Let me ask you this: is static that big of a problem?

I only have it happen for 1/10 of my loads in the winter due to low humidity. And the only things affected are my bedsheets

Add a 1/4 cup of distilled vinegar where you normally put in bleach. Vinegar is really good at removing smells, cheap, and doesn’t leave a residual smell on the clothes

It does smell, but only until it dries

Dryer balls supposedly help with this

From what I’ve heard, dryer balls help the drying process by warming up faster than the wet clothes and drying from inside the pile. And even if that turns out to have been misinformation, I’m not too annoyed by it because it’s a single low-cost expense whereas dryer sheets are consumables

Not only that, some people (including myself) are sensitive to the oils used. Having underwear that actively makes you itchy sucks. I switched to wool dryer balls and never looked back