Who Needs Dryer Sheets?

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Heather says:

We have talked about fabric softener and dryer sheets ad nauseum on this site. We’ve talked about how fabric softeners can make your towels less absorbent. How some of you hate the smell of vinegar in the laundry.

We know that dryer sheets have a few serious problems:

  • Many are made from polyester (yes, like the leisure suits) or polyethylene and are generally not recyclable or compostable. (I’m kind of a slacker when it comes to composting, if it’s not passive composting, I’m not even going to try).
  • Polyester and polyethylene are typically made from petroleum products, don’t like paying a lot for gas? Try reducing the number of petroleum products in your life. Reducing consumption takes a conscientious effort.
  • Hey vegetarians, have you checked to see if your dryer sheets are veggie-friendly? Many brands use tallow (animal fat) to improve the feel of your clothing.
  • Dryer sheets are known for causing public humiliation. With no actual sheet, there’s no chance you’ll find one sticking out of the leg of your jeans or peeking out from the hem of your skirt.

Method has a new line of dryer sprays and as you would expect I’m a happy person. Those of you begging me to give you an alternative to vinegar as a softener, HERE YOU GO. You can have your non-headache-causing scented towels and eat it, too. As with the scented laundry detergent, I’m happy to report that I can use Method’s products headache free. (For those of you that don’t know, I really can’t stand strong chemical scents, many leave me with a headache. It’s a migraine trigger for me.)

How do you use the Method Dryer Spray?

Throw your clothes (wet or dry -since sometimes you just want to get rid of the obnoxious smoke smell -I work in a pub- from your reasonably clean shirt -I wear an undershirt, thank you very much, you may quit judging now) into the dryer and spray four times. Yes, Method likes the number 4 for some reason, four pumps of detergent, four squirts of dryer spray, you have no reason to get confused.

So now you don’t have to rely on home dry cleaning kits (which contain some really special chemicals -the scare quote kind, not the I’m going to mislead you with scary science terms kind)

Oh, and I have been using this product for a couple of weeks and thankfully no bunnies have jumped out of my dryer, velvet or otherwise. . .

You’ve got two scent choices, Fresh Air (my favorite) and Lavendar Lilac (I’m just not a flowery kinda gal). I had to laugh, last night as my eldest was getting ready for his football game, I caught him sniffing his jersey. I assumed it was because it smelled terrible (yes, we’ve already had to have the deodorant discussion and I’ve been incredibly busy and couldn’t remember if I had actually washed it or not) turns out he was just really enjoying the Fresh Air scent. There you go, an endorsement from a very persnickety 8yo. (And yes, Mom, I used that word on purpose, you win, I had a kid exactly like myself, stop gloating. /side-eye)

laundry supplies guide
Click this picture for more tips!

While you’re at it, check out the Method Facebook Fan Page to keep up with the brand, they do some really cool things. (I can’t wait to tell you about some of it later this fall.)

Good luck!

This post has been sponsored by Method, all opinions are my own, and the 3 giveaway prizes were not provided by Method.

Send your domestic questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

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100 thoughts on “Who Needs Dryer Sheets?”

  1. I’d love to try the Fresh Air scent. I don’t care for most scents but if it doesn’t give you a headache maybe it’d work for me, too.

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  11. Although I’m a big lavender girl when it comes to laundry, I’d like to try the Fresh Air.  Who doesn’t love Method and their videos?

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  13. I’d love to use the Fresh Air – it’s my favorite “scent” lol  I’ve been trying the Bounce stick on in the dryer, to cut down on the sheets in the trash, but we just do too much laundry here and it only lasts a month.  Plus, the chemicals worry me – I’m one of those who hates the smell of vinegary laundry.

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  20. Fresh air scent would be great! No fabric softeners in this house for years, due to environmental factors as well as sensitive skin. Can’t wait to try it!

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  27. It would be interesting to try that out.  I can’t smell the vinegar but my husband who can’t smell poopy diapers when they are right on top of him claims he can.  I would love to try the Lavender Lilac, I heart flowers.

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    • MelissaRecord I’ve heard of selective hearing, maybe he’s got selective smell. . . sounds like a character from Alphas on the SyFy channel 😛

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      • HeatherSolos MelissaRecord I am pretty sure he is just full of crap because he only started smelling it when he saw me put the vinegar in the wash.  I quit using it for a few months and then started back up again with out telling him and I have yet to receive a complaint.  And when we play diaper chicken he always folds first.

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  29. I would love the Fresh Air scent! I love Method stuff! I have to stop myself from buying one of everything when I just need another bottle of hand soap! 🙂 Thanks!

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  37. wow, how very generous of you!  i’m really excited to find out about this product…and, if i win, i’d love to try the fresh air scent.  Thanks!

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  39. I would probably like to try Fresh Air.  I’m not a big fan of flowery scents either.  More of a citrus and “fresh/clean” kind of thing for me.  I love their grapefruit scent that they have in their cleaners.  Also, I’m pretty new to the site, so I hadn’t seen all the dryer sheet “ad nauseum”, so thanks for that info too. 🙂

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  40. I don’t use fabric softener or dryer sheets because of all the environmental issues and senstitive skin, but I like Method products and would like to try this spray.  Fresh air sounds the most neutral.  Thanks for the opportunity!

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  41. I also am not a fan of strong flowery smelling stuff unless I’m mountain biking down single track in Maroon Bells with thousands of wildflowers around me. Not sure why this is different. 🙂 So, yes…I’d love to try the fresh scent!

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    • cnelfox it’s all about context. The only time I ever want to smell gardenias is when I am standing next to a gardenia shrub, otherwise? Cloying. 😀

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  42. I would love to try the Fresh Air scent.  I don’t use the dryer sheets due to sensitive skin.  I would love something to try in place of the dryer sheets.  Thanks

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  43. I would like to try the fresh air one, please. 🙂 I’m also not a big fan of flowery scents. They make my nose twitch too much, and the headache thing, too. Thanks for doing this! 🙂

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  45. I would love to try the Fresh Air! I can’t handle floral scents now that I’m pregnant, it’s been all about the ocean breezes and fresh linens at our house lately.

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  46. This sounds like it would be so useful! My preference would be for the fresh air scent as my husband doesnt particularly like smelling like flowers. 😉 thanks for the chance!

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  49. I’d like to try the lavender scent.  My husband was just commenting on how lavender is under-utilized these days, although he was talking mainly about food.

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  56. I haven’t used dryer sheets in years, or fabric softener. I’m sensitive to smells as well but I love method and the Lavender Lilac sounds wonderful.

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  57. Great news that this doesn’t cause headaches.  If I don’t get one of these from you, I’m going to scout it out for myself because I’ve never liked dryer sheets, but need a little more than just vinegar to overcome some of the smells that get into the laundry.  I’m torn on the scent preference because I love the smell of lavender if it is an accurate lavender scent, but I also tend to like fresh air scents.  So if I win, surprise me!Question, though, with winter coming on…how is it on controlling static?

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    • KeterMagick like I told @momofbouys since I live in such a humid area, I can’t give you a good review on its anti-static properties. We usually don’t have any static until maybe, maybe January and at that point it’s such a novelty I fold in the dark to watch the show. 😛

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  60. oooo, tough choice. I would choose fresh air for most of my laundry and the lavendar for bedding. Looks like I will be making a trip to the store. 🙂

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  63. Fresh Air, please please please please please please….and ignore the fact that I’m begging. Hubby doesn’t like when I spend money on new things, therefore, dryer sheets are here until I can prove there is something better, without the proving costing me. PLEASE!!!!

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  65. As much as I would probably love the lilac scent…. my hubby and boys would probably not appreciate it so I would love to try the fresh air scent!

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  69. I’d love to try the Fresh Air… I think I’ll buy some and give it a whirl. I’ve really been experimenting with laundry now that we’re out of apartment/ communal washers. 

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  71. towels are the hardest thing.  I have been using the hot water and dawn to wash.  And dryer balls in the dryer.  I like the idea of a little smell.  What does it do for static??

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    • momofbouvs I live in a very humid area (the Lowcountry of SC) so I really can’t give you much of a review on static. I did wash a few comforters yesterday and those will occasionally crackle and snap out of the dryer and I didn’t observe any.

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  72. I’ve been using dryer balls for over a year and they are great – but I do miss the fresh smell. Maybe this will be the perfect solution. One question, though – what about sensitive skin issues? One of the reasons I gave up dryer sheets (besides all the above) is that we needed to eliminate all potential irritants to my kids’ eczema prone skin. Are these all natural? 

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    • cbuxton03 I’ve C&P’d this from their product information page, keep in mind the should be a table so it’s a bit confusing in this foringredient| what it is | health + environmental summarywater (aqua) | diluent / solvent | deionized for purity; extracted from abundant sourcedicocoylethyl hydroxyethylmonium methosulfate | softener + antistatic | active non toxic in use and not irritating to skin; readily biodegradable; derived from coconut oilpropanediol | solvent | non toxic and not irritating to skin; readily biodegradable; made from corn sugarsglycol distearate | softening agent | gentle on skin and non toxic; readily biodegradable and not accumulative; made from plant oils + synthetic materialsglyceryl oleate*/stearate | softening agent | gentle on skin and non toxic; biodegrade readily and not accumulative in the environment; made from corn sugars and plant oilspropylene glycol | solvent | non toxic in use and not irritating to skin; readily biodegradable; made using synthetic materialscocamidopropylamine oxide | surfactant + fragrance emulsifier | low skin irritation in use and non toxic; readily biodegradable; derived from coconut oilphenoxyethanol | antioxidant | non toxic, low skin + respiratory irritation; readily biodegradable; made from synthetic materialscalcium chloride | stabilizer | non toxic if ingested and not irritating to skin; safely disperses in environment; comes from abundant mineral sourcemethylisothiazolinone | preservative | safe for people (low skin + eye irritation); inherently biodegradable; made from synthetic materials; present at under 0.2%fragrance oil blend | fragrance | free of phthalates and other dirty ingredients, not irritating to skin or toxic in use; blend of essential oil and safe synthetic ingredients. potential allergens: alpha-isomethylionone, lilial, citronellol, coumarin, limonene, linalool

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  74. I would love to try the Fresh Air scent. I wish I had access to a clothesline but I live in an apartment. I would love to spray some of the sunshine on my clothes! 🙂

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  76. I am intrigued. I have not used dryer sheets since I was a little girl because they would give me a slight allergic reaction. I am curious to see if I would react to this since it’s liquid and natural. Hmmm I thing I would like the fresh air scent because I too am not a big flowery kind of gal.

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    • ShanaDieli I’ve got pretty sensitive skin, too or I used to. I’ve used the free and clear and now Method products for so many years that I couldn’t guarantee that I haven’t grown out of it. 🙂

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      • HeatherSolos ShanaDieli My husband hates that I don’t use dryer sheets lol But with my skin and my daughters I just worry so much. But you’ve always had such amazing things to say about Method. I think you may have convinced me in trying them out.

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    • KadeeHolman I do not believe so, the scent and softener respond to the heat of the dryer. You can compromise and do a 15 minute tumble which will soften your clothes and keep your electrical usage fairly low.

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  79. I love lavender, and lilac.  Sometimes, in fact usually, perfumed products don’t smell like the actual plants.  Blech.  But Method’s lavender smells like Lavender, so that’s the one I’d want to try.  Don’t know if my menfolk would agree. Too bad:)

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  80. I’d love to to try the lavender, but would be happy to try either.  Looking forward to trying this spray (whether I win or not) Thanks!

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    • teresamtaylor This ended last night. I’ve already drawn the winners, my apologies if it wasn’t clear enough. I’ll be posting the results in a couple of hours.

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  81. I would like to try the lavender and lilac lilac takes me back to the days when I was a child….. but anything that is anim friendly I am all 4

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  82. Thanks for doing a freebie on your own dime…very cool of you (but we all knew that already, didn’t we)  <==not intended as a suck up to win a prize, I just don’t usually write comments, I am usually better as a silent lurker, so when I do write a comment, I want to make sure that you know how much I appreciate your book and your blog.  Anyway, I would love to try the Fresh Air scent (but truthfully either)…I had never thought of just freshening the scent of a dry clean only item instead of using a Dryel-type product…great idea!

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  83. Hi Heather – I’m a newbie to your 101, also the victim of a dryer sheet falling out of my pant leg…2 days ago! More importantly, I’m trying to be more kind (not composting tho) to the environment & I wpuld love to try Fresh Air! Thank you for all the info!

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  84. Just had to stop by and say I picked up a bottle of the Lavender Lilac, and I love it! The scent is a no brainer, but it really does make the laundry softer and easier to fold/iron.

    PS…for those who don’t like strong scents…the smell is quite strong when you spray it, but on the actual clothes it is much more subtle. Bonus: my laundry room smells a lot better than it used to!

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  85. Have you tried just not using anything? It’s the cheapest solution and it also works. I’ve been doing laundry for 25 years now and I’ve never purchased dryer sheets or added anything to the dryer except for one of those dryer balls sometimes, but usually not. I’m not really sure that those work either, but I found a few for a dollar so I picked them up. I’m a clothes hound and I’m exceptionally picky about how my clothes are laundered because I want them to look their best and last a long time, which I mention because I wouldn’t want you to assume that I’m uncaring about the quality of my laundry. It’s quite the opposite. I’m often accused of being too picky about how my clothes are cleaned. I’m of the opinion that dryer sheets and commercial laundry softeners are damaging to clothing and that my clothes are in superior condition because I don’t use them. I believe the concept that something must be added to clothes in order to use the dryer is scam. Cling has never been an issue, not even when I lived in the desert. If clothes do cling while I’m trying to fold them or hang them up, it literally only lasts for a short time. I’ve never pulled clothes out of a drawer or from my closet and had an issue with static cling. A fine spritz of water eliminates static without the use of chemicals, too.

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  86. Here in Florida, for some reason (hey, she’s bipolar), static when I pull things out of the dryer is a BIG issue. I’ve been using dryer balls to avoid the sheets, but they don’t eliminate static. I KNOW my boyfriend will not let me use this stuff. And he WILL know about it if I do. Especially because we do all of the shopping together. You know, just so there’s not arguments over what comes home. We both have equal input in the store. We don’t like to argue. So I was wondering if I could mix some water, a teensy bit of vinegar, and some essential oil and use that? I love peppermint oil 🙂

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