Maire

Hi Monroe, I'm also a retired Nurse Practitioner-and I totally agree with everything you said. In fact today I went to my daughter's to babysit granddaughters after school. Decided to help out daughter by folding a load of clothes, the used dryer sheets were sitting on top of the clothes & I started coughing, choking feeling when I leaned over to pick up basket & dryer sheet right next to my nose. Horrible feeling, had to take allery med, frightened granddaughter, she took off the dryer sheet & brought basket to me. I never use dryer sheets & wish I could convince daughter (also NP) not to use them. Plus they have been connected to dryer fires.
Maire

Pam H

Thanks for this info. Guess I should throw out the dryer sheets I have been saving.

NanaBeez

I have been a nurse for 45 years and have seen a lot of stuff come and go. There are chemicals we should avoid (Like chemo therapy. That's a joke, son.) and there are people who are sensitive to even mild smells, but I doubt you will find using spent dryer sheets as a stablizer in some of your craft quilts or even bed quilts is going to be make the ten most hazardeous list.

grammagayle

Something that no one has mentioned on using dryer sheets is using them IN your dryer. IF you do use dryer sheets, be sure and check your lent trap. If you have never washed it IN hot soapy water, you will most likely find that taking that screen and running cold water over it, the water will stay right there on the screen, because it is so clogged with the chemicals from the dryer sheets. To help lessen the chance of a fire in your dryer, you need to consider washing that screen periodically in hot, soapy (Dawn) water. Then you will see how cold water will go right thru that screen; and make your drying clothes in the dryer much more efficient AND safe.

coldquilter

That is good to hear. I have often thought that myself but have no medical background to prove anything. I have allergies and can't even use the dryer sheets in the dryer! Thanks for great and free advice.

QuiltingNancy

I thought about that every time I read a post about using dryer sheets; it is a was a terrible idea. I have allergies and those sheets really irritate me. Thank you for posting on the board about this issue.

TanyaL

I have a friend who was exposed to an unknown chemical last Thanksgiving. The skin on her hands is still peeling off; they are very painful. Who would take the risk of possibly, unknowingly, doing something like this to a person?

Jingle

I don't even use them in my dryer. Oldest Granddaughter who lives with us uses them with some of her silky clothes. They are thrown away after she has used them several times.
Good information is always good to have. Thanks for letting us know.

Monroe

A lot of good information has been posted here! If your towels aren't very absorbent chances are the fabric softener in your dryer sheets has coated the fibers- as it is supposed to do. I never thought to actually wash the lint trap, but I do clean the dryer vent system with a long skinny flexible brush made for this, and I also vacuum the exhaust every few months. A lot of lint can build up, esp in the corrugated flexible exhaust hoses, and wherever there is a dip or bend. My father was a volunteer fireman. I have no idea how many washes might remove the chemicals from the dryer sheets, and didn't know they can beard through the fabric. I love the idea of reusing the bed dust ruffle center panel! People can be allergic to some scents and not others, the same as to certain cats, soaps, etc. It's not just fragrance that can trigger inflammations, so smell isn't a reliable indicator for dryer sheet safety. Thank You to all who will spread this information.

Daisydoodle

Hmm, had read about using the dryer sheets on the QB. Been saving them for a while, now not so sure about using them. Thanks for the heads up.