Do you know how dryer sheets work?
I didn't.
I didn't give it much thought though, either.
Essentially they are sheets of fat with a coating - they're solid at room temperature, melt with the heat of the dryer, and spread a thin layer of fat on your clothes to reduce static conductivity and provide a smooth/slippery feel to the touch - which we interpret as soft(ner). Kind of gross, eh?
I have heard not to use these sheets with baby's clothes, which I thought was because of the strong scent and sensitive baby skin combo - but it's actually because the thin layer of fat increases the flammability of clothing. I kid you not, read the warning on the side of your little box next time you're laundering.
Also, I did not know that these little fat-spreaders reduce absorbency of fabric. Not exactly the best thing for towels... So I stopped putting in an extra sheet with the towels after finding that out during my research of all things cloth diaper before Jonathan was born.
Matter of fact, I stopped using dryer sheets all together. The thought of them weirds me out a little and I'm all for saving money by skipping things we don't need to use but use out of habit.
Anyone else have an odd fact for common household products they'd like to share?
12 comments:
When Caden was a baby, I read up on fabric softener, toxic stuff. I stopped using dryer sheets and fabric softener. I think the combo of those two make ur clothes static-ky (my opinion). After I stopped using these and switched to tide free(the white tide bottle), never had a prob with static even in the old type washer/dryer. Now with the HE washer/dryer, u use so much less soap and with the dryer having a sensor, it turns off when the clothes are dry, thus not over-drying or heating the clothes. I need to get my Mom to stop with the softener, her bath towels are useless, might as well air dry :/
Ur from Dauphin, hometown of Norwex, how do u feel about their products?? Before I comment on my experiences... :)
My clothes are always so staticy. How do you get rid of it if we cant use the sheets?
I have the Norwex dryer balls. Not sure if I love them or not. They're usually missing as they get used to balls for floor hockey. I think I've heard of throwing in a couple of tennis balls. I imagine it would do the same thing.
I love dryer sheets. I've heard this before too, but I figure that if you're engulfed in flames that the absence of dryer sheet chemicals on your clothes probably aren't going to help you either way!
When I use dryer sheets I'll only throw half a sheet in, no matter how big the load is. I find it does the same with the statickiness (I'm totally calling that a word) without leaving quite so much on the clothes. It saves money too!
Wow - who knew fatty dryer sheets would get so many weigh-ins.
Lyla - I personally haven't tried Norwex stuff and make my own earth friendly cleaners, but I've heard great things about their products and even better things about the company itself. Like, for example, it was a pastor and his wife that started the venture in Dauphin, which morphed into one of the largest employers in area. The employees were treated with Christian values in mind and no one ever had to work a Sunday. Cool stuff. Now that someone else is heading it up, I sure hope it keeps its roots.
Hes - I haven't found a great solution to the statickyness yet. Maybe Sonya can tell us if the wool dryer balls are worth it because I was thinking of making some.
Tiffany - I could hardly wait to hear your response to this post. I knew it was going to be good!
Wool dryer balls? Never heard of such. Do share.
Oh! I just assumed Norwex's would be wool. Honestly, I think they are just a big ol' ball of yarn tied tight.
Here's a DIY tutorial:
http://goodmama.typepad.com/goodmama/2008/05/make-your-own-wool-dryer-balls.html
I think they're made of a sort of rubber. Here's a link:http://www.norwex.com/productdetail.php?prd=109&ova=&ctg=4&lng=7&cnt=38
That's right, mine is good!
I recently got into the norwex, heard one friend exclaim how she cleaned her house chemical free and it's what I'd been vying for since Caden was born. So since last fall, attended 1 party and hosted 1 with my MIL, grAnting us some free stuff, spent about 200, and now I proclaim chemical free too.
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