pant legs, and anywhere else we think it might be hiding – but still nothing. Where could those lost socks be? Laundry experts give us their professional opinion on what really happens to those lost socks and how we can prevent socks from going missing in the future.

Does the dryer actually “eat” socks?

Mary Gagliardi (aka Dr. Laundry), Clorox’s in-house scientist and cleaning expert, says there are many ways a sock can go missing, especially children’s socks. She points out that socks need to go into the laundry basket or hamper, then into the washer, out of the washer and into the dryer, then out of the dryer and into another basket, and then folded and put away. Dryers are blamed for “eating” socks because they’re the last place you’d expect the sock to be, but it’s actually more likely that a missing sock got lost somewhere else in the process, she says.

“Dryers are closed systems — except for the lint filter, which, if not properly installed, can allow small items to get into the lint filter. Therefore, it’s unlikely that a dryer will ‘eat’ a sock. If it’s not in the lint filter, it’s unlikely that it’s in the dryer at all,” says Gagliardi.

Sammy Wang, a senior fabric care specialist at P&G Tide, agrees that the dryer doesn’t typically “eat” socks, although very small items like bobby pins, paper clips or coins can slip between the gaps in the dryer and get lost inside the machine. Socks don’t usually fall into those gaps because they’re too big, Wang says.

How do small items of laundry disappear?

“When small items like coins or paper clips get lost in the dryer, they can slip into the gaps between the inner and outer dryer drums,” says Wang. “For this reason, the only way to get to them is to completely disassemble the dryer, which should only be done by service professionals.”

When small socks — like baby or child socks — get lost after washing, Wang says they can actually get through the gaps in the washer (but not the dryer) when the spin speed is high, leaving them trapped between the metal drum and the outer plastic drum. She says she’s also seen socks end up in the drain pump or filter screen of a washing machine.

How to check if items are missing from your washing machine

If you can access the filter screen on your washing machine, you can open it to check if the drain is clogged. (Wang also recommends this as a regular maintenance measure!) If you can’t access the filter screen on your washing machine, you’ll need to take the machine apart, but this should only be done by service professionals.

Some top-loading washing machines have a gap between the metal exterior and the inner basket that is large enough for very small items to accidentally fall through. This means socks can end up on the floor between the drum and the outside of the washer. While front-loading washing machines have gaskets to seal the drum, socks can sometimes get stuck in the folds of the gasket, so don’t forget to check there too.

How to prevent socks from getting lost

If you’re looking for an easy way to keep an eye on your socks during the wash cycle, put them in a mesh laundry bag before washing. This will keep them in one place and allow them to be used in both the washer and dryer. “Just be careful not to over-stuff the mesh bag so the socks have room to move around and get clean and dry,” Wang advises.