What Happened to Bounce Dryer Bars? The Whole Story

Perhaps one of the best alternatives to liquid fabric softeners or dryer sheets, the Bounce dryer bar was a “fix-it-and-forget-it” way to soften your clothes and leave them smelling fresh well after the drier. 

So, what happened to Bounce Dryer Bars? According to Proctor & Gamble, Bounce Dryer Bars were discontinued due to lack of demand or interest. However, plenty of people are upset about P&G’s choice to discontinue the product. Although, in turn, dryer bars also made a lot of people frustrated.

Best of all, the only thing that was required to keep the same benefits coming was to check the bar and replace it, if needed. One bar could keep helping the clothes in your dryer for months on end. So, what happened to it? Was the Bounce dryer bar discontinued?

It is unclear whether lack of interest or customer complaints is the reason for discontinuing the product. This article aims to explain why dryer bars were terminated and what you can use to substitute for the dryer bars. This article will dry up all your questions regarding the dryer bar disaster.

The Dryer Bar–What Is It?

The Bounce dryer bar was a self-contained bar and holder that was attached to the side of the dryer drum. That's it. As the drum turned and the clothes passed over it, the bar would help reduce the static in your clothes and leave them feeling soft and smelling fresh.

Even with frequent loads of laundry, the bars would regularly last at least a month or more. Once the bar was completely used, all it took was 5 minutes on high with no clothes in the dryer, to loosen the adhesive enough to be peeled off with a spatula. In less time than that another could be stuck on for continued benefits. 

Are Bounce Dryer Bars Discontinued?

Unfortunately, Proctor and Gamble, the parent company of Bounce, and its manufacturers have discontinued the Bounce dryer bar product. The official answer was given via Twitter.

If They Were So Good, Why Were They Discontinued?

The official answer from Bounce’s Twitter feed–“Usually, when a product is discontinued, it’s due to low demand. It might help to know that our dryer sheets provide the same performance as the Bounce Bar.”

Given the feverish reaction from many, the claim of “low demand” has not been well received.

There was even a “change.org” petition started, hoping Proctor and Gamble/Bounce would reverse their decision and bring the bounce dryer bars back. Unfortunately for the loyal customers of the dryer bars, the petition did not gain enough traction to bring the product back.

What to Use Instead of a Bounce Dryer Bar

There are a few alternatives that offer some of the major benefits a Bounce dryer bar did. However, none last nearly as long and will need to be added to each load of laundry.

1. Dryer Sheets

If the response from Bounce is to be believed, and there is no real reason not to, using Bounce dryer sheets instead of a Bounce dryer bar is a great way to make your clothes soft and fragrant after the dryer cycle. 

There is a slight difference in how the sheets work from the dryer bars. Dryer sheets are infused with a fabric softener and a lubricating agent that is transferred to clothes when heated and tumbled in the dryer.

Be sure to carefully read the labels and information on the box of dryer sheets. Certain fragranced dryer sheets, liquid fabric softeners, and other laundry products, even those labeled green, eco-friendly, all-natural, or organic, may have potentially dangerous chemicals that can be transferred to clothing.

Look for scent-free dryer sheets that have the EPA safer choice label.

It is worth noting that dryer sheets can be costly on a per load scale, especially when considering the cost-benefit the Bounce dryer bar used to provide. The infusion of the lubricating agent may also make your clothes feel slightly slimy or worse, damage the fabric or cause the color to fade. 

2. Dryer Balls

A non-chemical/liquid alternative to the Bounce dryer bar and dryer sheets is dryer balls. They come in a variety of sizes and materials but primarily are softer plastic or rubber, or wool. These are especially useful in dryers where large loads ball or clump up.

The dryer balls disrupt the tumbling of the laundry in the dryer drum and help prevent clumping and balling. This disruption can make your clothes dry more efficiently, using less energy and saving money.

While the dryer balls work very well in reducing clumping in the drier and reducing static and drying time, they do not add any fragrance or soften your laundry. Depending on the detergent you use for the wash cycle, a dryer ball may be all you need.

3. Homemade

There are a few homemade alternatives for dryer sheets and dryer balls. 

The first is a combination of vinegar and baking soda. Rinse a washcloth with vinegar and add it to the laundry before the wash cycle. Then add a good amount of baking soda to the washer before starting and run a normal wash cycle. Vinegar is a natural deodorizer while baking soda dissolves organic compounds.

The safe reaction between the vinegar and baking soda is especially useful with towels or other fabrics that are regularly damp. The solution will help remove the smell of mildew and will rinse off.

For a cheaper alternative to store-bought dryer balls, you can consider using aluminum foil. All you have to do is tear off a few sheets of aluminum foil, one for each dryer ball, between two and three feet long, and crumple it up into a ball just under the size of a baseball. 

There is no exact measurement needed since irregular shapes and different sizes will be more effective in reducing the balling effect than perfectly round dryer balls or having all the same size. These dryer balls last as long as 2 months and cost less than a quarter each.

Are Bounce Dryer Sheets Worth the Hype?

Bounce fabric dryer sheets have been a leader in the market for dryer sheets. They are, in fact, worth the hype. They smell lovely, and they are typically successful when removing static, lint, and softening clothes.

It only takes one Bounce dryer sheet to work. There is even a type of dryer sheet that removes pet hair, which is perfect for dog and cat parents. The dryer sheets do their job. However, they can be expensive.

If you don't like the idea of using dryer sheets, you can always use vinegar and baking soda. It's not conventional (in the sense that it will make your clothes smell pristine), but in a pinch, the mixture works. 

Do Dryer Bars Work Compared to Dryer Sheets/Dryer Balls?

Whether or not dryer bars work compared to other items is up for debate. Some people feel that it is not worth the hassle of cleaning the remainder of the bar out of the dryer.

Others think that it makes clothes feel softer and fluffier.

The general consensus is that dryer balls are not as effective as dryer sheets when derailing static and softening clothes. Some customers have complained that dryer balls do not get rid of static cling, but they can decrease it by separating the clothes while they are in the dryer.

Dryer sheets soften clothes by mixing the fibers. Dryer balls do not have a pleasing aromatic scent. However, you can add a few drops of essential oil to them to make them more appealing.

Dryer balls also limit the time it takes for your clothes to dry because the hot air in the dryer circulates more freely. Dryer sheets do not have any effect on drying time. Also, dryer balls are reusable (unlike dryer sheets).

Alternatives Before the Dryer

Now that the Bounce Dryer Bars are virtually hard to find, you need other options. For results near what the Bounce dryer bar offered, it might also be worth looking at what you are using for your wash cycle. 

Some products such as Febreze’s Unstoppables (Fresh Scent!) or Fabric Refresher, Purex Crystals, or Downy Ultra-infusion are simply added to your wash cycle and provide nearly the same benefits. But, they are not as cost-effective as other alternatives and do not help with the efficiency of your dryer the way dryer balls do. 

Conclusion

Although you can no longer find a Bounce dryer bar, many alternatives give close to the same results. It would be worth looking at what you are looking for with your clothes and drying cycles to find out what's best. 

There may not be anything like the Bounce dryer bar that you can add to the dryer itself and replace after a month. However, a combination of dryer balls and a dryer sheet or vinegar and baking soda may make your clothes feel softer, smell fresher, and have a lot less static cling.

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