If you enjoy the smell of clean clothes straight out of your dryer machine, you might be shocked to learn that smell comes at a cost. The majority of fabric softeners - plastic/rubber dryer balls, dryer sheets or the liquid variety - contain lots of toxic/harmful chemicals.
According to an Environmental Health Association, both liquid and dryer sheet fabric softeners are "the most toxic product produced for daily household use." Most of the popular brands of fabric softeners contain numerous neurotoxins (substances that are harmful to the brain and nervous system) and other kinds of toxins. The basic argument in favor of using fabric softeners is that the amount of the chemicals to which a person is exposed is insufficient to cause harm. Research studies are revealing that even small amounts of these toxins can have serious impacts.
Fabric softeners work by leaving a residue on the fabric which never completely washes out. It can cause allergic reactions through skin contact and inhalation. When fabric softeners are exposed to hot water, heat from dryers or ironing, vapours may be emitted which can be deeply inhaled, increasing their impact.
How can you find the fabric softener which are least harmful, among the countless products on store shelves?
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