Practically everyone who has ever been in charge of household laundry has experienced the same mysterious problem — missing socks. Somewhere between your washing machine and the dryer, it seems like many socks vanish without a trace. So did the dryer actually eat them, as some like to say? As the team at Carolina Appliance Service in Matthews, NC, explains, this isn’t just an urban legend. There are several ways your socks can disappear, and sometimes it may even result in the need for dryer repair.

In most cases, missing socks can be found rather easily — they usually cling to the sides of the dryer, and sometimes they’ll get stuck to areas that aren’t immediately visible. Feeling around inside the dryer can help you find what you’re looking for.

But the dryer can actually “eat” your socks. Most dryers have a small rubber seal on the inside, typically located near the front of the unit. Over time, this seal can break down, creating an opening where lint and small articles of clothing will get trapped. As the dryer spins the clothes, socks can easily slip into this area. Some dryers also have a secondary filter located below the drying area. Occasionally, socks will make it past the dryer’s main filter and end up in this space.

In extreme cases, your socks could slip all the way through the damaged seal and fall into the inner machinery of the dryer. If too many socks fall into the area, they could interfere with the unit’s mechanical operation, requiring dryer repair services.

Whether you need dryer repair or preventative maintenance for your other appliances, you can depend on Carolina Appliance Service to get the job done. Serving as the area’s go-to appliance service team since 1993, their factory-trained specialists will provide a prompt response that directly addresses your dryer repair needs. To learn more about their services, visit them online or call (704) 847-0004.