My last post contained 101 DIY & alternative uses. One of these was using Aluminum foil in replacement of dryer sheets. It sparked my curiosity I googled and found a few other sites, like this one, that back it up. With combination of aluminum foil & white vinegar in the wash's rinse cycle, lots of people are no longer using dryer sheets or fabric softener. Some do it for a reduction of the chemicals against the skin (since our clothes absorb all that stuff when we use it, and we wear/ sweat in our clothes all day...). Some, like myself, simply are looking to save a few pennies.
Now you may scoff and think "It's just a few bucks" but really, let's do the math:
Out in San Diego my big box of bounce is $9.99- on sale- at Vons. Let's round up (tax) and call it $10 for 240 sheets.
With the amount of laundry I do, doubled when hubby is home, I'm spending $40 a year on dryer sheets when my husband's home if I buy my sheets in bulk and they're on sale- and that's a big if on both accounts. Alright, I'll admit that's not a lot but i don't think in terms of amount. I think in terms of what that $40 could do for me if it were applied elsewhere. That's an extra credit card payment for me. That's an extra night out. And for those that have kids? Double or triple what I spend for them- depending on how many kids they have. That could be $100 a year you're spending.
What if you didn't have to?
Today I put the theory to the test. I am rarely listening for the rinse cycle but today I forced myself to. Found out it's pretty easy to do- the washer makes a bit of noise on the spin. When you experience a moment of less noise you realize it must be on the rinse cycle. (it also helps that my laundry room is near my computer room) 1/2 cup of white vinegar added .
Next I balled up 3 balls about 3 inches diameter of aluminum foil. I would probably recommend a little larger. They compressed and I think larger is better for this. I'll be adding more to my own. 200 feet of the generic brand at Vons is $8.79. If used for this purpose alone, a box would last years!
Moment of truth: delicates were first. Normally I use 3 dryer sheets for them typically because of how staticy they are. I threw my 3 aluminum balls in. The results? 1 sock, a brand of fleece, had static- that's it! My work pants are TERRIBLE static holders and came out fine! I did towels next & regulars after and all 3 loads came out static free except my 1 sock in the first load, strange little sock...
I'm sold!
Now the real challenge is to convince my husband they work when he gets home. He's the type that is so used to doing things a certain way he's convinced no other way will work. (Like getting oil changes: newer cars do not need to be changed every 3,000 miles- my own 2008 Civic manual tells me so, but he keeps insisting I need to change its oil when it his 3k.)
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3 weeks later: Oh, depressing depressing depressing! They are still helping, but I'm back to using dryer sheets. Except for my towels, all my clothes come out full of static now. I tried making new aluminum balls, hoping that was why, but that failed to fix things. My suspicion is that my clothing still had dryer sheet residue on it but after 3 weeks of washing the residue is gone, so the static has returned.
If anyone knows of a long-term solution I'm all ears, but alas, this isn't it. Help reduce the amount of dryer sheets used? Yes. remove it completely? Not unless you want to be full of static.
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