Dryer Sheets Concerns

Technology offers people unlimited options, it seems. What are the drawbacks to new-fangled products. When it comes to dryer sheets, there always seems to be a new scent, or something added to make people want it desperately. They seem like great ideas at first glance, but it's worth another look to see might be within the additives to certain new products.

Recent studies on dryer sheet fragrances have led to concerns about carcinogens

Recent studies have shown that dryer sheets can contain toxic chemicals, such as:

• dipalmethyl hydroxyethylammoinum methosulfate, a softening and antistatic agent
• fatty acid, a softening agent
• polyester substrate, a carrier
• clay, a rheology modifier, which helps control the viscosity of the coating as it begins to melt in the dryer
• fragrance

https://www.healthline.com/health/dryer-sheets-toxicity#ingredients

Some dryer sheets leave residue on clothes and sheets that shed where you sit or sleep. What are you breathing as you sleep? Asthmatics should be especially careful using dyer sheets - a good ideas is to eliminate them. 

Healthier alternatives to fragranced dry sheets include the following:

• Reusable wool dryer balls. You can find them online.
• White vinegar. Spray some vinegar on a washcloth and add it to the dryer, or add a 1/4 cup of vinegar to your washer’s rinse cycle.
• Baking soda. Add a little baking soda to your laundry during the wash cycle.
• Aluminum foil. Crumple the foil into a ball about the size of a baseball, and toss it in the dryer with your laundry to reduce static.
• Reusable static eliminating sheets. Products such as AllerTech or ATTITUDE are nontoxic, hypoallergenic, and fragrance-free.
• Air-drying. Hang your laundry on a clothesline rather than putting it in the dryer.

https://www.healthline.com/health/dryer-sheets-toxicity#takeaway

It all sounds so old-fashioned, but it might just be worth trying some of these alternatives for the sake of health.