Woolen Dryer Balls

What the heck are dryer balls you ask? They are balls that make me and the earth really excited.

Our family has been using dryer balls as an alternative to dryer sheets for years. There are so many benefits to making this green switch that I decided it warranted a blog post. Plus ^^look^^ how happy they make me.

How often do I replace these suckers, am I really going to save money?

I bet I replace our wool dryer balls once every few years, this is thousands of loads of laundry. This may not be the case for everyone, but I wait for them to split completely apart before I toss in a new set. You can felt them back together if you have a felting needle and prolong the life. They last a really long time. A box of dryer sheets usually has between 80-250 sheets. If you use your dryer balls for a few years, and they effectively cost the same as a box of dryer sheets, I think this answers the question. You’ll save a ton of money.

What do they do?

Dryer balls speed up the drying process. That wool, especially when you toss them in with your towels, absorbs moisture and shortens the time you have to run your dryer, saving energy.

They protect you from the unsafe additives you’ll find in most dryer sheets. “Fragrance” being one of them. I can smell dryer sheets when I’m out in my yard, if someone in my neighborhood is using them. That’s a strong “fragrance” and being very sensitive to smells, this worries me. Unfortunately “fragrance” listed as an ingredient, in most products, doesn’t have to be specific. It can include VOCs which can be harmful to your body in many ways.

I love adding a fresh/safe essential oil to our dryer balls, and knowing I can switch it up. I’ll mail you a fresh safe scent with your order, if you choose that option. After you use that up, the world is your oyster.

What about the static in my laundry?

Dryer balls reduce static electricity in your laundry. I’ll admit some of our clothes, especially really fuzzy ones, still hold charge. Discharging any electricity from your dryer balls before you use them can be helpful. Simply running them through damp hands can do the trick, or try dropping a bit of water on them before your dry your load. If you have static electricity in your load it is likely because you over-dried your laundry.

One more perk – they make your clothes feel really soft!

Making small shifts in our life to greener options is something we’re constantly doing at our house. I try and share many of them on Instagram, our blog and other social media. I share them because I hope you’ll share your ideas with me.

Why should I get my balls from Coming Up Rainbows?

I’ve found a surge of people buying locally as opposed to having things they need shipped from afar. Let’s keep that up! Foods, plants, and products that are local sustain the communities we live in, that is important! Supporting small businesses, such as ours, rather than big corporations is good for community sustainability and growth. xo

Psst: Your dryer balls won’t have a felted rainbow on them. They’ll just be white. xo