No More Toxic Fabric Softeners

So many people equate clean laundry with a clean smell. But it's not necessary to use toxic fabric softeners to make your clothes smell clean. Yes, that's right, fabric softeners can be toxic! According to the book Home Enlightenment by Annie B. Bond, "...the chemical analysis of the airborne emissions of five mainstream fabric softeners revealed that the fabric softeners emitted many toxic chemicals, many of which cause acute respiratory tract irritation and inflammation." So, if you have asthma, perhaps your laundry products are to blame.

As someone with multiple chemical sensitivities, I am careful to avoid products that contain artificial fragrances. I have found several ways to "sweeten" my laundry without using fabric softeners. For some reason, probably because they are derived from natural sources, natural essential oils do not bother me. So, sometimes I sprinkle our clothes with pure French lavender essential oil. (You have to be careful to spot test fabrics when in doubt, so that clothes do not get stained.) The essential oil of lavender leaves our clothing smelling fresh for quite some time, and also imparts a lovely smell to the drawers where the clothing is stored. Another very simple way to sweeten your laundry is to let it dry outdoors in the open air. The sun can fade colors quickly so you have to be careful. On the other hand, because the sun can make whites whiter, it can work to your advantage, too.

Besides imparting a fragrance, fabric softeners are formulated to fight static cling. All-natural fabrics such as cotton, linen, rayon, and flax don't require fabric softeners because they don't develop static cling in the first place. Over time, it would be wise to replace your wardrobe with all-natural fabrics. In the interim, you can switch to a "green" fabric softener, which is made of vegetable-based surfactants, salt, and all natural fragrances. For your health, I urge you to avoid mainstream fabric softeners altogether.