Lavender (genus Lavandula) is a purple flowering herb that is part of the mint family. Native to the Mediterranean, this fragrant plant is commonly grown in herb gardens for culinary use, but the spectacular scent gives it a long history for use in aromatherapy and is associated with cleanliness.

Its name is derived from the Latin lavare (“to wash”). The Romans added it to bathwater and used it as a perfume and in Medieval Europe it served as a deodorant.

If you are growing lavender or other scented herbs in your yard or kitchen garden, the delightful smells from the garden can be used to naturally add fresh fragrance to laundry for a fraction of the cost of dryer sheets without chemical additives.

Lavender and other garden herbs can be used to add fresh fragrance to laundry without the use of chemicals.

Although they imbue a pleasant scent to laundry, they may not be all they’re cracked up to be. That fresh scent is often achieved through a cocktail of chemicals that may come as a surprise.

Benzyl acetate, limonene, A-terpineol, chloroform and other toxic chemicals are commonly used in these products and are linked to health issues, including respiratory problems, cancer and damage to the nervous system. Fortunately,

for those looking to avoid potentially dangerous chemicals when it’s time to do the laundry, a safe, fragrant and natural alternative to dryer sheets can be found in your own backyard