Fabric softener- stop craving chemicals

Beyond the cost of these products, how is it affecting the longevity of your clothing? Most importantly, how is it affect your HEALTH?

Most of us grew up using fabric softener and just became so accustom to the long lasting scent, wrinkle free, and soft outcome that we could never imagine our clothes without it. But did you ever stop to think what EXACTLY you are putting on your clothes? Do you really think it's natural for bed sheets to smell like lavender for 2 weeks? The answer is no. In fact, true lavender scent only last upwards of 12 hours.


Here is a list of just SOME of the toxic chemicals found in commercial fabric softeners:

• Alpha Terpineol: can cause central nervous damage and respiratory problems
  
• Camphor: causes central nervous disorders, is easily absorbed through skin
  
• Chloroform: a carcinogenic neurotoxin preferred by Ted Bundy
  
• Benzyl Acetate: linked to pancreatic cancer
  
• Benyl Alcohol: respiratory tract irritant
  
• Ethanol: on the EPA’s “hazardous waste” list, can cause central nervous system disorders
  
• Ethyl Acetate: a narcotic on the EPA’s “hazardous waste” list
  
• Limonene: a known carcinogen that irritates eyes and skin
  
• Linalool: causes central nervous system disorders and depresses heart activity
  
  
  So what happens when you wash lets say your spandex based, moisture wicking active wear? You know, the clothes you typically wear when you hit the gym hard,or know you'll be doing lots of outside activities and sweating hard. Well let's break this down piece by piece.
  
  First off, the garment you're wearing was designed to absorb sweat and dry quickly. So when this garment is spinning around in bat of water, with some fabric softener, it's absorbing EVERYTHING. Sure, during the rise cycle some of the chemicals will be rinsed out (eventually into the ocean I might add), but a large majority remains; hence why they still feel so soft and smell so great.
  
  So now you put on this chemical soaked garment and you go to the gym to sweat out all your stress. As you sweat what happens to your skin? Well your pores start to enlarge, your epidermis (top layer of skin) becomes extremely permeable, and your sweat starts to seep into the garment you're wearing; in turn reactivating the fabric softener. So now those big enlarge and now very permeable pores are now subjected to absorbing the newly released fabric softener. And where does that absorb into you ask? Your blood stream. All those chemicals listed above, that most of us actively try and avoid, are now seeping into your entire body while you're trying to actually workout, sweat, and detoxify yourself. Counterproductive if you ask me!
  
  To add to the counterproductive things that happen by using fabric softener, after prolonged use on both microfiber and/or spandex based clothes, a build up of the product will occur and actually clog the pores of the fabric. So now your very breathable, mesh based, vented, moisture wicking workout tee, just became a clogged, non breathable, toxic filled tee.
  
  So where does this leave us? No more good smelling clothes? Not exactly. A great alternative would be essential oils. Not only do essential oils help to leave a clean fresh customized scent to any of your clothing they have natural anti-bacteria and anti-microbial properties. So those workout tees you let sit in your laundry basic for 2 weeks, fermenting in bacteria filled sweat, will actually be helped by using essential oils such as eucalyptus and tee tree during the wash cycle.
  
  If you fancy a stronger more intense smell then simply using oils in the washer (does not leave a strong smell), make an eco friendly, no toxic drier sheet. Simply take a dry hand towel and add anywhere from 5-20 drops of pure essential oil of choice, and throw it in with your laundry in the drier. Customize your scents, and enhance areas of your life; use lavender on bed sheets to help induce restful sleep, or lemongrass on gym clothes to help stimulate senses and combat body odor. Unfortunately I have yet to find a natural de-wrinkler that isn't bad for you. If and when I find it I'll keep everyone updated!
  
  For now, dump the scented detergents and fabric softeners, use dye and scent free detergents, and customize your laundry with all natural essential oils! Oh, and you'll prob save a decent amount of money in the long run!