Hey R&H peeps! This post is all about detoxing your laundry routine, but I’ll give you a spoiler alert right off the bat – my main reason for writing this post was to introduce you to these fabulous felted wool dryer balls, sold by a WAHM at a little online shop called Lovesmade.
Once I started talking about detoxing your laundry routine I got a little carried away with the many tips and tricks out there to help you! I think we all know by now that being succinct is not my spiritual gift. Ahem. Anyway – go check out the cute little store at Lovesmade, and don’t forget to enter to win your own felted wool dryer ball set for FREE at the bottom of this post!
Detox Your Laundry? Why Bother?
If you had told newly-married me (ten years ago) that there were nasty toxic chemicals in my Tide laundry detergent (cheap store-brand for frugality’s sake: some things never change) and Bounce dryer sheets, I would surely have rolled my eyes and written you off as a total hippie consiracy theorist, slightly out of touch with reality.
Harsh? Maybe. But that’s actually the vibe I often get from others now that I’m on the other side of the equation. I’m a huge fan of seeking to avoid nasty toxins lurking in most conventional household products. And I’m not just talking about draino and windshield washer fluid, I’m talking about everything from soap and shampoo to cleaners to the seemingly innocuous dryer sheets (now I use these instead and LOVE them).
It can be frustrating and overwhelming once you realize that the government actually does *not* regulate this stuff. There are a few banned substances, but other than that it’s pretty well a free-for-all. The terms are not regulated, either. “Natural”, “eco-friendly”, “green”, and “Non-toxic” are all bandied about on products that are often anything but those very things they claim.
And in case you’re wondering? It’s not just the hippie crunchy folks complaining, either. There are a lot of banned ingredients in other countries that are allowable in the U.S (and Canada). What do they recognize that our government won’t?
So when you hear me talking about the more expensive laundry detergent from the natural foods aisle in the grocery store, or a set of pure wool dryer balls (which, actually are more frugal in the long run), or going to the effort of googling that perfect natural DIY stain remover instead of throwing some heavy-duty chemical concoction (or bleach!) on it… maybe you can understand why.
Natural laundry care is especially important to me because it essentially effects us each and every day as we wear the clothes that were laundered without heavy fake scents, irritating chemicals, or unhealthy residues. I think that detoxing your laundry should actually be one of the very first steps you take in a journey to natural living.
OK, But Where Do I Start?
Non-Toxic Detergents
Switching over to a more natural laundry detergent was easy. We got the low-down on that whole deal when we first started cloth diapering (when our first baby was born more than five years ago). You can just grab one of the more natural options available for purchase (if you don’t know what kind to buy, research what brands are cloth diaper safe – those are usually the more natural ones), or you could try one of the many DIY detergent recipes out there on the web. This is the brand I use. More resources:
Choosing a Natural Laundry Detergent
Laundry Detergent Options
Homemade Laundry Detergent
5 Homemade Laundry Detergents
Detergent Alternatives
On the other side of the same coin, Adrienne from Whole New Mom shares why she doesn’t make her own laundry detergent, and what she uses instead. (Hint: it’s nuts. Hardy, har, har. I’m hilarious…) She also has a guest post on her site that shares a recipe for DIY baby laundry detergent that uses Baby Mild Dr. Bronner’s soap. Wellness Mama also wrote about her experience with soap nuts.
Stain Removal & Freshening
You can also detox your stain removal tools! There’s no need for questionable and dangerous ingredients. Emily has a simple recipe for stain remover that you can make ahead and store in a spray bottle to keep it easy. If you’re looking for some more stain removal suggestions, check out this post from Common Sense Homesteading. I’ve heard amazing things about this brand, and really want to try it!
Fighting Stains the Natural and Green Way
How to Get Your Laundry Smelling Fresh, Naturally
10+ Homemade, All-Natural Stain Removers (Including the Best Stain Remover EVER)
Dryer Balls
These are my favourite part. I told you above about how I first started by switching to a more natural laundry detergent. Then I just kind of quit using dryer sheets, knowing they were yucky. But I didn’t know what else to use. My mom got some reusable plastic dryer balls and I used those for a while, but I didn’t love the fact that I was heating plastic every time I used them (plastic is not the most natural invention ever…)
Felted Wool Dryer Balls: The Low-Down on Lovesmade
Then… I was contacted by a work-at-home mama who makes beautiful felted wool dryer balls and sells them online. By that time I had seen the tutorials floating around online. I had probably pinned a few to my pinterest boards.
But I seem to have this problem with pinterest whereby I pin things on my DIY boards and never actually DO them. (I know I’m not the only one – ‘fess up, peeps.)
So while I’m sure that I *could* make these myself (in fact, Shahbeila was kind enough to allow me to share the basic directions with you – see below), I am totally one of those people who, with 3 kids 5 and under and a busy household and side PT job, would sometimes rather just skip the DIY and PSETMIFM (Pay Someone Else to Make it For Me). Amen?! Besides, the cost of the wool roving would be comparable to the excellent prices of the ready-made dryer ball sets that Lovesmade sells. For my family, it’s totally a no-brainer! When these wear out (in like, five years…) I will gladly go back to Lovesmade to buy myself some more!
I’ve been using these dryer balls for about three months now, and I am super impressed. I mean, I knew the claims: they are supposed to reduce static cling, reduce drying time, and help leave laundry fluffier.
I wasn’t convinced that I’d actually see much drastic change. I already had cut down on static issues from switching to a more natural detergent. When I started using them, however, I very soon became a total convert, for 3 main reasons:
1. They really do cut down on static completely, even in the dry winter air! In fact, writing this made me realize I can’t remember the last time I took something out of the dryer with static on it!
2. They also help keep the load nice and fluffed up in the dryer, preventing those “damp spots” that I used to get when stuff would get tangled up.
3. I also saw a definite reduced drying time. I could tell because my dryer wasn’t fully drying a load in a regular time setting – I was forever needing to put it on for an extra 20 minutes – but now it’s always dry in time! A clear difference.
You can buy your own set at Lovesmade and get FREE shipping until the end of November 2013.
{To get your free shipping, use the code “decfreeship” to get it! I honestly can’t recommend these enough – and they’d make fabulous Christmas gifts, too!}
Other Eco-Friendly Topics You May Enjoy
JC
After researching this a bit more I bought 100% wool sweaters from Goodwill for $4 each. So far the first sweater has made 4 softball sized balls with a little left over. I’m going to felt them soon and see how well they work. If I like them I have a couple of more sweaters to do this again. I just cut into 1/2″ strips and wound them together tightly into a ball and covered with wool roving. I will say though that buying them may be worth it. It took me a couple of hours to cut up the sweater and wind into balls and my hands were rather sore when I was done.
Nisa
I currently use Seventh Generation dryer sheets, which I feel are fairly natural, but I’ve been eying dryer balls for a while now and would love some!
Mitzie
Would love to win these & try them. I’ve never heard of them before.
Bekka
Some awesome advice! I’ve never been a fan of dryer sheets, like ever. Growing up, we used dryer sheets in our household, and invariably, I’d discover a forgotten one in an inconvenient place – sometimes after leaving the house!
We used to use liquid fabric softener, and almost never use the recommended amount, but it still felt too much for us. So, when we switched to cloth diapers just a few months ago, I stopped using fabric softeners altogether so as to avoid build-up in our machine.
I just bought a few felt dryer balls at a craft fair, and not only are they really cute (three different patterns!), they work fantastically!
I dislike waste, so we are using up our powdered detergent until it’s gone, but we’ve picked up some Norex laundry detergent and some Rockin’ Green detergent to use when it is. We already use the Rockin’ Green on the diapers, and my husband is surprised at how such a tiny amount of detergent is required for our HE machine. Twenty-five dollars worth of detergent will go such a long way at this rate!
One of the best suggestions is to take it one step at a time if it seems overwhelming. Slowly, you can phase out the more harmful products in favour of many of the suggestions here.
Dawne
Stain removal! I dislike all of the chemicals in stain removers, so many of our clothes are grungy. I do need to get off my duff and read up on some green treatments. I have only recently heard about dryer balls and am excited about getting some when I can spare the coin, until then I just deal with the static o.O
April W.
I always love new ideas for detoxing my home! Thanks for this awesome post!
Sarah Ladnier
I pinned DIY wool dryer balls FOREVER ago! I’d love to try these 🙂
Lydia @ The Thrifty Frugal Mom
I need to detoxify my detergent!
Jennifer
I too am guilty of pinning a few of these and never getting around to making them, funny how that happens sometimes. Your experience is enough to convince me that I either need to make some or just PSETMIFM.
Brooke J.
I still have a ton of dryer sheets which I use d/t static. Would love to win the dryer balls.
erin
I’d love to try soap nuts soon… 🙂
Leslie
I love felt drier balls!!! Really a great way to reduce toxins in your laundry.
Nichole
We already use a more natural laundry detergent since we had babies in cloth diapers for the last two years so I think the next stop is on to the drying! The dryer balls sound great – I’ve heard so many good things about them!
Shahbeila
Hi Nicole, Lovesmade dryer balls are PERFECT for cloth diapers. Helps toss them (gently), fluff them up and more importantly help dry them faster to help reduce the strain that the heat can put on the fabric helping them last longer. We use an all in one and sometimes they can take forever to try. Not with dryer balls! They come out so soft and fluffy!
Carol
I can’t wait to use the dryer balls!
amy
Ditched the dryer sheets a while ago. Detergent is next.
Jackie
Dryer Balls are a great alternative! I was using epsom salt or vinegar in the rinse but found there was still some static once the clothes were done in the dryer. Thanks for offering the contest.
Vikki
I don’t have anything left to detox. I make my own detergent , I use vinegar in the rinse , and I mostly hang my clothes on the line to dry. I would love to win the dryer balls 🙂 thank you for this chance to win
Rachel
What a great idea- I can’t wait to try my hand at those dryer balls!
Melissa Jones
I don’t do a whole lot of stain removal (I just rewash and then live with the results eventually), so I frequently just buy Shout and keep using it till it runs out. I’d love to detoxify that routine, especially if it were something I could just spray on like that!
Rachel A.
I just learned about wool dryer balls the other day and was interested in how they would work. Now I am going to get some and check it out for myself. Thanks for the info!!