Did you know that most commercial dryer sheets contain high amounts of many different toxic chemicals, such as: Benzyl Acetate, Benzyl Alcohol, Chloroform and Linalool? Well, the bad thing is that all of these toxic chemicals are bad for our health. Note: in addition to all the chemicals that end up on your skin, when heated, the fumes are also toxic. The medical experts claim that these harmful toxins go straight to their brain’s most sensitive neurological centers and wreak havoc. This is why you should stop using dryer sheets.
5 Important Reasons Why You Should Stop Using Dryer Sheets
Artificial Fragrances
This is extremely important for you to know – if or when you use dryer sheets, you are coating your clothes with artificial chemical perfumes. These fragrance chemical are really toxic chemicals. These chemicals are also known carcinogens that cause liver damage and cancer in mammals.
A recent study, conducted by UW professor Dr. Anne Steinemann and her colleagues, has researched the effects of fragrances in laundry products (both detergent and dryer sheets). The resultsfrom this study showed more than 25 VOCs emitted from dryer vents, with highest concentrations of acetaldehyde, acetone, and ethanol (two of which are considered carcinogenic). Take this for example: just one of the carcinogenic VOC’s, acetaldehyde, had emissions that would represent 3% of total acetaldehyde emissions from automobiles in the study area. This is a major omission of toxic chemicals.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and industry-generated Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) from the 1990s, the following is a list of chemicals in fabric softener products, most in untested combinations.
- Alpha-Terpineol– is a toxic chemical, which has been linked to: disorders of the brain and nervous system, loss of muscle control, depression, and headaches
- Benzyl acetate– this toxic substance has been linked to cancer of the pancreas
- Benzyl alcohol– is a known upper respiratory tract irritant, and you should know that it can cause central nervous system (CNS) disorders, headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and dramatic drops in blood pressure.
- Chloroform– is a powerful and dangerous neurotoxic, anesthetic and carcinogenic. This chemical is really toxic to your brain. Inhaling its vapors may cause loss of consciousness, nausea, headache, vomiting, and/or dizziness, drowsiness.
- Ethanol– this is the most common fabric softener ingredient, which is on the EPA’s Hazardous Waste list and linked to CNS disorders.
- Ethyl Acetate– this toxic chemical can cause you headaches and is on the EPA Hazardous Waste list
- Linalool– many different studies have confirmed that this chemical caused loss of muscle coordination, nervous system and brain disorders, and depression
- Pentane– this toxic chemical causes headaches, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, drowsiness, and depression
This is why we highly recommend replacing these toxic dryer sheets with much safer alternative – wool balls. They are 100% natural and are effective at getting rid of static cling and wrinkles, soften clothes. We really hope you enjoyed this article and don’t forget to share it with your friends and family. Thank You.
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