A mother claims that she and her family are lucky to still be alive after her clothes dryer caught on fire when she tried a viral social-media hack.
Hailee Clarke (Merseyside) posted on TikTok and explained that she used fabric softener and water to soak sponges instead of dryer sheets after seeing the hack shared via social media.
This hack can be used to save money on dryer sheets, which reduce static and leave clothes softer. The sponges can also be reused.
She claimed her tumble dryer had never had problems before she tried the viral advice which has been circulated since 2014. Her family woke up the next morning to find their home filled with smoke and the dryer still burning.
The mother requested that her over 20,000 followers share her video in order to raise awareness about the risks associated to the trend.
Hailee Clarke (Merseyside) has received over a million views on a TikTok warning against viral laundry that could have sparked her tumble-dryer fire (pictured).
Hailee said she used sponges soaked in fabric softener and water (pictured left) as replacements for dryer sheets after seeing the trend on social media. Pictured right: Hailee after the fire.
Hailee also shared the horrors of the fire, saying that she wanted to spread awareness. I tried this hack yesterday, using cloths and fabric softener as well as water to make tumble dryer sheets.
“This is my first use of it, and I have never had any problems with my dryer in any way.”
“We were woken this morning to smoke filling the house. The dryer had been smoking throughout the night and was slowly burning.
“I’m not sure what happened, but it was absolutely frightening.
“We are truly lucky to be alive, and I just wanted some awareness. You should be careful with the hacks you try.
Insider asked Hailee to explain that her dryer was not left running through the night, and that she had ‘caught on fire’. She can’t confirm if it was the hack that set off the blaze.
Hailee (pictured) claims that her tumble dryer has never been a problem since she tried the hack in 2014.
Hailee stated that her family was ‘lucky to be alive’ because they didn’t have batteries for their smoke detector. Pictured: Inside the burnt tumbler
Hailee has asked her 20,000 followers to share the video and raise awareness about the hacking risks.
She said that her family wouldn’t have been able escape the house in the time she had if her oldest daughter hadn’t noticed the smoke. The batteries in the household smoke detectors are vital.
Many liquid fabric softeners come with warnings about their flammability. However, it is not confirmed if the product caused Hailee’s fire.
Her video received many positive responses. Many people have admitted to trying the hack after seeing it shared on Facebook.
One person wrote, “I’m so glad you’re okay, I can only picture how scared you must have been.” Thank you for spreading awareness. You’ve saved many lives, I’m certain.
Another stated that people don’t realize how dangerous this can become. The bottle warns that children’s clothing can cause them to be more flammable.
A third added: “OMG I was going to try that hack, I bought some sponges & softener tomorrow and I’m absolutely not doing it right now.”
Many people have praised Hailee for sharing her experience with hacking and expressed gratitude for her honesty.