I haven’t used dryer sheets or fabric softener in years. I use my homemade wool dryer balls! They are awesome! Don’t mind the battle wounds in the picture, these balls can handle the heat! But, seriously, I love my dryer balls. I have 8 of them. One is missing in the picture because they get lost in the clean clothes sometimes and the dogs enjoy playing with them. Wool absorbs liquid, so that’s what makes them so handy in the dryer. I keep them in the dryer and throw in a load of wet, clean clothes. The wool absorbs the liquid from the wet clothes and cuts my drying time in (almost) half! I also love the sound of the “clunk, clunk, clunk” of the balls going round-and-round in the dryer!
Not only do they cut drying time in half, but they also help reduce static…not sure how, but they do! They, also, fluff up the clothes nicely! So, no need for chemical-laden dryer sheets.
How to Make Wool Dryer Balls
Items needed:
- recycled wool
- wool yarn
- knee high nylon
- essential oils (optional)
Step 1) Save the money and go buy a few wool sweaters from Goodwill. Then go to your nearby craft store and get a big roll of wool yarn or order this nice autumn one.
Step 2) Cut the wool sweaters up in scrap pieces and ball them up in your hand. *If you are adding essential oils, pour a few drops onto the wool scraps. Then take the wool yarn and start wrapping it around the scrap wool until you have a large softball-size bundle of yarn. Some people make them the size of tennis balls but I say go BIG! I also think you need 5-8 of them to really notice a difference. So, make a bunch!
Step 3) Then when you’re done rolling them into balls, tie a knot, then throw the ball in a knee-high nylon, or in a sock. Tie off the end with a rubber band (a hair rubber band) and run them through a hot wash cycle and then a hot dry cycle. This makes the wool come together.
Step 4) Then take them out and you’re done!
*The essential oils added to the wool scraps give your clothes a nice smell in the dryer.
Happy ball-making!