DIY Dryer Sponges
/Remember that flowery scent on the sheets when you slept over at Grandma’s house? The fresh spring scent of towels in your mom’s linen closet? It used to be that if I didn’t smell the fabric softener on my clothing, it went straight through the wash because it must not be “clean”. Times have changed! I can’t even walk down the laundry aisle of the grocery store without holding my breath, thoughts of toxins whirling around my brain as a slight headache begins to form. More and more people are becomming aware that, in many cases, these synthetic smellies are dangerous.
What’s the problem with traditional dryer sheets?
Surprise, surprise, there are many synthetic chemicals in mainstream fabric softener dryer sheets that are of cause for concern. More than 80% of these products score a D or an F on the EWG rating scale for safety. Much of this is due to the fragrance chemicals (of which about 75% are known endocrine disruptors). These mess up our endocrine system (all our biological systems and the way our organs function), especially our thyroid, which creates and maintains our hormones, which are strongly connected to our fertility. I know it’s a bit of a rabbit hole to follow all that so here’s the easy way to put it… “fragrance” = fertility hazard (among many other issues). But it doesn’t end there. With links to central nervous system damage, cancer, allergies, headaches, skin irritations, depression and even obesity, it’s obvious we need to take the ingredients in our everyday products more seriously.
Why should I just make my own?
It’s SAFE. When I make products at home, I know EXACTLY what goes into them. I pronounce all of the ingredients. I can tweak the recipe any way I choose and I can ENSURE every ingredient is safe for myself and my family.
It’s EFFECTIVE. I don’t know about you but static drives me BONKERS!!! Like, when stuff is so staticky that it sticks together as I pull it out of the dryer, it almost makes me want to start over and throw the clothes back in the wash, this time remembering to intervene with some magic static-fighting strategy. SO, we need something EFFECTIVE at decreasing static.
It’s BUDGET FRIENDLY. Any time I can cut costs with my home goods, I consider that a WIN and DIY is a fantastic way to stretch our dollars.
It SMELLS GOOD. As much as I hate to admit it, I miss the exotic scents my laundry of the past had. If I’m going to try something new, it better not only neutralize that sometimes stanky laundry smell but also actually be pleasant.
It’s EASY. This is an absolute must. I don’t have time for complicated formulas or shopping for obscure ingredients I won’t use for anything else.
KIDS CAN HELP. As a bonus, it’d be cool if it were SO easy and safe that I could throw it together with my son.
So, let’s get to it! This is one of my first DIY recipes and I’m so pleased with it! I scoured the internet and choose the best ideas I could find, made some creative changes and… ta-da! DIY Dryer Sponges. Here’s a breakdown of the super easy process of throwing these together!
DIY Dryer Sponges
Ingredients:
2 C WARM Water
1 C Pure Haven Conditioner
2T Witch Hazel
1.5 C vinegar (Update: while this helps reduce static, some people are not a fan of the smell. This can be omitted or you can try apple cider vinegar which has a sweeter smell if you wish)
20-30 drops Pure Haven Essentials Essential Oils (I used Lemon, Tea Tree & Lavender)
About 8 Sponges
Directions
Pour the water into a bowl and whisk in the conditioner until blended. I used Pure Haven Conditioner because it’s awesome. It’s 100% natural and I know what all the ingredients are. It’s made in a USDA Certified Organic Facility and is gluten free and PETA certified. It has a great light scent and it’s what I have in my house so, using it for both my hair and my laundry makes sense. Here’s a link to the Conditioner. You could use any conditioner but please go natural. See the picture below to discover what ingredients are typically the worst ones in conditioners to avoid (from Campaign for Safe Cosmetics Red Lists).
Add the witch hazel. This is a great ingredient to have on hand for skincare, too. It’s a natural remedy made from the bark and leaves of a plant called Hamamelis virginiana. It’s calming for the skin, decreases redness and is naturally antibacterial.
Pour in the vinegar and stir.
Add in your essential oils. I chose lemon for it’s uplifting scent and natural antibacterial properties, lavender for the scent and tea tree for it’s antibacterial properties. I did approximately 30 drops. Some words of caution here: Make sure you use a safe dilution, even though this is for laundry. Essential oils are potent and need to be used with caution. To learn more, check out safe dilution charts at Using Essential Oils Safely. I use Pure Haven Essential Oils because I TRUST their purity. They’re certified organic and responsibly sourced and packaged. I also appreciate their prices! You can find the oils here.
Cut sponges in half (in either direction (depending on what shape will best fit in your container).
Pour your mixture to fill about 1/3 of your container. I recommend using a glass container. Best practice is to use one recycled from your own family or a thrift store :-)
Put in your sponges, pour in more liquid until the sponges are a little more than half covered.
Give it a little shake and turn up-side-down to coat the sponges. (I do this before each use as well.)
Pour extra into a separate glass container to add to sponges as needed.
Add 2-3 sponges on wet clothes before starting the dryer each time.
(Lasts about 3-4 months)
These pics correspond to the steps above:
I hope you love this! Try it! It’s easy :-) Let me know in the comments how it works for you and/or what you do to decrease static and get fluffy clean-smelling laundry.
Thanks for reading!
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These are the worst chemicals often found in conditioners. Check your labels and avoid these common hazards. Go natural and choose products with ingredients you can read and recognize.