Dangers of Fabric Softeners and Dryer Sheets

Last year a “old” friend of mine from high school  called me and was stoked about a company called Norwex.  After educating me a bit about the Green Eco-friendly products she sells,  I agreed to host a cleaning supply show at my house. Now, Im sure when I invited my friends and family to my “cleaning party” they were all thinking .. Uh, Boring Katie! Well, it wasn’t! It was a blast and very educational, to say the least. I’ll never look at cleaning supplies the same way again. I have always known that they were dangerous, but maybe like most people I had been avoiding making the transition into “green Eco-friendly cleaners because store bought ones are so easy to grab from the shelf and go, all be-it, rarely do they actually clean the way they are supposed to do!

There were two products that Kristina had that stood out to me and I was sold instantly! 1 was the Norwex envirocloth, a all purpose anti-bac cleaning cloth for bathrooms to kitchens, and the other was the wool Dryer balls!

I have asked Kristina to write a guest post on my blog regarding the dangers of fabric softeners and dryer sheets.  I Personally will never buy conventional dryer sheets ever again, I’m sold for life.  Friends, I truly hope you make the switch as well.

Check it out..

Guest post by Kristina Eaton

Did you know fabric softeners and dryer sheets are harmful and dangerous to your health? About 99.8% of Americans use these products as part of their everyday laundry routine. Would you continue to use them if you knew how harmful they are to your health…and the environment? Are they really the only thing that make our clothes feel soft and fresh and keep that annoying static away from our clothing? The answer is, NO! I would like to share with you the dangers of dryer sheets and what you can choose for a healthier and environmentally friendly alternative.

Fabric softeners and dryer sheets contain a lot of chemicals that the EPA classifies as dangerous. Did you know, Indoor air is often two to five times more contaminated than outdoor air (American Lung Association). WOW! In addition to industrial and outdoor air pollutants, the Canadian Lung Association highlights residential pesticides and indoor chemical pollutants found in many common household products as causes and triggers of respiratory illnesses.  Also, women who work at home have a 54% higher death rate from cancer than those who work away from home. The 15-year study concluded it was a direct result of the much higher exposure rate to toxic chemicals in common household products (Toronto Indoor Air Conference 1990).

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and industry-generated Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) from the 1990s, the following is a list of chemicals in fabric softener products, most in untested combinations. Liquid fabric softeners additionally may contain formaldehyde.

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.

Fabric softeners are made to stay in your clothing for long periods of time. As such, chemicals are slowly released either into the air for you to inhale or onto your skin for you to absorb. Dryer sheets are particularly noxious because they are heated in the dryer and the chemicals are released through dryer vents and out into the environment.

The exposure is so constant that it can be difficult to connect the product with the signs of reactivity it causes.

Here is a list of health effects from being exposed to the chemicals in fabric softeners and dryer sheets:

Central nervous system disorders

Headaches

Nausea

Vomiting

Dizziness

Blood pressure reduction

Irritation to skin, mucus membranes and respiratory tract

Pancreatic cancer

Now, have I freaked you out enough? Personally after I learned about how harmful these little sheets are to my health, I stopped using fabric softener and / or dryer sheets immediately. What I use in place of fabric softener and dryer sheets are the Fluff and Tumble Dryer balls from NORWEX. I have also replaced many other commercial cleaning products with NORWEX products. Since using NORWEX, I have never looked back. I also don’t miss walking down the cleaning aisle at the grocery store, I can really notice now how strong some of those scents are and they make me nauseas.

Here are some benefits of using the NORWEX dryer balls:

Fluff and Tumble Dryer balls are made of 100% New Zealand wool. Did you know, wool does not harbor bacteria, score! My laundry comes out feeling soft, smelling fresh and I have no static. The wool balls are environmentally friendly. So, no more annoying waste from the laundry sheet, and no more searching or finding it later in your pant leg. I save money by not having to buy dryer sheets over and over. I also save on electricity. The Fluff and Tumble Dryer Balls shorten drying time by 25%! They also cut down on ironing, because clothes come out of the dryer less wrinkled. Dryer balls will also help your dryer last longer. Dryer sheets and softeners have chemicals and waxes that can kill a dryer’s heating element. The softeners/dryer sheets cause wax buildup on the lint catcher so hot moisture is not escaping the dryer, which could burn out the heater, or even worse cause a fire! Wool dryer balls will keep your laundry clean and toxic free. There are no fragrances or anything synthetic about them.

If you would like to change your laundry routine and ditch the toxic softeners and dryer sheets, contact me today to order your Fluff and Tumble Dryer Balls.  Livinlovinfarmin blog readers will receive a free gift with purchase! You must email me with your order and mention the blog to receive the gift. Please visit my website below and check out more environmentally friendly products.

(Sources: Norwex and wisdomofwool)

 

Kristina Eaton

www.KristinaEaton.Norwex.biz

[email protected]