11.05.05
Soft and fluffy no more…
When you wash children’s clothing, you aren’t supposed to use fabric softener of any sort. That includes dryer sheets, which I’ve always used on my clothing. Apparently it ruins the flame-retardancy of the clothing. I’m not really anticipating a fire in the near future, but not being a big fan of toasted baby, I am refraining from adding the dryer sheet. Unfortunately, that means stiff and scratchy clothing. Not really scratchy, but definitely not the soft and fuzzy, fluffy stuff that I would imagine feels much better against a little baby’s skin. So the other day I went researching alternate methods of softening clothing. Dan suggested throwing a bucket full of rocks into the dryer along with the clothing. While I’m sure that would beat any residual stiffness out of the clothes, I think the neighbors would appreciate some sleep. Anyway… while researching dryer sheets, I came across some rather scary information. It seems that they contain all sorts of hazardous and toxic chemicals known to cause respiratory and central nervous system problems, as well as being carcinogenic. All these wonderful products remain on your clothing so you’re free to inhale them all day while wearing said clothing. Why on earth would anyone use such a thing? For soft and fluffy clothes, of course. What’s a little dizziness when compared with clothing that doesn’t snag on your skin? Who cares if you pass out while walking through the park, as long as you have that pillow-soft clothing to cushion your fall?
It turns out the natural solution to my problem is vinegar, which you add to the rinse cycle. This supposedly softens the clothing as well as breaks down any residual soap, meaning your clothes end up cleaner and softer. Ironically, we do have vinegar in our laundry room, but previously its use has been for the removal of cat urine. So now I can comfort myself with the knowledge that I will have a non-flammable, softly-clothed baby. And if, by chance, one of our cats mistakes her for a litter pan, well… now that’s covered, too.