MtA_BIOL2201_2026 Dryer Sheet Investigation
Mar 24, 2026 • 1:28 PM UTC
Canada
140x Magnification
Non-Living
Elizabeth Halcovitch
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While doing laundry I decided to investigate what a dryer sheet looked under the microscope. The following is the picture I took with my Foldscope 2.0 at 140x magnification and no phone magnification. As well as a picture of the full sheet.
This mixture/substance holding the fibers together surprised me. Especially where it was saturating the fibers so much. After a bit of research, I discovered it is a mixture of ammonia salts and fragrances which are present to make clothes soft and smell good after being put through the dryer. After doing my laundry, I noticed a difference in the sheet I had used. So again, I pulled out my foldscope and investigated. The following is a picture of the used dryer sheet under the fold scope at 140x magnification and of the full sheet.
The mixture had completely disappeared! Previously I had thought that dryer sheets could be used for multiple loads but since the fabric softening mixture disappeared there is no other use for the dryer sheet after a load. All of its functions come from the salt mixture including the nice smell, reduced static, and reduced lint. So now I know to throw the sheets out after only 1 load!
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