Dryer Sheets

[SiouzQ.]

My husband and I said we would watch a friend's cat when she went out of town later in March for about a month. Today she brought kitty to have a "sleepover" to see how she did in a strange new house. K and I have been purposely pet-free for a variety of reasons, one of which we just don't want to be tied down with a pet, even as easy as cat care is. But nevertheless we were looking forward to having a kitty friend over. I really love cats and miss having one around, and there are plenty of mice to be caught to earn her keep.

Mouse "the cat" is a real sweetheart, very personable as she roamed all over our big house with lots of window sills and nooks and crannies. I left K. and the cat together when I went to Santa Fe to run errands for about two hours.

By the time I came back, K. was complaining that he didn't feel well, that his head was aching, he was nauseous and felt wheezy. So shoot, it seems that he is allergic to cats after all. But then I mentioned that whenever I see our mutual friend (she's more K's friend than mine) that I always smell a VERY strong smell from her - not a bad smell, more like super-strong UBER laundry detergent smell. I then picked up the cat and smelled her fur and even the cat smelled like it faintly. It was coming from what I believe are DRYER SHEETS. I have NEVER in my life used dryer sheets, nor has K. We don't even use deoderant, and I generally buy all my cleaning products non-scented.

So we are thinking that the problem is mainly the dryer sheet smell that is actually infused into the cat's fur! Needless to say, to be safe the cat won't be able to be at our house for a month. I'm kind of sad, as I was looking forward to having a little furry friend to pal around with. How do you let someone know that their use of dryer sheets is kind of dangerous, with all those horrible chemicals infused into your clothes, right next to your skin, day in and day out? Yuck! Toxic in my book!

[pinkytoe]

I have a strong aversion to dryer sheets. My next door neighbors are always doing laundry and their dryer vent is near our back yard. We don't go outside while he is doing laundry as the smell is nauseating. I have also noticed that when I pass people while out walking or at the store that some reek of dryer sheets from several feet away. It perplexes me that people think it is OK to use them but it is one of those consumer goods that people have been trained to use. I have thought about saying something to the neighbor but am just trying to live and let live.

[iris lilies]

I think dryer sheets are the source of that sickly sweet smell that hits me in thrift stores. I think all that clothing must be washed by people who donate it and send through the dryer with dryer sheets. It’s yucky.

[catherine]

I don't use dryer sheets but mainly just because I don't see the point of them for the extra expense and storage. However, I wouldn't be surprised if the chemicals in them could make you sick.

From Google:

"What is in Bounce dryer sheets?

Known Ingredients
Ingredient.
DIPALMITOYLETHYL HYDROXYETHYLMONIUM METHOSULFATE. ...
Some Concern: skin irritation/allergies/damage, acute aquatic toxicity, respiratory effects, biodegradation; Disclosure Concern: non-specific ingredient.
BIODEGRADABLE CATIONIC SOFTENERS. ...
CLAY MINERALS.
POLYESTER.
STEARIC ACID.
FATTY ACID.

[happystuff]

I don't use dry sheets either for exactly the reasons catherine state. But this has me wondering if the strong "laundry" smells coming from houses I pass on my walks are actually dry sheets or detergent. Either way, it stinks!

[rosarugosa]

I always used dryer sheets without question, and it was this community that made me re-think the practice. I was also a huge Static Guard user. Now I only use half a dryer sheet on very rare occasion. It also helps that I'm not in an environment of synthetic wall-to-wall carpeting, which minimizes the static in my life. I also line dry most of my clothes (in the cellar), so that minimizes static as well.
I definitely notice when I'm taking a walk if someone has the dryer going with dryer sheets.
I think a lot of people use highly fragrant laundry detergent. We started using unscented unintentionally quite a few years back, and now we can't stomach the scented stuff. I have heard that the scent of Tide is a status symbol in some groups of presumably crazy people.

[jp1]

This reminds me of the time I had a friend keep my cat for a week while I was out of town many years ago. She's a HUGE fan of essential oils and incense and everything stinky like that. (I've never inquired about her laundry habits but it would not surprise me if she is a fan of dryer sheets) When I brought my cat home he smelled like incense for about three days after.

[pinkytoe]

When MIL moved out of her house, we were offered some of the household items. She had a lot of worn towels I thought would make good rags so I gathered those up even though they smelled like bubble gum. Many washings later and those rags still have that faint smell and it transfered to anything I washed them with.

[Teacher Terry]

I have allergies and asthma and can’t tolerate fragrances. I haven’t used dryer sheets in decades.

[SiouzQ.]

Those odors are so freaking insidious, aren't they? I could faintly smell it this morning even though the cat was in our house for less than four hours. We have a lady in our village that is extremely sensitive to all chemical odors and she had to ask the woman who has an AirBnb right across from her to stop using the dryer sheets because the odor would be vented outside her place and then waft into the sensitive lady's house. Luckily the AirBnb owner was amenable to her request. I too have walked by people out in public whose whole being exuded a really strong chemical "clean" laundry smell. And I remember reading an article many years back about the "aspiration" of the smell of Tide, especially among the Hispanic community.

[littlebittybobby]

Okay---0kay-Cats are VERY important, and you made a commitment to help. Probably, your husbands' discomfort is temporary---there's a lot going around, these days .It prolly is unrelated to the catt, anyway. He will get over it, it's only a 30-day stay. So yeah---consider it a challenge. Yup. Hope that helps you some. Thankk Mee.

[iris lilies]

This reminds me of the time I had a friend keep my cat for a week while I was out of town many years ago. She's a HUGE fan of essential oils and incense and everything stinky like that. (I've never inquired about her laundry habits but it would not surprise me if she is a fan of dryer sheets) When I brought my cat home he smelled like incense for about three days after.

I think of old hippie style insense, and I would like it if my cat smelled like that for a bit. Not forever tho.

[littlebittybobby]

Okay---Somebody said something about hippie-style incense, here. But yeah---we've got a Convenience mart uop the street owned by India People. They handle everything, including India Incense, made in India. But it's like ya know--$3 a box. So anyway--you can go on Ebay and buy the same zact kind, for like you know---10 boxes for like you know---$12.95, including shipping. IOW, you can save a LOTTA Rupees, buying that way. Also, if you are a REAL hippie, they've got stores---dispensaries---like you know---that sell weed. See? But yeah---Zurra legalized it, and I think it was to keep the um, oppressed minoritiy, if you will, pacified. Hope that helps you some. Thankk Mee.