The Toxic Danger of Fabric Softener and Dryer Sheets
by SixWise.com
Many people will remember a famous TV ad where a woman races
to her washing machine, fabric softener in hand, only to arrive
just as the wash ends. This woman who "forgot to ad the
fabric softener" was actually doing herself and her family
a favor.
Although they may make your clothes feel soft and smell fresh,
fabric softener and dryer sheets are some of the most toxic
products around. And chances are that the
staggering 99.8 percent of Americans who use common commercial
detergents, fabric softeners, bleaches, and stain removers
would think twice if they knew they contained chemicals that
could cause cancer and brain damage.
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Fabric softeners and dryer sheets with scents like
April Fresh and Summer Orchard add toxic chemicals to
your laundry and, consequently, your body.
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Here is a list of just some of the chemicals found in fabric
softeners and dryer sheets:
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Benzyl acetate: Linked to pancreatic cancer
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Benzyl Alcohol: Upper respiratory tract irritant
-
Ethanol: On the Environmental Protection Agency's
(EPA) Hazardous Waste list and can cause central nervous
system disorders
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Limonene: Known carcinogen
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A-Terpineol: Can cause respiratory problems,
including fatal edema, and central nervous system damage
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Ethyl Acetate: A narcotic on the EPA's Hazardous
Waste list
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Camphor: Causes central nervous system disorders
-
Chloroform: Neurotoxic, anesthetic and carcinogenic
-
Linalool: A narcotic that causes central nervous
system disorders
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Pentane: A chemical known to be harmful if inhaled
So how could products with pretty names like Soft Ocean Mist,
Summer Orchard and April Fresh be so dangerous?
The chemicals in fabric softeners are pungent and strong
smelling -- so strong that they require the use of these heavy
fragrances (think 50 times as much fragrance) just to cover
up the smells. Furthermore, synthetic fabrics, which are the
reason fabric softeners were created in the first place, do
not smell good either when heated in a dryer or heated by
our bodies ... hence the need for even more hefty fragrances.
In other words, remove all the added fragrance that endears
people to fabric softeners and -- like the cliché wolf
in sheep's clothing -- the real smells of the chemical-laced
fabric softener and the synthetic fabrics they were designed
around may prompt people to shoot their laundry machines and
be done with it.
Are "Soft" Clothes Worth It?
Fabric softeners are made to stay in your clothing for long
periods of time. As such, chemicals are slowly released either
into the air for you to inhale or onto your skin for you to
absorb. Dryer sheets are particularly noxious because they
are heated in the dryer and the chemicals are released through
dryer vents and out into the environment. Health effects from
being exposed to the chemicals in fabric softeners include:
- Central nervous system disorders
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Dizziness
- Blood pressure reduction
- Irritation to skin, mucus membranes and respiratory tract
- Pancreatic cancer
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A 100% Non-Toxic, Economical Solution!
 The
Static Eliminator's woven sheets take static cling out,
and soften fabric without any toxic chemicals whatsoever
-- plus they are incredibly economical,
as one box can be used to maximum effectiveness 500
times! (Or go for the super-economical double-pack for
1000 loads!)
-
Completely Non-Toxic:
The unique technology is based on the weave of the
cloth so it is chemical-free!
-
Very Economical!
Each box highly effective for 500 loads of laundry!
(To do 500 loads with chemical based dryer sheets
takes 13 boxes!)
-
100% Hypoallergenic
-- Safe for infants, allergy sufferers, eczema sufferers,
and the chemically sensitive
-
Softens Clothes &
Eliminates Static without any harsh toxins
-
Safe for Even the Most
Delicate Fabrics
-
Works at Any Heat Setting,
with any amount of clothing
-
Won't Stain or Spot Clothing
-
Easier to Use & Reduces
Waste: Unlike conventional dryer sheets
that must be discarded, just leave the 100% safe
polynylon Static Eliminator sheet right in the dr
yer for load after load
- Won't Clog Up Your Dryer
Vents because it contains NO chemicals!
Learn
More About Static Eliminator Now!
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Soften Your Clothes Safely With These Tips
Even if you don't feel the effects of these chemicals today,
they can affect you gradually over time, and children, whose
systems are still developing, are particularly at risk. There's
really no reason to expose yourself to these risky chemicals
when natural alternatives exist. Not only are they safer for
you, your family and the environment, but they're much more
economical too:
-
Learn
about Static Eliminator, a 100% safe, non-toxic dryer
sheet system that is more effective at softening clothes
and eliminating static cling but poses no risk to you
and your family! This is one of the most highly recommended
of all products we have reviewed, and you will find it
is also extremely economical, too!
-
Add a quarter cup of baking soda to wash cycle to
soften fabric
-
Add a quarter cup of white vinegar to rinse to soften
fabric and eliminate cling
-
Check out your local health food store for a natural
fabric softener that uses a natural base like soy instead
of chemicals
It's likely that fabric softeners and dryer sheets aren't
the only toxic products in your home. Many household products
that consumers regard as safe are also full of toxic chemicals.
Sources
Fabric
Softener is Dangerous
The
Hidden Life of Laundry
Chemicals
Found in Fabric Softeners