After Testing 82 Loads of Laundry, I Can Say These Are the 3 Best-Smelling Dryer Sheets

Name: Bath & Body Works Dryer Sheets
Brand: bath & body works
Price: 8 USD

These scents rival your favorite perfume

Author image: Candace Davison, PureWow vice president of editorial content

By Candace Davison

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Published Feb 19, 2026

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ouai/dedcool/bath & body works

If I’m doing laundry, it better smell good. It makes the chore borderline enjoyable. But often, by the time clothes come out of the dryer, the scent is but a whisper of the luscious aroma I once sniffed when I poured in the detergent. It got me thinking: Could I strengthen the scent by adding a coordinating dryer sheet? Could I extend the scent layering trend to my laundry, pairing complementary fragrances for a more indulgent experience?

Since clothes need to be washed anyway, I got to work, testing all kinds of dryer sheets as I tumbled through load after load of clothes, linens and towels. Here are the brands—and fragrances—that made the cut.

How I Tested the Best-Smelling Dryer Sheets

After researching the top dryer sheet brands and taking in recommendations, I put ten types to the test, using each one at least three times. During that process, I recorded how strong their scent was out of the box, how much they lingered on clothing afterward and how well they softened and reduced static (as that is their primary job, after all). I tried them with various laundry detergents, including unscented varieties, to see how the scents stood out on their own versus how well they complemented—or amplified—detergent.

After all of this testing, there’s one thing I’ll note: Across the board, dryer sheets don’t add much of a lingering fragrance. They’re best paired with a detergent in the same scent, or paired with one that complements said scent, which is why I’ve included recommendations in the bullets below.

Until AI finds a way to tackle this task for us, hopefully this finds you with a more whimsical wash day.

The Best-Smelling Dryer Sheets, Reviewed

laundry sauce

Best-Smelling Dryer Sheets Overall

1. Laundry Sauce Luxury Scented Dryer Sheets

laundry sauce

Top Scents: Australian Sandalwood, Himalayan Cashmere, Italian Bergamot
Pairs Well With: Coordinating laundry pods & scent boosters; for a warm, cozy vibe, pair Australian Sandalwood pods with Himalayan Cashmere sheets

Laundry Sauce is the Chanel No. 5 of laundry care. Their fragrance oils are top-notch; blends you’d expect from a fine perfume rather than a laundry pod, and their dryer sheets are no exception. While the scent throw is much milder in a dryer sheet than the pod, I recommend these as part of a complete laundry care system. (And if you really want to amplify your fragrance, consider using the In-Wash Scent Booster, too.)

Last summer’s Mohave Peach is my all-time favorite scent—one I’m crossing my fingers they’ll bring back—though Australian Sandalwood is a close second, if you like earthy, woody scents, or Italian Bergamot, if you crave something citrusy and bright. The limited-edition Himalayan Cashmere is a great pick for the winter and early spring months, when you just want to feel cozy.

FROM ~~$25~~; $21 at Laundry Sauce

bath & body works

Best Range of Fragrances

2. Bath & Body Works Dryer Sheets

bath & body works

Top Scents: Sun-Drenched Linen, Lavender Vanilla, Mahogany Teakwood
Pairs Well With: You can coordinate detergent and dryer sheets for a stronger scent, or try scent layering. For a beachy-clean vibe, try Sun-Drenched Linen detergent with Cactus Blossom dryer sheets. For something a little cozier and sultrier, pair Mahogany Teakwood with Moonlit Goddess

Bath & Body Works is on a mission to envelop your entire life in your favorite scent. The brand’s taken its top fragrances across bodycare and candles, applying them to laundry detergent and, as of this past September, dryer sheets. In terms of romanticizing your life, having a signature scent that extends from your skin to your home to your clothes is kind of magical, right?

And the scents hold up in dryer sheet form. They had the second-strongest throw, behind Laundry Sauce, at a more affordable price point. Plus, with the sheer variety of scents offered, you can really mix and match (not to mention, the brand often offers two-for-$12 discounts if you do).

$8 at Bath & Body Works

dedcool x ouai

Trendiest Laundry Care Duo

3. DedCool x OUAI Melrose Place Dryer Sheets

dedcool x ouai

Top Scent: Melrose Place (only scent in collaboration at this time)

Pairs Well With: DedCool x OUAI Melrose Place Dedtergent

OUAI is renowned for haircare that doesn’t just make your locks look good—it makes people stop you and say, “ooh, what fragrance are you wearing?” The brand originally partnered with DedCool to launch laundry detergent and dryer sheets back in 2023 and sold out quickly. Three years later, it’s back, offering a romantic whiff of rose, bergamot, cedarwood and musk to your laundry routine. It’s floral without skewing potpourri; more dreamy and ethereal than woodsy. The scent is more subtle than the others on this list, making it great for households where some people are more sensitive to fragrances.

FROM $16 at DedCool

From $16 at OUAI

$46 (for dryer sheets & detergent) at DedCool

Candace Davison

VP of editorial content

Oversees home, food and commerce articles
Author of two cookbooks and has contributed recipes to three others
Named one of 2023's Outstanding Young Alumni at the University of South Florida, where she studied mass communications and business

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