Don’t you just love opening the dryer door and being wafted with the clean, fresh flowery scent of a dryer sheet? Heavenly. And the clothes come out so soft. Since manufacturers are not bound by law to reveal the ingredients of a scent, what you are inhaling is in reality no piece of heaven at all, but rather toxic chemicals cleverly disguised as the sweet smell of nature, and designed to infuse fabric with a false sense of “cuddly bear” softness.
Researchers at the University of Washington took leading brands of fabric sheets and did an analysis of the air exiting the dryer vent. They uncovered 7 dangerous air pollutants, two of which, acetaldehyde and benzene, are classified as carcinogens by the Environmental Protection Agency. These two chemicals coat fabric to give it a softer feel, so you are in essence, wearing them, and just as with nicotine patches, the chemicals are absorbed by the skin they come in contact with.
So just how does one have their families clothing come out soft and rosy fresh without subjecting them to hazardous chemical contact? It only stands to reason, if chemicals are used to replicate natures scent, and soften fibers, why not go straight to natural ingredients and achieve the same purpose? It’s really quite simple to make your own natural, and re-usable, dryer sheets.
The first thing you will need is some flannel. An old shirt will work just fine. Cut the flannel into strips, roughly 3 inches wide by 5 inches high, and set them aside.
Using a natural fabric softener, such as Ecover, mix ¼ cup with ¾ cup of water in a small mixing bowl. Warm water will allow the solution to mix better. Whisk the mixture very quickly. If a bit of separation remains, that’s okay, it’s to be expected.
Find a container for the strips, such as an empty disposable wipes container, and place the strips inside. If they will not fit, simply cut the strips into more appropriate sizes. If you prefer being fancy, roll the strips together and place them in a decorative jar. You can then pull them out one by one by starting in the middle.
Pour your mixture directly over the flannel strips and give the container a gentle shake or two to get things started. After about an hour, the solution should be totally absorbed, and they are ready for use.
Before each use, re-shake the container. If a sheet is not totally moist, or more-moist in one area than another, this is okay, it will not decrease the effectiveness.
Use one dryer sheet per load, and keep another empty container to store the used ones for when you mix up your next batch.