Everything Comes Out in the Wash?

I was at the store this afternoon picking up the wooden clothes pins for me new washing line that hangs off my balcony. My friend is also the store manager and we discussed the decision to dry laundry outside instead of using the dryer and offsetting our carbon footprints. She mentioned that it was a lucky thing as that meant I would no longer be using toxic dryer sheets to clean my family’s clothes.

What? What have I missed? Toxic dryer sheets?

Apparently, there are numerous articles in print and online explaining the hidden dangers of using static cling sheets or dryer sheets in your laundry. Rather than just a nice smelling piece of fabric that “somehow” (aaah the naivety of the unexamined!) improve the feel and smell of your clothes and reduce that prickly painful shocking that occurs when two wool sweaters have a meeting of the minds in high temperatures.

So of course, I hurried home (walking not driving- I’m working on that whole footprint thing) to find out the truth behind the hidden life of dryer sheets.

So here’s the scoop. According to proponents of change and advocates of living a greener more chemical free lifestyle, dryer sheets are a cause of allergies, disorders and illness. They are full of toxic chemicals that are approved by the government for such uses as no-one actually eats or drinks a dryer sheet so where’s the harm?

The harm of course being the fact these little sheets of fluffy goodness are actually a detriment to the planet, encourage unnecessary energy use (electric dryer use) and may leave harmful chemicals on my child’s clothing. Those chemicals and toxins allegedly include, according to care2.com:

“Benzyl acetate: Linked to pancreatic cancer.
Benzyl Alcohol: Upper respiratory tract irritant.
Ethanol: On the EPA’s Hazardous Waste list and can cause central nervous system disorders.
Limonene: Suspected Gastrointestinal or Liver Toxicant, Immunotoxicant,
Kidney Toxicant, Neurotoxicant,
Respiratory Toxicant, and Skin or Sense Organ Toxicant.
A-Terpineol: Can cause respiratory problems, including fatal edema, and central nervous system damage.
Ethyl Acetate: A narcotic on the EPA’s Hazardous Waste list.
Camphor: Causes central nervous system disorders.
Chloroform: Neurotoxic, anesthetic and carcinogenic.
Linalool: A narcotic that causes central nervous system disorders.
Pentane: A chemical known to be harmful if inhaled.”

A few non toxic options exist, the green alternative to traditional static cling sheets, but really, isn’t the only green option to stop using a dryer altogether?

But here’s my problem. I couldn’t find any reliable government based sources regarding the issue and therefore cannot say whether or not the claims are true or at least, as bad as they sound. But the fact that all the dryer sheet sites I went to looking for an ingredients list were less than forthcoming with the chemical composition of their products makes be think “more matter less art” (well, the cover up is practically Shakespearian). I guess I found enough sources to convince me not to use dryer sheets. What you do to help the planet breathe more easily is up to you. A carbon credit for every anti static maneuver?

I also heard that if you put a little white vinegar into the washing machine with the clothes, it will soften the fabric and prevent static buildup.

There you go. A real organic solution. I can’t tell you if it works. I’ve opted for wind energy and solar power for drying my unmentionables.