Are dryer balls really better than dryer sheets?
by
C
+3
I have a fairly new dryer and clean the lint filter like I'm supposed to. Sometimes my clothes don't feel dry though, even using the "more dry" cycle.
I was told to try dryer balls instead of dryer sheet fabric softener.
Which ones are the best? I've seen wool ones, plastic ones, ones for different colors....are they really cheaper in the long run? Will they actually dry my clothes faster, as claimed?
What is your experience with them? Thanks in advance.
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I use 3 tennis balls 🎾 and I also use a wadded up foil ball that will form itself into a ball. I’ve been using them for quite a few years now.
They work like a dream! I only use felted wool dryer balls. You can make yourself or purchase.
It is a long story but I purchased my first set at a craft fair in Morro Bay, CA from a woman from New Zealand where they originated.
My puppy had skin allergies so I had to find a new way to do laundry for us. I use a free and clear type detergent and less than recommended (unless you have really filthy stinky laundry), 2 heaping tablespoons of baking soda and vinegar in the rinse cup. NO chemical fabric softener. And dryer balls in the dryer. Once you have run your towels, linens and clothes through a few times to get rid of all the chemical gunk, you will find everything to be softer, fluffier and towels more absorbent even if you have hard water like I do.
I swear by them and give as gifts and have converted a bunch of people.
I use between 2 and 6 balls depending on the type of laundry. Cuts out static electricity too.
You will also save on laundry products. I just picked up a 15 pound bag of baking soda at Sam's Club for an out $7. Will last me 6 months if not more. I also buy my vinegar there too - 2 one gallon jugs for $3.49.
That was 11+ years ago and I will never do laundry any other way.
If you have any questions, just ask!
I have tried the plastic ones, they work but they make a bit of a racket. I will try the felted ones Naomi recommends, because I too don't use dryer sheets because my family hates the scent--it aggravates allergies.
C Hi,. If you dry anything that gives off lint, clean the lint screen half way through the cycle. This will allow the heat to circulate better, and your clothes will be dry, you don't need "more dry". Aaloha!
I had same problem, clothes didn't get dry on normal setting on my new dryer. I'd always cleaned the lint filter before each cycle. The house was 20 years old but I'd lived there for only a year. Finally I called a vent cleaning service and they found about 8 (eight) pounds of accumulated lint in the line! Service man told me that even with the machine's filter, much of it still goes into the line. I urge you to have it checked out if your home is more than a few years old, because the lint accumulation is a definite fire hazard