Nellie’s Dryer Balls Review
It’s second nature to reach for the fabric softener when throwing clothes into the wash. With so many Americans using this product, it can’t possibly be detrimental to your health — can it? It doesn’t take an outbreak of eczema to know that you’re exposing yourself to unnecessary risks; it just takes a read of the old label. Liquid fabric softeners and dryer sheets often contain benzyl acetate (linked to pancreatic cancer), benzyl alcohol (an upper respiratory tract irritant), ethanol (on the EPA’s hazardous waste list), limonene (a known carcinogen), ethyl acetate (on the EPA’s hazardous waste list), camphor (can cause central nervous system disorders) and chloroform (a neurotoxin), to name a few. It’s no surprise, then, that many Americans are catching on to products like Nellie’s Dryer Balls, a green product that achieves the same end as toxic fabric softeners, yet without all the toxins.
There are many pros to using Nellie’s Dryer Balls in your laundry machine. First, they promise to reduce your drying time up to 25%, thus saving you on electric bills. Secondly, they will fluff up your clothes, without exposing you to toxic chemicals commonly found in fabric softeners or dryer sheets. Thirdly, they help people with sensitive skin from experiencing break-outs. Lastly, towels will become more absorbent and lint will decrease with the use of this neat new product. You won’t have to worry about clogging up landfills with these reusable dryer balls!
Even though the press has been largely positive, one Amazon reviewer from Cincinnati, Ohio had a negative review of Nellie’s Dryer Balls. “I used the dryer balls for about 5 months before one split in half,” the reviewer writes. “I contacted the company to request a replacement, but two weeks later I have not received a reply.” The consumer goes on to say there was no shortened dryer time or softer clothes. “I recently discovered that they are made of highly toxic PVC plastic,” the reviewer adds. The “Real Green Girl” blog echoes this sentiment about the dryer balls. “All three of these balls are made out of PVC, poly-vinyl chloride,” the blogger writes. “PVC, number 3 plastic, is the worst of the worst of plastics. It is the most toxic in production, presents problems during its use and creates a nightmare for disposal, with recycling barely and rarely done. In order to soften it, like some toys that are now banned in Europe, additives are added to the PVC. These additives are also very unhealthy, some say toxic, and include chemicals such as the phthalates and lead. PVC is considered the most damaging plastic to the environment.”
“We’ve seen items such as Nellie’s dryer balls take off as well as more concentrated, affordable detergent options,” says Valerie Reddemann, president of Greenfeet, a supplier of eco-friendly products. Reddmann says that her top sellers are Nellie’s Laundry Nuggets, Bac-Out Stain and Odor Removal, Earth Friendly Products All-Natural Spray Starch and Bi-O-Kleen Oxygen Based Bleach. Other eco-friendly laundry habits include using white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide rather than bleach, choosing dryer balls over dryer sheets, buying Energy Star appliances and wearing your clothes a few times before washing.
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