Are you talking about WOOL DRYER BALLS ??? He may be allergic to the natural lanolin found in sheeps' wool, but that's rare. Only about 6 % of those tested for lanolin allergy turn up positive. More than likely he's sensitive to the short, bristly fibers of wool. They irritate sensitive skin & make it feel itchy.
Lanolin is washed away during the manufacturing process of wool dryer balls. Even if trace amounts remain & you have a lanolin allergy (you'd know you do because you'd also be allergic to all skin care and makeup products that contain lanolin), it will not transfer to your clothes. As for those short, bristly fibers in sheeps' wool, the only way the dryer balls could cause an irritation is if you were to rub them on your skin.
Neither lanolin nor short, bristly fibers are an issue when using wool dryer balls in the dryer. Use them, and enjoy the results!
I would be very cautious in trying the dryer balls if you have a known wool or lanolin allergy - or even just sensitive skin. All the information I could find was similar to what is above - they are hypoallergenic, they help eczema, no allergy issues - but after a month of use, my whole family is suffering from itchy, painful skin. Like our skin is being constantly irritated. It isn’t as severe a feeling as wearing wool, but very uncomfortable. I’ve gone back to our allergy free dryer sheets and am working on rewashing everything - and our skin is slowly starting to feel comfortable again. I think it can take a bit of time for a reaction to occur, given that your skin isn’t exposed 100% to clothes dried with the balls until you’ve been using them for a while. By that point, it may not even occur to you that the problem is the dryer balls. I share this here so that when others (like myself) try to research using wool dryer balls, they will find information that yes - indeed - they can cause allergic reactions.
Does anyone else have a problem with their washer and/or dryer living water spot looking stains on their clothes??? And if yes, how do you get them out of your clothe...
See more
I would be very cautious in trying the dryer balls if you have a known wool or lanolin allergy - or even just sensitive skin. All the information I could find was similar to what is above - they are hypoallergenic, they help eczema, no allergy issues - but after a month of use, my whole family is suffering from itchy, painful skin. Like our skin is being constantly irritated. It isn’t as severe a feeling as wearing wool, but very uncomfortable. I’ve gone back to our allergy free dryer sheets and am working on rewashing everything - and our skin is slowly starting to feel comfortable again. I think it can take a bit of time for a reaction to occur, given that your skin isn’t exposed 100% to clothes dried with the balls until you’ve been using them for a while. By that point, it may not even occur to you that the problem is the dryer balls. I share this here so that when others (like myself) try to research using wool dryer balls, they will find information that yes - indeed - they can cause allergic reactions.
No. Using wool to dry his clothes might make his allergy flare.
To be on the safe side avoid putting wool in your dryer.