Alternative to dryer sheets/fabric softener?

[Margarita]

We recently bought some new clothes for the kids and B, and a few of the things said "fabric softener and dryer sheets not recommended". Since I didn't want laundry to become too complicated with too much separating, I went to search online to find out if they would ruin the clothes or what.

Instead, I found that many of the ingredients in dryer sheets (and fabric softeners) are toxic! Yike! I may be behind the times on this, but it affected me enough that I am going to stop using them. Better late than never, I guess.

So...now I'm wondering if my clothes are going to be all stuck together in one lump without dryer sheets to prevent static cling. I found suggestions for using vinegar in the wash, but I can't because we are allergic in this house. I tried baking soda in an extra rinse cycle today, but I'm not sure I want to run an extra cycle for every load of laundry (using more water), and I'm not sure if it was effective (they were just sheets).

I also read that natural fabrics do not get static cling. We do buy synthetic and natural, and I don't see that changing. Another tip was to line dry, which isn't an option in summer because the clothes collect outdoor allergens and in winter because we live in Colorado and don't want popsicle clothes.

Does anyone have any other tips or recommendations for preventing static cling without using dryer sheets or fabric softener? Even the "natural" softeners have some of the toxic ingredients.

[jana]

Hmm, well, all the ideas I was going to suggest you've already mentioned. We use vinegar. Perhaps you could hang clothes inside or in the garage? I don't line dry outside, either, because our backyard is covered in trees....which means our laundry is, too!

If you take stuff out of the dryer when it's still slightly damp, you can usually just stick it on hangers over the shower rod or something, and it dries pretty fast.

[nisha]

I don't use anything, and really don't have a lot of problem with static...

[Deana]

I don't use fabric softener or sheets. I was thinking of buying those "dryer balls" - they just sort of fluff everything around, I think.
If my laundry has static when I unload the dryer, I just keep my hands slightly damp with a washcloth - the water makes the static goes away.

[HeavenLeigh]

It's rare that I use either, too costly and the cheap stuff breaks me out....I have noticed that I have static only at certain times. Wintertime is the worst. Mostly in the summer and warmer months my laundry is never staticy and even when it is they aren't in one big clump. I have no other ideas or alternatives. The anti static clothes spray may work if you spray a bit in the dryer right before the clothes are completely dry.

[IUgrad02]

Great, I just bought dryer sheets today!!!! Argh. I must be behind the times too, Margs, b/c I didn't know about this....

I was also going to ask about the dryer balls that you throw in.... never tried them though....

[jana]

I have the dryer balls, but don't use them all the time. We rarely have static cling issues anyway.

[heather6773]

I use dryer sheets. I am addicted to them. Don't feel bad Megan I didn't know they were bad either.

[Deana]

I bought the dryer balls today (and btw, we had a lot of 8th grade fun with the whole ball thing, lol). They did make our clothes softer than not using any fabric softener at all, but obviously not as soft. No static though, and the clothes did seem to dry a bit faster. I am going to use them for now on though. I like the fact that I'm not putting extra chemicals on our clothes, and I really like the cost savings of not having to buy fabric softener.

ETA: I never used to use fabric softener on our towels (I think that towels feel less absorbent when they have been washed w/softener), so I am really excited to see how our towels do w/the dryer balls.

[IUgrad02]

Cool, I might have to invest in some. How much are they? Where did you buy yours? Just wondering. I think I've seen them at Meijer, and if I remember correctly, they weren't that $$. It would save quite a lot in the long run.