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I recently got into trouble from my MIL for using dryer sheets on my clothing and diapers...SO I stopped. Keep the MIL happy at all costs' 
What can I use instead? I tried a tennis ball, but that made my clothes stink! Yuk. I hate static, so please help!
Thanks
SarahF
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The best thing you can do to avoid static is to not overdry your clothes. If not overdry clothing will rarely have static at all. Use the humidity sensor setting if you have one or just play with exactly how long you leave them in to see how soon you can remove them. You'll save energy that way too... You could run into trouble using fabric softener on diapers, it could lead to build-up and reduced absorbency. You could also try either those special dryer balls as well. Vinegar in the rinse cycle is also supposed to be a natural fabric softener (not sure if it does anything about static though). Was the tennis ball brand new? If not try a new one, the old one might have gotten rained on or something and that made the fabric on it a little stinky. I've used tennis balls with stuff I wanted fluffed up (like a pillow for example) and it worked well with no odors at all.
HTH,
Karen. |
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| The dryer balls don't do anything for static. They don't even claim to on the box. I was looking at them for static, because I was concerned about throwing away all the bounce sheets, but they're no help. Have you tried hanging your diapers instead of the dryer? Same principle as KarenC, by not overdrying you lessen the static. I haven't found that I get much static in the diapers and baby clothes because they're cotton, and cotton isn't really static producing (mostly that's a synthetic thing) unless they're overdried. |
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| When I bought my dryer balls the package did state they reduced static. I also saw some new ones a few weeks ago that say they were redesigned to reduce static more. The new ones are pink. I do not have trouble with static with my dryer balls. I do use four dryer balls instead of just two. When I wash things that are 100% polyester like fleece sweatshirts, jackets, and pants, I wash them in a load by themselves (if I have enough items) and use liquid fabric softener. My boys' polyester pajamas never get fabric softener (they aren't supposed to if you want to maintain the anti-flammability property) and I have very little trouble with static with them. |
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| What kind are they? The only ones I've been able to find are blue, and they come in a 'fifties design' package. Do they come in packs of four? Do two work? Or did they not work, so that's why you use four? And when you mentioned the liquid fabric softener, do you use that because the balls don't really work that well for the fleece stuff? I'm asking because I'm only really dealing with static in dress clothes, that are mostly non-cotton, and I haven't found any balls that work well enough, and I react to the liquid fabric softeners. I'm excited at the prospect of dryer balls that do work for static... |
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I use wool balls I bought of a WAHM. They soften your clothes naturally by beating the tar out of them! And supposedly your clothes dry faster from the balls keeping your clothes apart better for maximum air flow. But wool also doesn't do anything for static
Have you tried different kinds of fabric softener? My lil redhead son has uber sensitive skin, on fleece & sweatshirts that tend to static really badly, we use ecover liquid softener. Perhaps much like laundry soap or body wash, you may have to experiment? |
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| The new balls are pink and I think made by the same company that made the blue ones. The pink ones have the little bumps like the blue ones, but also some little patches of some other material. The dryer balls come in packs of two. I ended up with four because I had gotten a pack for my mom, but she didn't use them. I figured that if two worked, four may be better. Dryer balls get stuck in sleeves or just sometimes get out of the dryer in a load so sometimes I am down to just one dryer ball and even that seems to help. The liquid fabric softener I use because it seems to eliminate all static on fleece. Only if I have numerous fleece items do I wash them with fabric softener. When fleece items get washed with other clothes the seem fine. I also never use fabric softener on flame resistant pjs and they come out fine. I always wash fleece jackets with fabric softener (double the amount) because they are used often, when it is dry, and tend to get full of static with time. As for dress clothes, I can't tell you. I can't say as I own any! But the boys' polyester pjs seem to come out without static. I would suggest trying an internet search for the anti static dryer balls and see if they help. Good luck! |
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You're not suppose to use fabric softener on your diapers! It will coat them and inhibit their ability to absorb and do their job.
Your baby and diapers do not need an extra coating on them.
babe's clothes go on permanent press.
Diapers, sheets and towels go on high.
Your clothes' colours and fabric will last longer on the lowest setting for a longer time with softener. It makes them smell better, too and who wants to iron? Pff - wait a bit longer and never have to see an iron again! |
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| i just skimmed the messages so hopefully i'm not repeating. I bought some little blue and yellow balls for static. they are a blue plastic casing around what basically looks like spongey stuff? It's supposed to reduce the static and then you can use the hard blue balls for softening?? |
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| I found the reusable dryer sheets (they are cloth) and work great at reducing static. They come in a pack of two (use both together) and I think they work much better than the blue balls. |
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| Assuming you still have some dryer sheets and don't want to waste them, you can cut them into halves or quarters and use a piece at a time. That will give you time to figure out some alternatives. There are some "green" fabric softeners if you really want to use it. Try Bio-Vert in Canada. |
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