Dryer sheets are gauze-like tissues about the size of a Kleenex, put into clothes dryers to eliminate static cling, soften clothes and add artificial fragrance. They are sold in small boxes or plastic "pull-up" dispenser bottles, generally found near the laundry detergent in any grocery store.

When clothes tumble inside a dryer, friction causes an exchange of electrons on the surface of the materials. Items acquiring excess electrons become negatively charged while those losing electrons become positively charged. The items attract and cling together. The electric charge, which by some estimates can be as much as 12,000 volts, is commonly referred to as static cling. Dryer sheets are coated with positively charged substances that rub off on the clothes in the dryer in the presence of heat. With the clothes positively charged, there is no static cling.

Other chemicals in dryer sheets help to soften clothes and make them wrinkle resistant. Finally, dryer sheets include fragrances that make your clothes smell fresh. Because of the anti-static, fragrance-rich properties of dryer sheets, many people claim they work well for other household purposes. Following is a small sampling of such suggested uses, though results might vary:

Tips for used dryer sheets:

• Rub across clean mini-blinds to reduce dust build-up.
• Lightly wipe over a TV screen to eliminate static-cling.
• Clean soap scum off shower doors.

Tips for new dryer sheets:

• Place in a drawer or closet to keep clothes smelling fresh.
• Put on inside a sweater or garment bag to keep stored clothes from getting musty.
• Insert a dryer sheet in each shoe at night to help eliminate odors.

There is some concern among certain groups over the use of dryer sheets, as the chemicals they contain are known carcinogens. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved their use in dryer sheets based on the assumption that chemicals passed from clothes to the skin would not and do not penetrate the skin. Many believe this to be an outmoded notion, pointing to treatment "patches" such as the nicotine patch, which relies on chemicals passing through the skin to be effective.

As an alternative to chemical-based dryer sheets, all natural dryer sheets are now available. For example, The Static Eliminator claims to be not only chemical-free, but reusable. One sheet purportedly does 500 loads of laundry. Just toss it in the dryer and leave it there. These dryer sheets do not provide fragrance —- they simply eliminate static cling without chemicals.

Other natural dryer sheets include Hand-Maid X-Static, which uses a silver coated nylon material to eliminate static cling. This "sheet" resembles a cotton glove, and it too can be reused hundreds of times. If all natural dryer sheets work as long as is claimed, they are potentially less expensive in the long run than most brand name dryer sheets. A chemical-free, reusable dryer sheet commonly costs between US$15 - $20 and lasts up to one year or more.