Well, its Sunday and that means cleaning in the Stella Bella household and as usual the dreaded laundry is on the top of the list.  As I sorted out my colors from my whites, I realized its been too long since I posted a blogcast to my treasured Stella Bella clients so today I want to share with you some information on a product most of us use on a regular basis without ever really thinking about it.  Fabric Softener.

Although they may make your clothes feel soft and smell fresh, fabric softener and dryer sheets are some of the most toxic products around. And chances are that the staggering 99.8 percent of Americans who use common commercial detergents, fabric softeners, bleaches, and stain removers would think twice if they knew the chemicals they contained  could cause cancer and brain damage and could be harmful to our children! 

Here is a list of just some of the chemicals found in fabric softeners and dryer sheets:

• Benzyl acetate: Linked to pancreatic cancer
• Benzyl Alcohol: Upper respiratory tract irritant
• Ethanol: On the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Hazardous Waste list and can cause central nervous system disorders
• A-Terpineol: Can cause respiratory problems, including fatal edema, and central nervous system damage
• Ethyl Acetate: A narcotic on the EPA's Hazardous Waste list
• Camphor: Causes central nervous system disorders
• Chloroform: Neurotoxic, anesthetic and carcinogenic
• Linalool: A narcotic that causes central nervous system disorders
• Pentane: A chemical known to be harmful if inhaled

So how could products with pretty names like Soft Ocean Mist, Summer Orchard and April Fresh be so dangerous?

The chemicals in fabric softeners are pungent and strong smelling -- so strong that they require the use of these heavy fragrances (think 50 times as much fragrance) just to cover up the smells. Furthermore, synthetic fabrics, which are the reason fabric softeners were created in the first place, do not smell good either when heated in a dryer or heated by our bodies ... hence the need for even more hefty fragrances.

In other words, remove all the added fragrance that endears people to fabric softeners and -- like the clich� wolf in sheep's clothing -- the real smells of the chemical-laced fabric softener and the synthetic fabrics they were designed around may prompt people to shoot their laundry machines and be done with it.

Are "Soft" Clothes Worth It?
Fabric softeners are made to stay in your clothing for long periods of time. As such, chemicals are slowly released either into the air for you to inhale or onto your skin for you to absorb. Dryer sheets are particularly noxious because they are heated in the dryer and the chemicals are released through dryer vents and out into the environment.

Health effects from being exposed to the chemicals in fabric softeners include:

• Central nervous system disorders
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Dizziness
• Blood pressure reduction
• Irritation to skin, mucus membranes and respiratory tract
• Pancreatic cancer

Soften Your Clothes Safely With These Tips:
Even if you don't feel the effects of these chemicals today, they can affect you gradually over time, and children, whose systems are still developing, are particularly at risk. There's really no reason to expose yourself to these risky chemicals when natural alternatives exist. Not only are they safer for you, your family and the environment, but they're much more economical.   People with delicate skin or allergies are often impacted by these products being used by people around them. Also, they cost an absurd amount of money for some petroleum byproducts and perfume in a big ol plastic jug.

Especially since you can make your own for pennies!!

Here's a quick foolproof recipe for a safe and natural alternative to store bought fabric softeners that works great!!!

Phase One:
1 part Baking Soda
2 parts Hot Water

Phase Two:
1 part Vinegar
Essential oils to scent preference. I recommend 1/2 tsp per gallon or less. Lavender is great, grapefruit, lime, lemon, and lemongrass are my faves currently. There are hundreds of natural and synthetic scents and  fragrance oils can be purchased online at a candlemaking supply store such as www.candlescience.com

Procedure:

Use a container that is double the size of the ingredients. Put it in the sink or tub in case of spillover.
Mix the baking soda and water, stir till the powder is dissolved (mostly dissolved, you’ll likely have some grains left).

Add the vinegar. Remember that baking soda and vinegar react by fizzing, (remember all those volcanoes in elementary school?), hence the recommendation of a large container.

Once it’s stopped fizzing, pour into clean jars and close. Shake jar before use. Use by adding 1/4 – 1/2 cup in the rinse cycle.

If this still just seems like too much work you can try the pared down version of this recipe by adding 1/4 cup baking soda to the wash cycle and 1/4 cup white vinegar to the rinse cycle.  But It only takes a few short minutes to create a gallon of your own "April Fresh" concoction with your own signature scent  that will not only save you money but make your laundry soft while keeping your loved ones safe and far away from the dangerous toxins better left on the grocery store shelves..

Now if I could only come up with a recipe to eliminate laundry altogether!!

Kristin Provvidenti lives in Phoenix, Arizona with her 7 year old son and is the creator of Mystellabellashop.com, a cosmetic website dedicated to women with sensitive skin and those undergoing medical treatments that compromise their skin.  A recent Cancer survivor herself, Kristin champions a cause for single moms and other survivors everywhere. For more information go to www.mystellabellashop.com