Dryer sheets.

Did you know that the common brands of dryer sheets (like Downy, Bounce, Snuggle, etc.) are some of the most potentially toxic consumables used in homes? Even more so than personal care and cleaning products. The main reason dryer sheets can be toxic to human health is because of that F word, you know - fragrance. For the sake of your clothes coming out of the dryer smelling like a meadow, these little sheets are packed with a highly concentrated amount of chemicals labeled as ‘fragrance’. These chemicals essentially melt off the sheet from the heat of the dryer and transfer to your laundry. If you’ve been around this space for some time you’ve heard about fragrance and know that it can include over 3,000 different chemicals. Dryer sheet manufacturers are not required to disclose any information about which of these 3,000 chemicals under the term fragrance are used. In fact, the Consumer Product Safety Commission doesn’t require manufacturers to disclose ingredients at all [1]. 

According to the Environmental Wellness Group, an independent non-profit that conducts studies and collects research on the effects of chemicals, the human health concerns with fragrance include organ system toxicity (specifically lungs), endocrine disruption, immune toxicity, allergenic effects, and respiratory irritation [2]. Because skin is porous and a direct pathway to the bloodstream, when chemicals are absorbed into the skin it can be just as harmful as if they were ingested. If a label has a warning about ingestion of the product, it should be treated as a warning for skin contact as well.  

An example of an ingredient commonly found in dryer sheets and masked by the label fragrance is limonene. It gives off a citrus smell but is a volatile organic compound, meaning it forms secondary pollutants. The use of this unstable chemical can actually create even worse chemicals, like formaldehyde in the case of limonene. Think about this for a second - the fresh smell you may love when your laundry comes out of the dryer could contain an ingredient that forms a chemical used to embalm human bodies to preserve them for burial [1]. This should not be allowed, but somehow it is. 

There are several other chemicals commonly found in dryer sheets that have been linked to possible endocrine disruption such as benzyl acetate, chloroform, dichlorobenzene, benzyl alcohol, camphor, biodegradable cationic softeners, alpha terpineol, pentane and linalool [3]. 

The good news is, there are better options! There is a common misconception that switching to cleaner products is more expensive. While there are times you’ll pay a premium for premium ingredients, there are SO MANY WAYS you can make an impact on lowering your toxic load without paying an arm and a leg. In the case of dryer sheets, the nontoxic solution is actually cheaper.

The best nontoxic option for replacing dryer sheets is to use an organic wool dryer ball. You can add a plant-based fabric freshener (such as Grow Fragrance) or a few drops of your favorite essential oil to the ball before tossing it in the dryer to achieve the same effect. To soften your clothes, simply add white vinegar in place of fabric softener to your wash cycle. Both options are less expensive overall than continually buying a potentially toxic consumable.