My husband loves Bounce brand scented dryer sheets. For the longest time, I tolerated using the sheets in our laundry because of him, but they’re full of toxic chemicals I don’t want on our skin or in our laundry. Last year I decided on a more natural approach, and my husband never even noticed the change. I keep scrap fabric by the dryer with a selection of essential oils. When I put a wet load into the dryer, I put a few drops of essential oil onto a piece of fabric and then throw it in. These homemade dryer sheets work wonderfully.
A classic essential oil to use is lavender, but a mix of ylang-ylang with vanilla or sweet orange smells great, too. These scented dryer sheets, especially if paired with homemade detergent, are an easy and toxin-free way to have fresh-smelling laundry.
Andrea Wilson
Peterborough, Ontario
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I have found that tea tree oil in the washing machine gets rid of sour odor that can develop in the wet clothes if you don't get to them right away. It deodorizes the clothes very nicely too. I use lavender essential oil on the wool dryer balls and love it. So much better and so much cheaper in the long run.
I use wool dryer balls in the dryer and sometimes put EO directly on them. If static is a problem, try drying a little less or keep a mister bottle fillled with filtered water, essential oils, and a pinch of salt. The mist of water gets rid of static as you pull things from the dryer and the pleasant scent is a bonus. My favorite right now is a YL blend called Purification. (Be sure to shake your bottle well before each use. The tiny bit of salt will help to emulsify the oil. Your spritzer also works as a room spray.)
I use wool dryer balls in the dryer and sometimes put EO directly on them. If static is a problem, try drying a little less or keep a mister bottle fillled with filtered water, essential oils, and a pinch of salt. The mist of water gets rid of static as you pull things from the dryer and the pleasant scent is a bonus. My favorite right now is a YL blend called Purification. (Be sure to shake your bottle well before each use. The tiny bit of salt will help to emulsify the oil. Your spritzer also works as a room spray.)
Like all essential oils, it is not a pure compound; it is a complex mixture of phytochemicals, including linalool and linalyl acetate
What about the static cling?