Homemade Dryer Sheets-With Update!

Homemade Dryer Sheets? Who knew, right?
Let's just say pinterest has forever changed my life! I spend hours on pinterest, so much so I think there should be a twelve step program or something, but it wouldn't matter because I'd go right back to using pinterest! Haha! I'm a pinterestjunkie!
But there are some really good things on pinterest, and I decided it was about time to stop just pinning and actually make some of the stuff I have pinned! At this point my husband is probably hoping I stay away from my garden spaces board or my design style board to prevent him from having a mile long list of things to do with pallets and mason jars!
Hence, the dryer sheets...

Here is what you need:

Distilled White Vinegar

A Clean Cotton Rag or T-shirt

A Glass Jar with a Tight Fitting Lid

A Cutting Mat/Rotary Cutter or Scissors

The Young Living Essential Oil of your choice

(If you want to know more about Young Living and essential oils, email me at spiceyourspace@yahoo.com)

 When you get all of your items together,
fold the rag, towel, or t-shirt you have chosen to sacrifice for the betterment of your cleaning supplies. Take your rotary cutter or scissors and cut the cotton into rectangles. Size and shape really don't matter. Cut the strips into hearts, stars, or monkeys if you want!!!!! No laundry police will come knocking at your door, I promise!

So what's next?

Remember the glass jar part? Yeah, a jar like this one.

I got mine at the dollar store. Use a mason jar if you want, just something that has a close fitting lid

Word of Caution: If using any kind of citrus essential oil, do not, I repeat, do not use plastic! Citrus essential oils, ex. lemon, lime, grapefruit, etc eat away at the toxins in plastic and corrode it. You don't want your earth friendly project to go to be not so earth or home friendly!

So back to the jar...

Place 1 to 1  1/2 cups of the Vinegar in your jar

Add 5+ drops of Citrus Fresh by Young Living

(or whatever other Young Living oil you choose)

Swish

Swish

yeah I said swish 

Next, put your cut up rags in the jar

Fiddle them around (I apologize if my terms are getting to technical here)

Make certain all of the rags are damp, if not add a little more vinegar

Close the lid snugly

Voila!

 Now how do you use these thingamajiggers?

                                                                                     Simply take one portion of the rag, and place in with your load of wet clothes in the dryer. Use the normal settings you normally use. When the load is done, simply take the rag section out of the dryer and put back into the glass jar to reuse again and again! Simple!!

For those looking for economical solutions to your housekeeping duties, this certainly qualifies! I already had the vinegar, I already had the essential oil for other uses, and I already had the rag, so for me this project only cost $1 for the jar. Plus I get to keep using these over and over! Lovely! I've used these already, and have to say I really like them. You may find you can't dry on as high a heat, but that is really bad for your clothes anyway, breaking down the fibers over time.

There are other reasons to go this route. I won't bore you with citations and sites spouting info, but in this past year I have read several times and have heard that commercial fabric softener dryer sheets contain carcinogenics, and ingredients that can instigate asthmatic symptoms, and irritate the skin. What??????! You mean I am putting potentially harmful substances up against my body and the bodies of my family just so our clothes can be softer and smell good? Um, no thank you. I kind of like being alive. And, I know from firsthand (or left breast) experience that cancer ain't fun to go through! I want to make my children safe, not induce skin irritants or asthma or cancer cells into their bodies!

This was the main reason I chose to try this route. Once I started reading labels and paying attention to what we are putting in our homes and in our bodies, I've discovered way too many things that are harmful which I have taken for granted as a necessity when actually it was me buying into commercial pressure. Even if you change only one thing for the health of your family, I challenge you to do so. Take one step for change, for health, for making a difference in the health of your family. Afterall, they are kind of worth it!!

Update:
Since this post has gotten so many hits, I thought I'd give you an update on how the homemade dryer sheets are working out for us.

• Number 1- the hubs is not a fan. Just thought I'd be honest with you!! 
• The MIL and I really like them, though. However, I would like to make some amendments: 
• I would add more drops of the Citrus Fresh essential oil, and at least one drop of Purification to get rid of the stinky odors that somehow infect our bath towels and sheets. Maybe its just us and we're stinky people, but I choose to cite that we have two dogs. Just sayin'. 
• The other change would be slightly larger pieces. Not too much bigger, but a little more so.
• The last thing is really just a note for you: when you get a load out of the dryer, put the dryer sheet right back in the jar. Don't stockpile them, then put a bunch in at once. You end up with really soggy pieces and dry-er pieces. I have found it works best for me to put each one in as it comes out of the dryer and put it down in the bottom of the jar, by wedging it in with my fingers. 
• When your sheets get too dry, simply make up more of the solution and pour over the dryer sheets, but add the essential oil to the vinegar before pouring it over the rags dryer sheets.

Hope you are all enjoying your new dryer sheets and saving lots of money on this venture!