The Curious Case of the Missing Socks

[PirateLover]

Everyone gets frustrated when they cannot find the match to a sock. Where did it go?
Most of us assume it's stuffed in the back of a drawer somewhere, or somehow made its way under the bed. We put the mismatched sock aside, thinking one day we'll find its mate, until one day we just give up and throw it away.

Well, I have some good and some bad news. My husband and I now have concrete evidence that socks do indeed go missing in the dryer. Yesterday I washed some new clothes, including brand new socks. I opened each package right at the washing machine.
Later, I transferred all items to the dryer. Everything was accounted for. My husband emptied the dryer and found that a brand new bright blue sock had NO MATCH. How could this be? The socks had not even been worn yet! They went RIGHT INTO THE MACHINE! We didn't even have a chance to lose it yet.

So, where do they go? Does the sock gremlin steal them? Is it a conspiracy between dryer and sock manufacturers? Either way at least we now have evidence that we're not all crazy. They really do go missing.

[Itchy]

Did you hear the dryer go BURPPP?

That is how you know when they eat them.

[Ed]

I blame those evil IASW dolls.

[AvaNellMouse]

I always find the white sock that was hiding against the side of the washer - when I pull it out of the dryer with the load of black clothes. Those socks are so sneaky!

[SBETigg]

This is very important research. Thank you for sharing your findings.

[Kairi_7378]

I've found them inside pant legs. They are indeed sneaky!

[TheVBs]

I've found them inside the corners of fitted sheets. However, like you said, they sometimes just flat out disappear! Makes me crazy. I had one of my girls brand new one piece bathing suits disappear in the wash years ago, and it's still bugging me.

[PlutoToo]

I read once upon a time, that the washer and dryer create a vortex that inhales one sock of a pair and deposits it in the Bermuda Triangle.

[DonLefNY]

My son just got back from college yesterday and told us quite often when he did his laundry in the dorm, he found he had more socks than he started with.

[stephicakes]

I found a missing sock once inside the arm of my sweatshirt while I was wearing it... while in a store

[BedknobsandBroomsticks]

Check the rubber gasket around the opening to the washer drum. My 9 year old son found 3 missing socks there. I check there now and find one about 2x a week

[luvDaMouse]

Ok some may find this gross, but I thought it was funny.........Someone once told me that all the lint we find in our belly buttons is all the missing socks all over the world

[disneymom15]

Well, if anyone happens to find a new pair of white with pink striped shorty socks, they're mine. They went missing between Disney and home last December. I know they were packed in the luggage when we left and poof, gone.
I've been looking everywhere.

[PirateLover]

LOVE the responses! Keep em coming! We have a top loading washer but a front loading dryer. (They are stacked).

To be honest, those IASW dolls did come to mind They sure get around.

Never thought about the Bermuda Triangle, but that makes about as much sense as anything else, so why not!

Keep the sock stories coming, and I'll be sure to inform you if we make any more progress in determining where our socks have been going.

[MNNHFLTX]

I've heard they have an affinity for dryer vents. My theory is that they are trying to escape outside to freedom (think "Finding Nemo").

[Fangorn]

I'm pretty sure that the current cosmological theory that deals with parallel space/time has, as one of its tenants, that the driving force behind all existance is the movement of specific particles from one space/time to another. In our space/time, these particles manifest as socks, and the mechanism by which they are transported is the clothes dryer.

Based on this theory, if socks didn't disappear in the dryer, the entire fabric of the multiverse would cease to exist.

So when you see this happening, feel pleased that you are contributing to our continued existance.

Steve

[disneymom15]

Just came to mind, maybe the socks have a mind of there own. Stinky feet, stinky shoes! Just sayin!

[Ed]

According to Answers.com ~~

Lost socks is a result of the rotational energy of the dryer drum creating micro black holes along the lines of gravitational nuclear thermodynamic flux - the socks drop into the black hole and emerge on the other side of the space time continuum - some poor alien planet is covered in old socks.

This has been proven by the fact I visited the planet Saturn last year and indeed did find some old socks I had lost ....

[Princess'Mom]

Well, if anyone happens to find a new pair of white with pink striped shorty socks, they're mine. They went missing between Disney and home last December. I know they were packed in the luggage when we left and poof, gone.
I've been looking everywhere.

That's happened to me be before - you go on a trip, and your socks don't make it back home with you. I guess they make their escape when they can!

[MstngDrvnDsnyLvr]

And if you place that single sock that is missing the mate into a basket - it then mates with the other single socks creating a large population of mixed breed single socks - with the rare occasional twin birth making it possible to remove a complete pair when going through said basket.