Dryer Sheets

Gone are the days that we spend the afternoon hanging our clothes outside to dry in the fresh air and sunshine. And if you live in western Washington, there are only a few short months of the year that you could actually do so. These days throwing our clothes in the dryer is much more practical and convenient, and scented laundry soup or dryer sheets provide the "freshness" that we desire.  And I have to admit, I almost always haphazardly throw in a scented dryer sheet ignoring what crazy chemicals may be lurking inside. Why? Because I love the refreshing smell. Hmm, that seems like a silly excuse now that I say it out loud. I have always known that there would be a few chemicals, but I was oblivious to just how dangerous they could be, especially to our wee ones. Now that I have one of those wee ones of my own, I decided it was time to do some investigating. 

Let's start at the beginning. What does a dryer sheet actually do? Besides adding a fresh scent, we also use them to soften fabrics and decrease static cling. In every box you'll find the same stack of slightly tacky polyester sheets. This familiar texture is caused by the added surfactant, a compound that contains a positive charge and a fatty molecule. As the surfactant heats in the dryer, the fatty substance (often a quaternary ammonium salt or silicone oil) coats your clothes making them softer, while the positive atoms aid in preventing embarrassing static. 

Now that we smell fresh and our clothes aren't clinging to us, it's easy to ignore the toxic film that coats our stylish duds. But when we wear these clothes, the moisture in our skin causes our bodies to absorb these chemicals.  And the more we perspire, the easier it is for our bodies to absorb them. Since many of these chemicals are actually solvents, they are pros at moving through cellular membranes and entering tissues of the body. 

"Yeah, yeah...but I don't see any chemicals listed on my box of dryer sheets?"

Exactly! Companies wouldn't willingly list such nasty ingredients on their product. That would make it too easy for buyers to avoid them. Cleaning products are only required to list ingredients that are active disinfectants or known to be hazardous. They get around having to list these chemicals, despite being known hazards, because regulatory agencies, such as the FDA, suggest that these chemicals are not absorbed by the skin. A complete fallacy! Yes, the toxins absorbed through our skin are in much smaller quantities than if we were to directly  ingest them through food, but still absorbed nonetheless. Think about it. We are wearing these clothes all day long and sleeping on sheets and pillow cases coated with this stuff at night. That's 24 hours of constant contact with our skin.

Here are the ingredients of Bounce dryer sheets found on the PG&P website: Dipalmethyl hydroxyethylammoinum methosulfate (softening and antistatic agent), fatty acid (softening agent), polyester (substrate carrier), clay rheology (modifier), and fragrance (link to 19 pages of chemicals that could be included in this mix). 

Dipalmethyl hydroxyethylammoinum methosulfate is rated a D+ on the EWG website, which means that it is a "high concern" and there are likely hazards to health or environment. They don't list what specific chemicals were used in the development of the fragrance but instead links to a nineteen page document of scary chemical names. Ninety-five percent of chemicals used in fragrances are synthetic compounds derived from petroleum. They include benzene derivatives, aldehydes and many other known toxics and sensitizers - capable of causing cancer, birth defects, central nervous system disorders and allergic reactions. (Neurotoxins: At Home and the Workplace, Report by the Committee on Science & Technology, U.S. House of Representatives, Sept. 16, 1986. Report 99-827)

These are only a few reasons of why intelligent consumers who wish to protect their health avoid brand name dryer sheets, laundry detergents, and even perfumes and colognes that are all made with toxic fragrance chemicals that can cause cancer, liver disorders, Alzheimer's disease and many other chronic diseases. 

What can you do instead? 

I recently found these lavender sachets at Trader Joe's and love them! They are a bit more subtle than I am used to, but add a fresh, relaxing scent nonetheless.

 

As far as the static and softness go, try wool dryer balls. My SIL bought us a 3-pack that look like billiards balls and they work great. Some people also prefer to pour a bit of white vinegar into the washing machine during the rinse cycle. Vinegar can soften clothes, has a mild anti-static effect, and can get rid of mildew. Plus, it's cheap!

In what ways have you started to detox your life?