Asked on Dec 20, 2016

Dryer balls don't work - what am I doing wrong?

Dgreen
by Dgreen
I heard that wool balls in the dryer would eliminate static. So I bought 100% wool yarn rolled it into three balls and tossed them into the dryer with the wet clothes. After days of trying them - they did nothing!
What am I doing wrong? Thank you!
  10 answers
  • Sharon Thurston Sharon Thurston on Dec 21, 2016

    Never heard that, many years ago I started using two rubber dryer balls, no fabric softner and no static. Will watch this message board to see if anyone uses the wool balls.

    • Lynne Webb Lynne Webb on Dec 21, 2016

      I do and have the same set (6 ordered from Walgreens) for at least 5 years. They're looking a little frayed, now so I need new ones. But, in all that time, I have used -0- fabric softener. I am also a stickler to not drying and drying......and drying. I damp dry and hang. There's no such thing as 'lint' on your clothes. All that fluff and stuff in your dryer filter is your clothes a few shreds at a time.

  • Nickii Baughman Nickii Baughman on Dec 21, 2016

    give it time. after awhile the static goes away.

  • Linda Hunt Linda Hunt on Dec 21, 2016

    The wool balls need to be felted first to accomplish their purpose in the dryer. This means that the wool is washed in hot water and shrunk down as far as it goes. If you have shrunk pure wool sweaters they are a great source to use! When the balls are felted they also cut down on dryer time as well as static. Hope this helps you.

  • Sherrie S Sherrie S on Dec 21, 2016

    I bought the wool balls on line and can tell you they work. The clothes come out soft and not wrinkled without static. In addition the bigger items get dried all the way through. The clothes also dry faster with the balls.

  • Jacusa Jacusa on Dec 21, 2016

    After seeing the aluminum foil ball trick on this site… I tried it and it worked! Just tear off aluminum foil … a nice size… form into ball… (doesn't have to be super tight … but firm) about the size of a golf ball or a bit smaller and throw into dyer with clothes. No static electricity… and the more you use the balls the smoother they get…. no damage to clothes….





    • Christina Yates Christina Yates on Dec 28, 2016

      I agree I saw the foil idea and decided to try it when my dryer sheets finished, it seems to work very well on my mixed fabric clothes. I have a ball about the size of an egg and keep tossing it into the dryer. I got my dryer about 3 months ago after not having one for over 30 years when my first dryer died, we moved to a bungalow in August and had no outside drying space so my husband, who had been dead set against dryers, suggested we needed one, I ordered it before he changed his mind!! I have been very pleased with the new modern one I have and wouldn't be without it now.

  • Linda Young Linda Young on Dec 21, 2016

    This thread interesting. I hate fabric softener and it plugs up the lint screen on the dryer. Three tennis balls thrown in the dryer will also soften. Not sure about static.



  • I purchased my first set of "felted wool dryer balls" at a craft fair from an Australian woman many years ago. I swear by them. No fabric softener needed. Saves money, less chemicals. Linda above is correct, they need to be "felted" first. After your balls have been felted you will need to do some trial runs with your dryer to see exactly how long certain things REALLY need to dry, which will be less than the timed cycle on most dryers. Drying items too long is generally what creates static. Hope this helps!

  • Dgreen Dgreen on Dec 29, 2016

    How do I "felt" them?

  • Laura Rhodes Wagner Laura Rhodes Wagner on Feb 16, 2019

    after several years of use, my dryer balls are very staticy too and my clothes are too... wondering what to do to get them back to doing their job.


    • ARP ARP on Sep 29, 2019

      From the Woolzies Dryer Balls Facebook page... I’m sure it would work with any wool dryer ball. I’m gonna try this today!

      How to refresh your Woolzies Dryer Balls, Place each ball in the bottom of a clean sock and run through a wash and rinse cycle on hot water with detergent. Then dry on highest heat setting very very very thoroughly.

      Additionally, rolling up a piece of regular kitchen aluminum foil into a ball the size of one of the Woolzies and leaving it in the dryer together with the Woolzies helps a lot to reduce static as well.

  • Judi Pavlovszky Judi Pavlovszky on Jun 02, 2020

    I bought a set at a craft fair. No difference that I can tell. I usually line dry my clothes so not that disappointed.