Eco Friendly Fabric Softeners

Eco Friendly Fabric Softeners

We all love clothes that smell clean. However, did you know there are some real drawbacks to conventional dryer sheets and fabric softener?

Besides being costly and harmful for the environment, conventional dryer sheets have a disturbing list of possible health effects due to the toxic chemicals they’re made with. Some brands even contain carcinogenic chemicals. When you use dryer sheets, those same chemicals that coat clothing with a layer of softness are actually coating the clothing with chemicals which can then be absorbed into your skin when you wear the garments. Be extra careful if you have small kids as they are more susceptible to the endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in dryer sheets.

What can we do? Well, we can make our own healthier version!

How to Make Zero Waste Dryer Sheets:

Note: Vinegar has a potent scent, but it evaporates during the drying process, leaving just the light smell of essential oils.

Supplies

4+ pieces of clean cloth (small towels, washcloths, rags, cloth scraps, etc)
1 cup white vinegar
25+ drops high quality essential oil (my faves for laundry are lavender, geranium, sandalwood and eucalyptus)
Glass storage container with lid (I use a 32oz mason jar)

Directions

Place the pieces of cloth in your container.
Mix your vinegar and essential oils in a separate bowl.
Pour over cloth in jar until moistened, but not dripping with saturation. Keep any excess vinegar mix in another lidded mason jar for the next round.
Use one cloth in the dryer per load of laundry.
Repeat the process after the cloths have been dried, and run through the wash every 2-3 weeks depending on usage (or when you’re ready to change scents).

TIP: I keep a second set of clean cloths on backup to rotate in while I wash the first set.

Let me know in the comments what you think!

 

Comments: 1

  1. future100100 says:

    We love this! You are so brilliant! Stunning on the inside and out! You are the total package!

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