Are There Dangerous Chemicals in Dryer Sheets?

photo by Sean Naber

Are dryer sheets toxic? What exactly are these fragrant, softening, wispy sheets? Should I be putting them in with my drying clothes? There are quite a few chemicals in dryer sheets, which may be harmful to the chemically sensitive and undesirable to anyone trying to live a more natural lifestyle. Dryer sheets are essentially pieces of nonwoven polyester (a petroleum-based synthetic fiber) that are coated with softening agents and fragrances.

Every ingredient that goes into a dryer sheet is not dangerous, for example stearic acid, a fatty acid that comes from rendered animal fat, may be used as a softening agent. It helps to make clothes feel soft by actually making them slippery. Softening agents are also used to reduce static. Other possible softening agents, such as quarternary ammonium salts may sound more threatening, but according to the Environmental Working Group's database, they pose no contamination concerns.

Where there is likely to be the harmful chemicals in dryer sheets is in the synthetic fragrances that are intended to make clothes feel so fresh. Fragrance formulas are protected by intellectual property law, so there is no way to know the exact ingredient list in a fabric softening product, nor the potential health risk. In general, many substances that are used in synthetic fragrances can be irritating to skin or the respiratory tract. There are some serious harsh chemicals that may or may not be used, some that are even known carcinogens, but without the specific set of ingredients in a product there is no way to check for danger or not.

Will you get cancer from a lifetime of using conventional dryer sheets? Probably not, but reducing your chemical exposure as much as possible cannot hurt, and dryer sheets are an easy item to give up to do this. Is it eco-friendly to use dryer sheets and other fabric softeners? Well, no. From the polyester to the actual manufacturing process to the chemical fragrances using conventional dryer sheets is not a green choice.

A great natural alternative to being exposed to the potential chemicals in dryer sheets is to freshen your laundry with essential oils. Naturally anti-bacterial, they add a little extra cleansing and a non-toxic, fresh scent. Add three or four drops to the washer per load of laundry. Try lavender, clary sage or eucalyptus. You can add two or three tablespoons of baking soda to the wash for extra softening. For eco-friendly, chemical-free clothes drying, line drying is your best option. If you do like to use the drying machine, you can also choose natural alternative dryer sheets, such as those made from Seventh Generation, which are made from recycled paper and plant-derived softening agents.