Many people do their laundry, but most of them don’t seem to be familiar about how dryer sheets work. Nowadays, some people use commercially produced dryer sheets. However, they have several disadvantages as these dryer sheets are filled with chemicals that are not good for skin and health.
Nevertheless, homemade dryer sheets are a good alternative. Here are 10 different recipes I have gathered from my research in order to make home-made natural dryer sheets.
1. Natural Living Ideas Dryer Sheet Recipe
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This website offers a simple recipe to make a home-made dryer sheet in no time. According to the author Debbie Wolfe, the only secret ingredient is vinegar. With it, there is no need for any commercial chemical formulation.
Ingredients
- 8 oz. amber spray bottle
- 1 Cup of white vinegar
- Strips of cloth
- Essential oils
Process
- Pour one cup of vinegar into a spray bottle
- Add oils and your desired scents about 25 drops
- Spray each sheet until dampened
2. Wellness Mama Dryer Sheet Recipe
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Wellness Mama has a different approach for their recipe.
Ingredients
- Cloth baby wipes
- Essential oils of choice
- White Vinegar
- A glass jar with a wide lid or other storage container
Process
- Mix 1 cup of white vinegar with 25+ drops of essential oils of choice. I like Geranium, Citrus, Lavender and Mint.
- Fold the wipes or cloth scraps and place in your jar or storage container.
- Moisten but don’t saturate the cloth with the vinegar mixture.
- Use one wipe/cloth per dryer load to freshen laundry. The vinegar smell will evaporate during drying and the essential oil scent will remain.
3. Popsugar Dryer Sheet Recipe
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Popsugar author Sarah Lipoff has a detailed recipe.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup of vinegar
- 8 drops tea tree or other essential oil
- Sealable container
- Cotton cloth
Process
- Start by cutting your cotton cloth into smaller sections. I used inexpensive dish towels from the dollar store, but old tee shirts or linens would work wonderfully too.
- Mix together the vinegar and essential oil in a small bowl. Vinegar is a natural softener, and the essential oil gives your clothes a gentle, natural scent. Pour the mixture over the cloth until they are dampened but not soaked. Keep in a securely closed container.
- To use, simply remove a sheet from the container, squeezing any excess liquid back into the jar, and toss into the dryer. To reduce static cling in clothes, reduce the heat temperature of your dryer. When clothes are dry, simply place the sheet back in the jar for use later.
4. Jillee’s Dryer Sheet Recipe
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On the other hand, Jillee of One Good Thing has a strange and yet simple recipe to make a home-made dryer sheet.
Ingredients
- Dish rags
- Fabric softener
Process
- Thoroughly soak the dishrags in a bowl of full-strength fabric softener
- Allow the towels to dry thoroughly
5. Mrs. Happy Homemaker Dryer Sheet Recipe
This home-made dryer recipe from Mrs. Happy Homemaker is somewhat unique.
Ingredients
- 1 part fabric softener, store bought or homemade
- 1 part water
- Resealable container
- Clean washcloths, sponges, or socks
Process
- Place one part fabric softener & one part water into a resealable container.
- Stir or shake to combine.
- Toss in your washcloths, or other fabrics of your choice.
- Pour the solution into a spray bottle & spray on washcloths right before using in the dryer.
6. View from the Fridge Dryer Sheet Recipe
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Meanwhile, View from the Fridge offers the usual and most common recipes to make home-made dryer sheets.
Ingredients
- Vinegar
- Sealable Glass container
- Fabric Scraps or old dishtowels, old bed linens, t-shirts, or any cotton fabric
- Essential Oil
Process
- Cut some squares out of your fabric scraps or old dishtowels
- Use sewing machine or zigzag stitching
- Mix 1/2 cup of Vinegar and 8-10 drops of essential oil
- Pour the softening solution into the resealable container
- Add the fabric squares and let them absorb the vinegar/oil mix
- Flip the container over to mix
- Grab a couple squares, wring out the excess liquid, and throw them into the dryer with clothes
7. DIY Natural Dryer Sheet Recipe
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I think this is the simplest and easiest recipe I have seen by DIY Natural.
Ingredients
- Cotton cloth
- Essential oil
Process
- Cut cotton cloth into small squares
- Add 3-5 drops of essential oil to the cloth and throw it in the dryer
- Wash the cloth after a few uses
8. SFGate Dryer Sheet Recipe
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This is a simple eco-friendly dryer sheet recipe from SFGate.
Ingredients
- Fabric sheets such as old cotton t-shirts or washcloths
- Vinegar
- Essential Oil
Process
- Pour 1/2 cup of white vinegar into a large glass bowl
- Whisk 6 to 8 drops of essential oil
- Pour the thoroughly blended mixture directly onto your stacked fabric sheets
9. Live Renewed Dryer Sheet Recipe
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Emily over at Live Renewed shows you how to make non-toxic homemade dryer sheets.
Ingredients
- Flannel Fabric cut into strips or squares
- Natural Fabric Softener
- Warm Water
- Empty Wipes Box
Process
- Cut the flannel into strips or squares
- Mix together 1/4 cup of natural fabric softener with 3/4 cup of water in a small bowl
- Place the wipes inside the container
- Pour your softener and water mixture over the wipes and shake gently to combine
- Shake the container a little before using, and add one sheet to the dryer with each load of laundry
- Dry your clothes as usual
10. Hello Glow Dryer Sheet Recipe
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Lindsey over at Hello Grow shows you how to make reusable dryer sheets using lemon and orange oil.
Ingredients
- 6-8 inch squares of cloth
- Half cup distilled white vinegar
- 20 drops essential oils – mix of lavender, mint, tea tree
Process
- Mix vinegar and essential oils in a container. Shake well
- Add the cloths to the container and let them absorb the liquid
- Squeeze out the excess liquid and place the cloths in another airtight container
- Add one cloth to each dryer load
Which Homemade Dryer Sheets Will You Make?
The above ways and recipes to make home-made dryer sheets are good options for you if you want to replace your commercial dry sheets with eco-friendly ones. All of them may look similar as they all follow the standard process and ingredients of making a healthy and eco-friendly dryer sheet.
On the other hand, you can explore and experiment with your own DIY dryer sheets. The important thing is to use natural ingredients and processes as much as possible. Furthermore, your goal is to make a reusable dryer sheet that is safe not only for the environment but also for health.