Vinegar is a powerful work horse that I love to use but can’t because my husband can’t stand the way it smells. The one place I do use it is in the laundry.
Instead of using dryer sheets or dryer balls I use white vinegar.
In my journey to have a more toxic free home I looked into using dryer balls and getting rid of my dryer sheets. I have known for a long time that I shouldn’t be using them but it’s hard to break old habits. I use my homemade non toxic laundry detergent but then I was drying my nice clean clothes with toxins. How does that make any sense!? I don’t know what I was thinking. 
What are Dryer Sheets Anyway?
It is usually of sheet made of polyester that’s been covered in a fabric softener and fragrance (made of chemicals). The amount of fragrance used in dryer sheets can be up to 10 percent of the contents of the product. The chemicals rub off the dryer sheet and coat your clothing which makes them feel soft. (1)
Dryer sheets can contain some harmful chemicals, including hidden fragrance chemicals. They not only rub off on to the clothes and then onto our skin but we also breathe them in from the fumes coming out of the vent. I know when my neighbors are doing their laundry because I can smell it when I’m outside. I am being exposed to all those chemicals that I don’t use. Do you smell it too?
Dryer sheets can contain volatile organic compounds like acetaldehyde and butane, and acetone which can cause respiratory irritation and issues to your nervous system. (1)
Case Study
Anne Steineman, a professor of civil and environmental engineering and of public affairs at the University of Washington did a study on chemicals that emitted through laundry vents. Pre-rinsed new, organic cotton towels were used. Two different homes were used in this study and the towels were washed three separate times, once using no products, then using scented laundry detergent and lastly using scented laundry detergent along with scented dryer sheets. A regular laundry cycle was run and the vent fumes were analyzed for three cases. (2)
They placed a canister inside the dryer vent opening to capture the exhaust for 15 minutes. The 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, and no safe exposure level has been established. (2)
What To Use
In my research of dryer balls I came across a lot of different companies stating that they may cause static. I didn’t want static and I didn’t want to spend money on something that was going to make my chore of laundry harder so I kept putting off my purchase.
Then, I finally ran out of my toxic dryer sheets and since I hadn’t purchased the dryer balls yet, I decided I was going to increase the amount of vinegar I use in my washing machine and see what happens.
(I already add vinegar to every load because in using my homemade laundry detergent I found I needed to add a little softness to my loads.)
So I increased the amount of vinegar to the capacity line in the fabric softener dispenser. To my surprise my clothes came out super soft, softer than when I used the dryer sheets, and there is absolutely no static! I still can’t get over how soft our clothes are.
How to Use Vinegar in the Washing Machine
With every load fill the fabric softener dispenser to the capacity line with vinegar. Do this at the time you add your detergent.
There will be absolutely no smell of vinegar left on your clothes.
I have an HE washing machine and it works just fine, I have experienced no issues.
Benefits of Using Vinegar
- It’s very inexpensive
- It will make your clothes & towels super soft & fluffy. Say goodbye to crunchy towels!
- reduces static
- cleans your washing machine
- kills bacteria on whatever you are washing as well as in your machine
- reduces lint
- there is no smell or harsh chemicals so it’s great for sensitive skin
- removes odors
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