When we do laundry, why is there always a missing sock after it comes out of the dryer?

Answer 1

Under the right circumstances, the spinning of the dryer opens a small rift in the space-time continuum, and socks are the only things small enough to slip through. Somewhere in another dimension is someone complaining about getting more socks out of the dryer than they put into it.

Answer 2

At last this mystery is solved through a $2 million study conducted by Washington State University in 2003:

After inventorying 1638 washloads by college students, both before and after the complete laundry process, it was determined that the most probable cause of missing socks was that a missing sock had, through the motions of either the washer and/or dryer, caused it to move into a pants leg or shirt/jacket sleeve. Thus, after completing a washload and attempting to find a missing sock, it could not be found in most instances by the student as it was not conceived that the missing sock, having been seen entering in the washer/dryer, must still be with the clothes. Erroneously, some students concluded that the missing sock(s) must have either been eaten by the dryer, taken by gnomes, or one-footed aliens. Highly-trained research personnel later showed students the missing sock(s) already in their laundry that were up the pants legs or shirt/jacket sleeves. In rare instances, the sock(s) even managed to get into pockets.

Answer 3

This a advanced Physics Question really, you see according to String theory there are a lot of tiny curled up dimensions in everything and when a sock is in a dryer due to the rotation and the way they are knitted into a long tubular form they tend to unravel into one of these dimensions that I have dubbed the SOCK Dimension, I could explain more but it would involve pages of math you would not understand and I am waiting to publish and get my Nobel Prize.

Answer 4

Several years ago we had our washer or dryer repaired but there were a number of lone socks inside so the rumors are true the dryer really does eat your socks!!!

Answer 5

double check the washing machine when unloading and filling the dryer....and/or do what I do....count them going in and coming out....if you start with an odd number you know you are missing one and its probably still under the bed...my husband swears the dryer eats them but this is not possible. We used to have a central vacuum...now that thing could swallow socks....

Answer 6

Could be the gnomes; if you neglect them, they do cause lots of mischief around the house.

Are you sure the sock didn't go missing before you put it in the dryer??

Answer 7

Because the one footed aliens open our dryers at night and take a sock for their return flight. That's what we have concluded, anyhow. ;-)

Answer 8

Instead of washing and drying the socks loosely, put them in a mesh or nylon net bag that has a zipper.

Answer 9

Socks are always trying to escape

Answer 10

I'm collecting them to form an international sock show....