You use them weekly to get your clothes soft and smelling fresh, but did you know that the dryer sheets youre using are loaded with toxic chemicals like Benzyl Acetate, Benzyl Alcohol, Linalool, and even Chloroform, all of which can be hazardous to your health 1. There are many dangers of dryer sheets.
Free quote Send messageApr 23, 2016nbsp018332The majority of dryer sheets use harsh chemical perfumes that rub off onto clothing and come in direct contact with the skin, the most absorbent organ in your body. The chemicals found in these perfumes are dangerous carcinogens, and are known to cause liver damage and.
Jan 16, 2009nbsp018332Toss Those Harmful Dryer Sheets in the Trash Did you realize that while youre trying to make your familys clothes snuggly-soft and static-free you may be doing more harm than good Its true many commercial dryer sheets are loaded with chemicals and fragrances that can be absorbed into the skin and have nasty side effects.
Harsh chemicals is one of the dangers of dryer sheets. The majority of dryer sheets use harsh chemical perfumes that rub off onto clothing and come in direct contact with the skin, the most absorbent organ in your body. The chemicals found in these perfumes are dangerous carcinogens, and are known to cause liver damage and even cancer in mammals 3.
Dr. Anne Steinemann, a professor of civil and environmental engineering and public affairs at the University of Washington, conducted a study on the dryer sheets to measure just how toxic they are. This is an interesting source of pollution because emissions from dryer vents are essentially unregulated, said Dr.Steinemann. If theyre coming out of a smokestack or tail pipe, theyre regulated, but if theyre coming out of a dryer vent, theyre not 4.
The results of Dr.Steinemanns study found over 25 VOCs emitted from dryer vents, with high concentrations of acetaldehyde, acetone, and ethanol. Just one of the carcinogenic VOCs found in dryer vents equals 3 of total acetaldehyde emissions from automobiles in the same area 5. Making toxins from dryer sheets a highly dangerous source, despite how little its discussed.
In the 1990s. the U.S Environmental Protection Agency EPA and industry-generated Material Safety Data Sheets MSDS created the following list of chemicals found in common fabric softener 6.
An all natural alternative to toxic dryer sheets are wool balls, which can easily be purchased online or made at home. The wool balls remove as much lint as dryer sheets, can get rid of static cling and soften clothes. You can also add scent to clothing by adding natural essential oils to the balls before adding them to the dryer.
The amounts of these kinds of chemicals used on dryer sheets are small, but many people still prefer not to use them on childrens clothes, or at all. If youd prefer to use an alternative to a standard dryer sheet, read to learn more about potentially healthier or cheaper options.
Jul 01, 2020nbsp018332This includes products marketed as dryer sheets and laundry detergents that contain fabric softening or anti-static properties. While fabric softeners work extremely well to soften clothing and reduce static, they can contain hundreds of unlabeled, untested chemicals that come into direct contact with the body on a 247 basis.
According to Branch basics, dryer sheets contains more than 12 harmful chemicals that are carcinogenic, endocrine distributors, lung irritants and cause asthma, nervous disorders,etc., Natural Alternatives To Dryer Sheets.
Scented laundry products emit hazardous chemicals through dryer vents.
The same University of Washington researcher who used chemical sleuthing to deduce whats in fragranced consumer products now has turned her attention to the scented air wafting from household laundry vents.
Findings, published online this week in the journal Air Quality, Atmosphere and Health, show that air vented from machines using the top-selling scented liquid laundry detergent and scented dryer sheet contains hazardous chemicals, including two that are classified as carcinogens.
This is an interesting source of pollution because emissions from dryer vents are essentially unregulated and unmonitored, said lead author Anne Steinemann, a UW professor of civil and environmental engineering and of public affairs. If theyre coming out of a smokestack or tail pipe, theyre regulated, but if theyre coming out of a dryer vent, theyre not.
The research builds on earlier work that looked at what chemicals are released by laundry products, air fresheners, cleaners, lotions and other fragranced consumer products. Manufacturers are not required to disclose the ingredients used in fragrances, or in laundry products.
For the new study, which focuses on chemicals emitted through laundry vents, researchers first purchased and pre-rinsed new, organic cotton towels. They asked two homeowners to volunteer their washers and dryers, cleaned the inside of the machines with vinegar, and ran full cycles using only water to eliminate as much residue as possible.
At the first home, they ran a regular laundry cycle and analyzed the vent fumes for three cases once with no products, once with the leading brand of scented liquid laundry detergent, and finally with both the detergent and a leading brand of scented dryer sheets. A canister placed inside the dryer vent opening captured the exhaust 15 minutes into each drying cycle. Researchers then repeated the procedure with a different washer and dryer at a second home.
Analysis of the captured gases found more than 25 volatile organic compounds, including seven hazardous air pollutants, coming out of the vents. Of those, two chemicals -- acetaldehyde and benzene -- are classified by the Environmental Protection Agency as carcinogens, for which the agency has established no safe exposure level.
These products can affect not only personal health, but also public and environmental health. The chemicals can go into the air, down the drain and into water bodies, Steinemann said.
The researchers estimate that in the Seattle area, where the study was conducted, acetaldehyde emissions from this brand of laundry detergent would be equivalent to 3 percent of the total acetaldehyde emissions coming from automobiles. Emissions from the top five brands, they estimate, would constitute about 6 percent of automobiles acetaldehyde emissions.
Shop Meijer for Dryer Sheets at great low prices today Browse our suite of goods in Dryer Sheets Use Woolzies to snuggle up with naturally downy soft laundry thats completely free of harmful chemicals. Woolzies are also hypo-allergenic and totally safe fo View Details Not meant for children.
May 31, 2020nbsp018332Common sense tells us that used dryer sheets are less damaging than brand new ones, as most of the chemicals have been dissipated, but both can be harmful if ingested. Such products are soft and absorbent. A single sheet will probably pass through your.
Pros of Dryer Sheets. Dryer sheets effectively soften clothes, reduce static cling, and add fragrance. Dryer sheets are easy to use. All you have to do is place one into the dryer before you start the cycle. Dryer sheets are very affordable. You can usually find a box of 240 dryer sheets for under 10, which is less than 4 cents a sheet.
Dryer sheets permeated with fabric softener contain at least seven dangerous toxic chemicals.