Even Dryer Sheets have TOXINS!

We can ALL make small differences each day of our lives to live healthier....from the way we eat, exercise, paint, drive, bathe and garden, there are small ways to live healthier.  I LOVE the site: CARE2...make a difference.  There's a link at the bottom of this blog entry to visit their site to learn even more. 

I must have the healthiest clover in the neighborhood!

    According to the Allergy and Environmental Health Association, both liquid and dryer sheet fabric softeners are “the most toxic product produced for daily household use.”  Most of the popular brands of fabric softeners contain many neurotoxins (substances that are toxic to the brain and nervous system) and other types of toxins. 

so, if you're ready to get 'more healthy' in the laundry department, here are some suggestions:

1.  Add a 1/2 cup of baking soda to the water in your washing machine and let it dissolve prior to adding your clothes.  This is my preferred method since the baking soda acts as a water softener and helps makes clothes super soft.

2.  Some people toss tennis balls or other rubber balls into the dryer with clothes.  I’m not a huge fan of this method since the heat of the dryer can cause the rubber to off-gas onto your clothing.  If you have an allergy to latex, this is definitely not the method for you.  Plus, I wouldn’t choose this method if you’re drying delicate clothing items.

3.  Adding a cup of vinegar to the wash water can also soften clothes but I don’t find this method as effective as the baking soda technique.

4.  Try to keep synthetic fabrics out of the dryer since they are the culprits when it comes to static.  Natural fibers like cotton, bamboo, hemp, and linen are best dried on their own.

5.  And, of course there are natural fabric softeners available in most health food stores.   Try to purchase clothing made of natural fibers as much as possible and find clothes that are soft regardless whether they go through the dryer (free of fabric softeners) or are hung to dry.

As you can see, there are plenty of options when you want soft clothes and to be free of toxins.

If you want to know more, visit: BE HEALTHY  where the author of the above notes gives even more great advice on healthier laundry options