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Wool dryer balls make a great eco friendly addition to your laundry routine.
Unlike many liquid fabric softeners & single use dryer sheets, these furry little balls are completely natural, with no added chemicals. They effectively soften fabric, whilst reducing static, plus they’re much quieter than plastic or rubber balls. Wool dryer ball will even grab pet hair.
But perhaps best of all, wool dryer balls help reduce drying time by up to 25% (sometimes more), by helping to keep clothes separated. This separation aids air flow, reducing drying time & saving you money on energy bills.
How Do You Use Wool Dryer Balls?
Using wool dryer balls is really easy to do.
Simply open up your dryer, pop in your wet clothes, then add your wool dryer balls. Switch on your dryer & allow your dryer balls to work their magic.
How many wool dryer balls you use typically depends on the size of your laundry load. The more balls you use, the quicker the drying time. As a guide, manufacturers generally recommend between 2 and 6 dryer balls – 3 for a small load & between 5 – 8 for larger loads.
You may find extra large loads require up to 12 balls to be efficient, although wool dryer balls do tend to work best with small to medium loads, as they have more room to move around.
Wool dryer balls typically last for 1000 dryer loads, so they’re long lasting too.
5 Wool Dryer Balls For Eco Laundry
Here are 5 eco friendly wool dryer balls for more energy efficient laundry drying.
1 – Smart Sheep Wool Dryer Balls
Best Overall Choice
This set of 6 100% premium New Zealand wool laundry balls are felted in Nepal by women & minorities paid a strong living wage.
Eco friendly, they last for 1000+ loads, shortening drying time & softening clothes without added chemicals or synthetics.
Wool is unbleached & manufacturing processes ethical & fair trade.
2 – SnugPad Wool Dryer Balls
Good Larger Size Choice (12 wool balls)
Save money by buying big with SnugPads pack of 12 wool dryer balls.
Made from New Zealand wool, the dryer balls are hand made, chemical free & will help reduce drying times, wrinkles & static build up.
The extra large design will also aid clothes separation & moisture absorption.
3 – Handy Laundry Wool Dryer Balls
Good Value For Money Choice
A bestseller, these natural New Zealand wool dryer balls are tightly rolled into extra-large balls and then felted for durability & long lasting performance.
A sustainable alternative to chemical infused dryer sheets, simply pop them in the dryer for faster drying, fluffier & softer clothes.
Includes handy cotton bag for storing your dryer balls.
4 – Wooly Heroes Dryer Balls
Good Choice For Families
If you have kids (or are just a big kid yourself) these Wooly Heroes dryer balls are lots of fun. They’ll also dry your clothes faster, saving you time & money.
Crafted from New Zealand wool, with no added chemicals or synthetics, Wooly Heroes dryer balls are ideal for sensitive skin, or even pets!
Dryer balls are hand felted in Nepal, providing fair wages to underprivileged communities
5 – Living Dreams Organic Yarn
Good Choice For DIY Dryer Balls
If you prefer the DIY route, learning how to make your own wool dryer balls is easy to do.
You’ll need some wool suitable for felting, like this Certified Organic yarn, plus a few other everyday materials, including an old sock or pantyhose.
You can use this How To Make Felted Wool Dryer Balls tutorial to help get you started.
How To Clean Wool Dryer Balls
Over time, wool dryer balls may accumulate lint & fiber build up. To help remove lint, you can glide a razor gently over your wool dryer balls to help remove fuzz build up. Then wash them in warm water with a mild detergent.
Once washed, you can air dry your wool dryer balls or dry them in a dryer on a gentle setting.
You’ll find many people wash their wool dryer balls in a washing machine on a hot cycle (sometimes inside a sock).
However, washing them in warm water with a mild detergent is gentler on the wool & less likely to speed up the unravelling process (which is a sign you need to replace your dryer balls).
How To Recharge Wool Dryer Balls
Most wool dryer balls typically last for 1000 washing loads. However, to ensure their continued effectiveness, it can pay to ‘recharge’ them every 100 uses, or so.
Washing your wool dryer balls, (outlined above), will do this naturally, as washing helps to re-hydrate the wool. This ‘re-charges’ its ability to effectively absorb moisture in the dryer again.
Can You Put Essential Oils On Wool Dryer Balls?
Unlike fabric softeners, dryer balls work without added scent. So it may seem logical to add a few drops of essential oil to your dryer balls for added fragrance.
However, whilst it’s relatively low, there is a potential fire risk with adding essential oils to dryer balls.
Essential oils are flammable & have ‘flashpoints‘. This is the temperature at which a liquid becomes combustible if exposed to a source of ignition, such as heat. Some essential oils have flashpoints that fall within some dryer settings, posing a potential fire hazard.
So whilst some people do use essential oils in their dryers, with no negative consequences, you may prefer to scent your laundry with dried herb sachets in your drawers or laundry cupboard. Alternatively, you could consider using a non heat setting on your dryer.
Wool Dryer Balls – Conclusion
Wool dryer balls are an effective, eco friendly, alternative to single use fabric dryer sheets & liquid fabric softeners.
Reusable, they typically last for around 1000 dryer cycles, helping to reduce drying times, wrinkles & static build up. Reduced drying times also help lower your carbon footprint, as well as energy bills.
Made from natural wool, wool dryer balls are free from added chemicals or synthetics and are very simple to use.
And if you’re up for the challenge, you can even try making your own.
