Are Fabric Softener Dryer Sheets really necessary?

I'm sure many of you couldn't dry your clothes without having some chemical-laden, fragrance-filled fabric softener dryer sheets added to the laundry load, but is it really necessary? I mean, do your clothes not smell fresh after you wash 'em? Do your really need to add anymore smelly stuff to your garments? Is static cling really a big deal (if and when it even occurs) that couldn't simply be "shook out" once you remove your clothes from the dryer?

At any rate, I used to use the things for years. For the longest, I would just buy them while often wondering why in the hell I needed 'em to begin with, but since I've always seen them used since I was a little kid, just figured I'd keep the tradition, I guess; ha!

Well anyway, one day I ran out of these damn things, didn't go to the store, and dried my clothes without them.  The next time I went to the store I was aiming to buy some, but forgot.  So now, after drying a few more loads of laundry during this time frame without fabric softener dryer sheets, I really couldn't tell any difference. My clothes still smelt fresh, and I just don't really get the fuss over this "static cling" crap.

I've heard before that it you want to remove static from your clothes without using dryer sheets, that a crumpled-up piece of aluminum foil will do the job just as well, if not better. I've also heard that wool balls (dryer balls?) also effectively remove static cling, wrinkles, and softens your clothes without all the toxic junk that is commonly found within dryer sheets. Another tip, although unrelated, is that your clothes will dry quicker if you throw a dry towel into the mix before you start the drying process.

Oh, before I go any further, I must add a couple quotes and resource links toward this subject - mainly just to show that I'm not the only one complaining about this overly marketed nonsensical dryer product:

"Unfortunately, dryer sheets can contain some harmful chemicals - including hidden fragrance chemicals that lots of people are sensitive to - that vent off into the air we breathe and rub off on our clothes and then onto our skin. Dryer sheets aren't even necessary to our laundry; they're just an extra source of exposure to toxic chemicals. Dryer sheets are generally made of a polyester sheet that's been covered in a fabric softener chemical and, usually, fragrance chemicals." Read more, here: http://www.ecowatch.com/why-you-need-to-ditch-dryer-sheets-1881714654.html

"Dryer sheets actually aren’t all that necessary. They’re also not so green. Most dryer sheets contain icky ingredients that can in fact be toxic for your family. Also, dryer sheets are a huge waste of materials – for what? Static cling that’s hardly a real problem. You’ve got the sheets themselves creating waste not to mention the box packing.  Larger cases are often re-wrapped in plastic as well." Read more, here: http://www.alloy.com/well-being/are-dryer-sheets-necessary/ [Link is no longer active]

A big plus to all of this for me, regardless of the going green and/or environmentally friendly stuff and the toxic chemical avoidance, is that I simply don't have to buy these freakin' things anymore! One less thing draining money out of my pocket sounds good to me... Cheers!

---End of Post "Are Fabric Softener Dryer Sheets really necessary?"

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