Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Tumble Dryer Sheets To Know
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Looking for eco-friendly alternatives to tumble dryer sheets? I have four sustainable options for you to try to help reduce the environmental load.
When it comes to doing my laundry, I try really hard not to use my tumble dryer when I don’t need to. I much prefer line-drying my clothes.
Line drying is super sustainable and doesn’t cost anything – as opposed to the tumble dryer, which guzzles energy. Plus line drying helps prolong the life of my clothes, unlike the tumble dryer, which has been found to damage clothes due to the heat, humidity and constant agitation. I hate the thought of damaging my favourite clothes so the trusty washing line always wins.
However, I live in Scotland, and the statistics don’t lie – it is the wettest place in the UK. When the weather doesn’t play ball – which is often – then needs must.
To be honest, on wet days and in winter I do dry most of my clothes indoors on the clothes horse. However, sometimes, if there’s been a clothing or bedding disaster that needs washing straight away (what can I say, I have two kids!), then I do need to reach for the tumble dryer.
One thing I don’t reach for though is tumble dryer sheets. Partly through sheer frugality and partly through never being convinced that I need yet another product for my laundry, I have never used them. Over the years I’ve been able to find eco-friendly alternatives that mean we don’t need to use them.
What’s Wrong With Tumble Dryer Sheets?
I’ve always been wary of tumble dryer sheets, as they aren’t quite as innocuous as they look. Those little sheets are made of plastic, so straight-off aren’t great. The sheets can also contain volatile organic compounds like butane and acetaldehyde, which can cause respiratory irritation.
Tumble dryer sheets also contain substances called quaternary ammonium compounds. This is a broad class of chemicals, some of which are linked to conditions such as asthma. Meanwhile, the term “fragrance” can hide a huge variety of chemicals that manufacturers don’t have to disclose on account of being classed as trade secrets. Yet the chemicals used can be toxic or known allergens.
As well as the potential health problems that tumble dryer sheets can cause, there’s also the environmental impact of having to bin the sheet after each use to consider. For me, using the sheets just doesn’t stack up.
Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Tumble Dryer Sheets
From what I can understand people use tumble dryer sheets to a) scent their clothes, b) soften their clothes, and c) to reduce static cling, so I get why people use them. But is there an eco-friendly alternative? I like to think so.
If you’re looking to green your laundry, then here are some eco-friendly alternatives to tumble dryer sheets that address all of the above:
Wool Dryer Balls
For a reusable, natural, and plastic-free solution look no further than wool dryer balls. I’ve been using my wool dryer balls, like these from the online eco shop &Keep, for about 7 years now, and really rate them. Scent-free, they naturally soften your clothes without the use of nasty chemicals and help prevent static cling naturally.
They’re also just as easy to use as tumble dryer sheets. All you have to do is pop them in the tumble dryer with your wet washing and turn your drier on. No faff. Just soft and dry clothes.
Apparently, the wool dryer balls also help to reduce drying time, because they prevent your clothes from clumping together, allowing hot air to circulate more efficiently. The wool balls also absorb moisture, further reducing the drying time. I don’t use my tumble dryer consistently enough to verify if this is true or not – but if they can help to reduce energy then I am all for it!
Tumbler Dryer Eggs
If you would prefer a vegan alternative, then try Eco Egg’s dryer eggs (which, despite the name, I promise no chickens have been involved in the making of these!). I have a set of these reusable eggs and have found that these knobbly eggs soften clothes, reduce static cling and eliminate the need for a fabric conditioner.
The eggs have also been scientifically proven to reduce tumble drying time by up to 28%. This is all down to the knobbly bits, which work together to lift and separate the clothes, allowing the heat of the tumble dryer to circulate more efficiently, drying your clothes faster and using far less electricity.
I haven’t tested this claim (life’s too short!). However, some people have claimed they do significantly reduce drying time, so they’re well worth a try.
If you use tumble dryer sheets because you like the smell of them, then you’ll be pleased to hear that these eggs come with essential oil scent sticks that you insert into the middle of the egg. You can then replace this when the scent wears off after approximately 20 uses.
You can use them without the scent sticks if you are scent-averse or don’t want the added expense of buying scent refills. Personally, I tried them and didn’t think the fragrance was very noticeable, so I never bothered to replace the sticks. It doesn’t affect the performance of the eggs.
Eco-Friendly Fabric Conditioner
If you want to soften your clothes the easiest and cheapest way to do this is during the wash cycle. Here’s a quick guide on how you can make your own fabric conditioner, which softens clothes as well as helps to eliminate static cling. Alternatively, if you’re not into DIY laundry products try my guide to the best eco-friendly fabric conditioner to find a sustainable alternative.
Scented Fabric Scraps
If you just use tumble dryer sheets to add scent to your laundry, then there’s a really cheap and easy eco-friendly alternative you need to know about.
Simply place a few drops of your favourite essential oil on a scrap of fabric. Natural fabrics work best, so try an old cotton flannel, a bit of muslin, a cotton handkerchief, or something similar. Then add the scrap to your dryer at the end of the drying cycle, before running the dryer on the cool setting for a few minutes to get all the scent benefits without the chemical nasties.
A word of warning. Essential oils can be flammable, so don’t add the scrap in at the start of the drying cycle. It’s recommended to add your fabric scrap on a cool setting only to avoid a fire risk.
Other Tumble Dryer Tips
If you want to avoid static cling the best thing to do is to avoid tumble-drying polyester and other synthetic fabrics, such as lycra and synthetic fleece. Natural fabrics, such as cotton, don’t tend to cling as much as polyester.
Polyester tends to dry quite quickly when hung up to dry anyway. Plus the heat of the dryer can damage synthetic fabrics more than natural fabrics, so it’s always best to air dry these types of fabrics where possible.
Another top tip is to avoid over-drying your clothes. Completely dry clothing spinning around in your tumble dryer encourages the formation of static. Therefore, try taking your clothes out of the dryer 5 minutes before you normally would, to see if that helps.
If you do have a problem with static cling that none of the above helps with, then some people swear by tin foil. Yes! Apparently, crumpling up a ball of tin foil and placing that in your tumble dryer along with your clothes may help. I have not tried this as I don’t buy tin foil, but it’s certainly something to keep in mind!
Another unusual tip for eco-friendly alternatives to tumble dryer sheets that I have seen bandied around is to add a teaspoon of hair conditioner to a scrap of fabric. You then place that in the dryer alongside your wet clothes. I haven’t tried this either, but it’s another trick to keep up your sleeves if none of the above work for you! I would use an eco-friendly conditioner if giving this a go.
To Sum Up
If you’re looking to lighten your environmental load, then one easy way to do so is to curb your use of tumble dryer sheets. These single-use products are laden with chemicals that aren’t particularly good for our health. Thankfully there are a heap of eco-friendly alternatives out there – from reusable wool dryer balls to reusable and vegan-friendly Eco Eggs – to other hacks that perform just as well as tumble dryer sheets. These have the added benefit of reducing your energy usage – making them an eco win-win.
Have I missed any top tips? Let me know in the comments below!
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