When we began our journey to a natural lifestyle, I wanted to switch everything to homemade. I knew eliminating everything quickly would overwhelm me, so I started small. One of the first things I made by myself was DIY dryer sheets.
Why dryer sheets? There is a lot of chemicals in those store bought dryer sheets that aren’t good for your body. They can seep into your body from your clothes. It is actually quite scary. For example, dryer sheets contain sodium lauryl sulphate, which is an industrial degreaser. When this chemicals breaks down, it release 1,4-dioxane, which is believed to be a human carcinogen. There are studies that show 1,4-dioxane leads to cancer in animal studies. That’s scary! I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to expose my children to these chemicals.
Of course, there are chemicals everywhere, but one step at a time is a great idea to follow. So, how do you make homemade dryer sheets? I promise it is easy!
How to Make DIY Dryer Sheets
You will need:
- Fabric cut into squares or rags
- 1/2 cup vinegar
- glass jar that closes, such as a mason jar
- 10-12 drops lavender essential oil (or whatever scent you want to give your clothes)
Remember, these dryer sheets will not reduce the static in your clothes. Dryer balls are a great choice if you want to reduce the static. These dryer sheets will just add a lovely scent to your clothes.
- Cut the fabric into strips or fold the rags. Put them into your glass jar. I was able to fit around 15 fabric squares into my mason jar.
- Mix the 1/2 cup of white vinegar with 10 to 12 drops of your selected essential oil. I like lavender, but combinations of lemon and tangerine, lavender and chamomile or spearmint would be yummy.
- Pour the essential oil and vinegar mixture into the glass container with the fabric. Close it up and shake.
- When you are ready to use these dryer sheets, wring them out and add four to five fabric squares per load. When the dryer is done, just put them right back into the jar.
How simple is that? The process takes 10 minutes at most, and you are protecting your family from harsh chemicals along with saving money. Nothing is better than that.
Have you tried homemade dryer sheets? Let me know what you think of them!
Yolanda says
Great idea! I’m so aware of how harmful normal dryer sheets are so I switched to the dryer balls a while back. Great idea to add these sheets as well to add some scent. Also, perfect for me as I have lots of essential oils!
Amanda Bradley says
Fabulous idea!! Thank you so much for sharing!!
Kayla says
I’ve made my own detergent before, but I’ve never done the dryer sheets. I love tying new ways to be a little more chemical free
Haley says
Love this so much! A big YES to removing all the toxins from our homes!!!