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For 17 years, I have been on a natural wellness journey that has led me to switch to more non-toxic household products.

I haven’t used a store-bought dryer sheet in years after learning just how horrible they are for people & the planet.

Not to mention the waste factor. I have been aiming to repurpose what we can and go through less waste with our every day products.

For a few years, I have used wool dryer balls in our dryer as a natural solution for softer clothes and less static. Although, I’ll admit, I didn’t see too much of a difference

I’ve also heard amazing things about a balled up piece of aluminum foil in the dryer to help reduce static, though I have never tried it myself. Adding that to the list of things to try and report back here with.

Lately , I have been putting vinegar in my wash cycles as a fabric softener.

I do notice a big difference in our laundry when I use vinegar in the wash. Our clothes come out of the dryer feeling softer and I don’t deal with smells any longer (Moms with teens, this is a game-changer).

However, we do an INSANE amount of laundry as a family of 7 , so we go through a lot of vinegar really quick.

I’ve been trying to figure out a less-waste solution to this problem and then I heard about making homemade dryer sheets using vinegar.

Brilliant!

Why make homemade dryer sheets

Budget-friendly. As a family of 7, cutting costs anywhere that I can makes a huge difference. These dryer sheets are re-usable, so all you need to add is the solution to make a fresh batch. The cost comes out very reasonable!

Eco Friendly. This is a big consideration. Many store-bought dryer sheets (even the natural kind) contain harmful chemicals that leech into waterways and the atmosphere. Dryer vents may introduce harmful airborne compounds called volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air, which can impact the environment. Not good. This recipe can cut down on that.

Safe for sensitive skin. The solution used for these dryer sheets is extremely safe, especially if you make it scent-free.

Non-toxic. No harsh chemicals in this dryer sheet recipe. Just good, natural, non-toxic ingredients that work.

DIY Non-toxic dryer sheets recipe

This recipe is super simple to make and natural, which is perfect for babies and those who have sensitive skin.

With this DIY recipe, you can ditch the costly and toxic store-bought dryer sheets for good!

Here’s what you’ll need:

1 large jar, between 20-32 ounces
1 cup water
1 cup white vinegar
10-15 cotton fabric scraps or quilting squares.
2 tablespoons vegetable glycerin (this helps to make your clothes extra soft)
12 drops of your favorite essential oil (I use orange oil as I am a sucker for citrus smells)

I used a flip top jar that was leftover from a Christmas gift. We get these filled with homemade chex-mix and after it’s gone, they make lovely jars for storing things like this!

For the vinegar, I took it a step further and infused it in orange peels that were leftover from juicing. This is completely optional and why my vinegar looks yellow, but the vinegar comes out smelling much nicer than without.

If you’re wondering, the liquid glycerin is completely optional, but it does help to keep your clothes extra soft. It’s very inexpensive and a little bit goes a long way.

For the actual dryer sheets, you can use any type of cotton fabric. I personally had cut up a few old t-shirts that my kids wore holes through. If you don’t have old shirts lying around, you can buy quilting squares or use washcloths too.

How to make Natural Dryer Sheets

This is so simple, my toddler could do it, but we’ll pass on that for now.

1. Add your water, vinegar, glycerin, and essential oil drops to your jar.

2. Close the jar and shake up really well.

3. Add your cloth scraps & allow them to soak into the solution.

4. If any liquid remains sitting in the jar, pour into an additional jar or container to save for the next batch.

You want your dryer sheets to be wet, but not soaking.

You can either remove some of the liquid from the jar or add more cloths to soak it up if there’s too much.

Removing the extra liquid helps to keep them from being soaked and if there’s enough leftover, you won’t have to make a new batch next time!

Once you have used the dryer sheets, you can add them back to the jar to start over again.

Simply add the solution to the jar again and you’re good to go!

These homemade dryer sheets might not be snuggle, but the natural ingredients make me feel so much better using them!

After you try making your own dryer sheets, make sure to come back and let me know how you like them. I’d love to hear about your experience trying out this DIY recipe!