Use dryer balls.
I grew up using dryer sheets with every load of laundry. Then I moved to fabric softener. Then I moved to in-wash scent boosters. Did you know that wool dryer balls can be a substitute for all three of these?
Wool dryer balls help with static cling as they help separate the clothes while they are tumbling. This also helps reduce drying time which saves energy. They also make your clothes feel softer. If used with a small amount of essential oil, they can add scent to your laundry if you feel like you need that.
I remember when I was a nanny MANY years ago, and I stayed at a kiddo’s house overnight. When I got out of the shower in the morning and dried myself off, I could not get myself dry. There was so much fabric softener build-up in their towels that I could not even dry off! Yes, the towel smelled amazing and was super-soft, but it was not able to do the job it was meant to do. It was really irritating, which is why I have never forgotten it.
Wool dryer balls are not just great at saving you the money of buying all those products, but they also save the environment of all the chemicals they leach into our clothes, home, skin, air, and water. Think of all the kiddos that have sensitivity to detergents and chemicals- dryer balls would eliminate part of this problem.
Here is a great article from ewg.org that talks about what fabric softeners do to us: https://www.ewg.org/enviroblog/2016/05/skip-fabric-softeners
I have used two types of dryer balls- the plastic-looking ones and the wool dryer balls. I prefer the wool dryer balls over the plastic ones because one- they are not made of plastic, but two-because they are quiet compared to the plastic ones that bang all over the dryer! I have found them to be quite effective as well. I love the money savings, and I love that they soften my clothes without the chemical build-up.
If you are looking to save some money on laundry products, try wool dryer balls. They last for years, so that is a lot of savings! And it is a HUGE improvement for the environment!