Learn How To Make Your Own Dryer Sheets From Fabric
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Are you tired of how expensive dryer sheets can be? Do you want to know how to make your own dryer sheets from fabric? Today, we are going to show you how!
All you need is a few common household items and some fabric. Today we will cover how to make your very own dryer sheet that work just as well as the store-bought ones!
What do I mean by working?
Each load of laundry will be free from static cling, won’t clog the dryer vent, will save you money on laundry products down the road, and should never bother that family member who has sensitive skin.
Dryer sheets aren’t eco-friendly
There are a few other reasons besides cost to Learn How To Make Your Own Dryer Sheets. Let’s start with the eco-friendly aspect. Store-bought dryer sheets can be toxic and harmful to the environment. When this sheet is thrown in the garbage it takes years for them to decompose!
Dryer Sheets aren’t healthy
On top of how bad they are for our planet, many people worry about how harmful chemicals like fabric softener and dryer sheets can be on their skin. There are a ton of different chemicals in them that are not good for us to be inhaling or absorb into our skin.
I could go on and on about how bad dryer sheets are for both the environment and humans, but my friend Leah actually did an in-depth study on them. You can read her toxic report here.
Dryer sheets are bad for your dryer
In addition to how bad they are for the environment and your health, many people have had issues with how these sheets can affect their dryer. They often cause a build-up of lint which not only means you need to clean out your lint trap more frequently, but it can actually damage your machine if too much builds up!
The more the build-up actually builds up – the less effective your dryer actually works. That means higher utility bills and even a potential fire if you aren’t cleaning the trap or exhaust.
Have you tried white vinegar?
That is a natural go-to that a lot of people rave about – but I have one problem with it. Ok, two problems. The smell, and the fact that I have to physically be there are the right time of the wash cycle to pour it in.
(sigh)
Who has time for that?
Liquid Fabric Softener is bad too
For a long time I had told Tupperware clients that they could save money by using their pickle keeper as an air-tight container to make their loads of laundry a breeze. It was basically a large jar with a dry sponge added to a mix that was one cup of commercial fabric softener and one cup of water. You took that sponge out of the jar, squeezed out the excess liquid, and added it to the wet laundry in the dryer as you ran the cycle.
You still had artificial fragrances like regular dryer sheets with all of those harsh chemicals, but basically made a fabric softener dispenser. Granted it was a small amount of fabric softener, but the bottom line? It all adds up.
That is how I was introduced to making my own dryer sheets
Read how to make your own dryer sheets from fabric and how it will solve ALL of these problems!
Do you like how store-bought dryer sheets smell?
With how easy it is to make your own, there’s no need! You can add in any scent of essential oil and get the same effect without all of those chemicals. A little bit of essential oil goes a long way with the heat of your dryer.
Dryer Sheets alternative: A reusable dryer sheet made from fabric.
This ticks all the bad boxes and makes them better. They are eco-friendly as you make 6 of them and reuse them. They don’t add to the mess of landfills. There are no harmful chemicals so they are safe for not only the planet but the people who will be in contact with those clothes.
Your machine won’t have the chemical build-up either and that fire hazard drops. There is no stopping the wash cycle to throw them in, and they don’t smell bad.
Whew!
It is worth the little bit of effort it takes to initially make them, especially if you are like me and knew that there had to be a better way than using commercial dryer sheets for the family’s laundry.
How to make your own dryer sheets
This is easier than you might think – you already know there is no vinegar smell from stopping your wash load in the rinse cycle, you can skip the wool balls, and you don’t have to use old wash cloths or even cut up that old towel.
Help- I am not a person who is good at sewing!
if you are not a seamstress, you can still make dryer sheets. Cut 5 ½” x 5 ½” pieces of fabric out of flannel cotton cloth and trim the edges with pinking shears. This will keep the raw edges from fraying when you wash and dry them. Use each square individually just as you would the stitched version.
Skill Level for Easy Sew: Beginner
To make your own DIY Dryer sheets, you need about 30-45 minutes of your time. That is it! The next thing you know, you will be making them as gifts!
Homemade Fabric Softener Sheets are Thrifty
The approximate cost to make these is about $0.84 per cloth (As costs vary from store to store, this is based on my local Joann fabric price of $7.99 with a 30% sale which they have quite often on flannel)
If you are lucky enough to have a yard or two in your craft stash, they will cost even less.
Homemade Dryer Sheets Supplies:
- Sewing Machine
- ½ yard flannel fabric
- Matching thread
- Fabric marking pen
- Sewing pins or clips
- Standard sewing scissors
- Turning tool or chopstick
- Cutting mat and ruler, measuring tape or ruler
- Iron
- Pinking Shears for the no-sew option
Instructions for Easy Sew Reusable Dryer sheets:
These really aren’t that hard to do – and once you get into a routine, they go very fast.
Step 1:
Measure (12) 5 ½” x 5 ½” pieces of your flannel fabric
Steps 2-4:
Pin 2 pieces with printed sides facing each other.
Using a 3/8” seam allowance, sew around all four sides, leaving a 3” gap for turning.
Clip your corners.
Steps 5-6:
Using your turning tool, turn squares right side out and push out the corners.
Press with a warm iron.
Steps 7-8:
Using a ¼” seam allowance, topstitch around the entire dryer sheet. Sew a line down the middle of the dryer sheet to keep it from twisting out of shape when you use it.
Step 9
Fold and place in an airtight container of homemade fabric softener mixture just like I mentioned above with those dry sponges.
What do you use for fabric softener?
There are no GREAT chemical-free liquid softeners – some that are better than others according to Leah’s Study but none have natural ingredients.
So here is a non-toxic option – and yes, it has vinegar in it. (sigh)
Use two cups of vinegar to two cups of water, then add two tablespoons of vegetable glycerin. Add just a few drops of your favorite essential oil and you are good to go.
To use, slightly twist once to remove excess moisture and place in the dryer with your lot of laundry. Then take the used dryer sheet and put it back in the solution when the dryer is done.
You now have your own natural dryer sheets!
Now that you know How To Make Your Own Dryer Sheets – have you looked into homemade laundry detergent for your washing machine?
