5 Dryer Sheets Alternatives That You Can Try

Are you in the process of trying to ditch dryer sheets? If you do, you’ll be saving money, avoiding the waxy residue that they leave all over your clothes, and preventing them from having a further harmful impact on the environment.

But before you can ditch those dryer sheets for good, you need to have an alternative to get all that static off your clothes. Here are five better options, and unlike many other make-shift options out there, these actually work.

The 5 Dryer Sheets Alternatives

1.  Homemade Wool Dryer Balls

One of the easiest ways to replace your dryer sheets is to use a homemade wool dryer ball. These laundry balls are extremely easy to make, reusable, and don’t create any of the waxy buildups that you get with traditional dryer sheets.

Even better, these homemade wool dryer balls last for years and deliver outstanding results. You’re also saving yourself money!

2. Homemade Reusable Dryer Sheets

If you want to keep the appearance of traditional dryer sheets but ditch all the negatives that come with them, why not try out these homemade reusable dryer sheets? They’re easy to make and provide even more benefits than regular dryer sheets.

However, you’ll have to remake these reusable dryer sheets after every use. It’s still an excellent investment, but it will take more work than the previous wool ball solution.

3. Vinegar Cloth

You don’t need many different ingredients to replicate dryer sheet results; this vinegar cloth solution is as simple as it gets! Get a clean rag, put a bit of vinegar on it, and throw it in the dryer. It will leave your clothes smelling fresh, and it works wonders against static.

Even better, it’s simple to do; just don’t go too heavy on the vinegar when adding it to the cloth.

4. Baking Soda

You have to plan ahead to use baking soda as a replacement for dryer sheets, but once you make it a part of your new laundry routine, it’s quite simple. You will need to put the ¼ cup of baking soda in the washer while you’re washing the clothes. If you’re looking to add it when you’re putting them in the dryer, you’re too late.

But it’s still an extremely simple solution because all you need to do is add baking soda during the wash cycle to get the same results as using a dryer sheet.

5. Aluminum Foil Balls

If you’re looking for the simplest way to ditch dryer sheets, try out these aluminum foil balls! It can’t get any simpler than this. Just crumple up a sheet of aluminum foil, and throw it in the dryer to help with static and other great results.

Why You Want to Ditch Dryer Sheets

While it’s nice to look into dryer sheet alternatives, do you really want to ditch dryer sheets in the first place? The truth is that there are many reasons that you should do so.

First, they make your dryer less efficient. The chemicals clog up the lint screen, and that slows down the heat transfer when you’re drying clothes.

Second, they don’t have any additional cleaning benefits, meaning you’re adding more chemicals and waste to the environment.

Third, dryer sheets can leave a waxy coating of residue on everything inside your dryer. One dryer sheet doesn’t create much, but it is on your clothes whether you realize it or not. It also gets all over the inside of the dryer, coating the sensors and other important equipment. This interferes with your dryer’s ability to dry off clothes, and it can shorten the overall lifespan of your machine.

Finally, dryer sheets are disposable, meaning you must keep purchasing them and spending money. If you can find a reusable product that removes the static from your clothes, you can save money by ditching dryer sheets!

Final Thoughts

Now that you know about better options than dryer sheets, it’s up to you to try out a few and go from there. The good news is that they’re all easy to make!

But no matter which one you try, we’re confident that the product that you choose will give you better results than those pesky dryer sheets!

Featured Image Credit: Leestudio, Shutterstock