Are Dryer Sheets Bad For Your Health?

When you do your laundry, there is a good chance that you like to toss in a dryer sheet or two such as ‘Bounce’ to keep your clothing soft and static free.  Many of these sheets also offer great scents that can keep your clothing smelling fantastic. The question many people have, however, is what effect that dryer sheets have on clothes and whether or not they are really a safe option for frequent use.

To answer the question, it is essential to know how dryer sheets work.  Essentially, a dryer sheet will keep clothes soft and static free by adding a layer of scented moisture to them.  While this sounds great in theory, it also means that towels are not going to dry as well and that sweating is going to reactivate the chemicals that dryer sheets leave on your laundry.

This brings us to the second concern, which is the ingredients in dryer sheets.  If you read the ingredient label on these products, you will find that most brands contain chemicals that are considered toxic in high doses.  While your dryer sheets are certainly not going to kill you, it may make you want to reconsider adding them to a load of laundry containing clothing for your baby or even yourself.  Everything that comes into contact with your skin is absorbed, including the chemicals in your dryer sheets.

At the end of the day, if you are addicted to using dryer sheets then you may wish to consider the use of organic ones.  Adding a few drops of essential oil to a dry washcloth and putting it in the dryer will actually offer the same effect on laundry with none of the risks.  Ensuring that your health is not in danger is always important, and using organic or do-it-yourself dryers sheets is better for your health and wallet than using store-bought dryer sheets.