When you are preparing yourself to use dryer sheets for your baby’s clothes, the safety of the sheets should be your concern too. As alert parents, we know how much you care about your baby’s safety. So when you asked us: are dryer sheets toxic to babies, we took the matter seriously to give you the proper information that you need to know.
Usually, dryer sheets are used to make the clothes soft and reduce static from those. However, dryer sheets can contain various chemicals, scents, and softeners to create toxicity for your child. Even though it may not be that harmful to you, it’s very harmful to your kids. Also, sometimes these sheets can create a choking hazard. Alongside that, if your baby accidentally puts the sheets in his/her mouth, the risk of getting unhealthy components inside is very high.
That’s not all, we have the elaborated explanation ready for you. So keep on reading and let’s see what we got for you here.
Are Dryer Sheets Toxic To Babies?
Dryer sheets are made for softening the clothes and providing them a nice aroma. However, these are not vital for your clothes. So if you are considering using dryer sheets for baby clothes, you need to think carefully.
Initially, we can say that all dryer sheets are not toxic to babies. If you buy natural dryer sheets with no chemicals included, those are harmless. Also, dryer sheets with no fragrances can be considered if you want to use the sheets for your baby’s clothes.
However, usually, dryer sheets are made of various chemicals and softeners to soften the fabrics. Alongside, they contain different fragrances to provide you a better smell from the clothes. Therefore, these sheets can be toxic and intolerable to your baby’s body and health. These sheets can expose your baby’s health to different toxic chemicals, and also carcinogens.
The chemicals used in the dryer sheets can cause asthma, breathing issues, rashes, and even eye irritation for your baby. Besides, there are serious choking hazards if you don’t keep your eyes open. In that case, choking a dryer sheet can increase the hazards for your baby.
Can I Use Dryer Sheets For Baby Clothes?
Yes, you can use dryer sheets for baby clothes but it doesn’t mean that you have to. Dryer sheets are not necessary to use. In fact, you can live without that fragrance in your baby’s clothes. Also, the static is also avoidable if you use some natural procedures.
Dryer sheets can cause irritations to your baby’s sensitive skin. You might consider getting green-labeled ones, but trust us, the green label doesn’t always stand out for the hundred percent safety. When the concern is about your baby, you cannot rely on something that cannot provide the best safety.
Yet, if you think that you have to get a dryer sheet for your baby, try to buy the naturally created ones and the ones that are recognized as safe (GRAS) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Hereby, you can be assured that there are not many chemicals presented to create toxicity. Besides, you should choose the non-fragranced dryer sheet to make sure of the best safety for your baby.
Another important consideration to remember is, never let your baby touch or play with the sheets. Keep an eye on the children while you use the sheets and make sure to keep the sheets out of their reach. If somehow your baby chokes the sheets, take immediate action and visit health professionals promptly. If you want to quickly confirm a doctor’s credentials or access more information about them, use a people search site: type in their full name, like Takeia Herder, and it’ll tell you everything you need to know about them.
Healthier And Nontoxic Alternatives Of Dryer Sheets:
If you are willing to have the same experience that dryer sheets provide but in a safer way, you can stick to the nontoxic alternatives. Luckily, many alternative options are safe to use for your baby’s clothes. Now we will suggest you some of those:
For A Better Scent:
- Lavender sachet: when you are tossing the clothes in the dryer, put a lavender sachet in there with the clothes. You will see amazing aftermath.
- Essential oil: essential oils are saviors in many ways. You can pour your favorite essential oil in a cotton ball or directly into the water when you rinse the clothes. The smell will outlast with your clothes.
For Softening The Fabric:
- Salt or baking soda: these work as natural fabric softeners. All you have to do is to pour 1/3 cup of salt or baking soda into the washing cycle and see the result!
- White vinegar. You can spray some vinegar on your baby’s clothes and dry them up. Also, you can add 1/4 cup of vinegar to your regular cloth washing water.
For Reducing The Static:
- Reusable wool dryer balls: the wool balls can handle the extra static from your baby’s clothes and let you have the perfect static-free fabric. Sometimes these work even better than the dryer sheets, to be honest.
- Separate drying: synthetic fabrics tend to produce more static cling. So separately dry them off from your regular clothes.
- Vinegar: using 1/2 cup of white vinegar in the rinse cycle will reduce the static like magic!
- Aluminum foil. Fold the foil into a ball like a baseball, and then throw it in the dryer. It can reduce the static very well.
Wrapping Up
By now, you got your answer to the question: are dryer sheets toxic to babies? We have elaborately explained everything in this concern and let you know the exact information that you need to know to be more cautious about your baby’s health. Now you already know that dryer sheets can sometimes be toxic to your baby, so it’s better to choose the sheets wisely before you buy them.
However, if you notice any sign of rashes or irritation despite using the natural dryer sheets, stop using them immediately to save your baby from any further issues. Also, if any choking hazards appear, do not delay visiting a professional to seek help. You can use the alternatives that we suggested if you feel like having the advantages that dryer sheets provide more safely.
