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As surprising as it is to me, there are still plenty of people who don’t really know what dryer balls are, or the many benefits of wool dryer balls. And since I like them so much that I made the best dryer balls available in the By Jillee Shop, I’ve taken it upon myself to spread the word about the benefits of dryer balls as far as I possibly can!
In this post, we’ll be exploring the many benefits that come along with using wool dryer balls when drying your laundry, along with a few laundry tips and tricks I’ve picked up from using them in my own dryer. But for those who could use a quick overview or refresher, let’s quickly answer a basic question: what do wool dryer balls do?
Dryer balls, which typically come in sets, are meant to go into your dryer right alongside your wet laundry. They tumble around your clothes and linens while they dry, creating pockets of air between the various layers of fabric that improve air circulation and speed up the drying process.
Dryer balls help your dryer work as efficiently as possible to dry your laundry quickly while minimizing static cling and other issues. Below, we’ll take a look at what sets dryer balls apart from traditional fabric softeners and dryer sheets, as well as the many unique benefits they offer.
11 Amazing Benefits Of Wool Dryer Balls
1. Faster Drying Times
As these simple wool balls tumble around your dryer, they create pockets of air between the various layers of damp fabric. These air pockets improve the airflow throughout your dryer, which can help laundry dry up to 25% faster than it would otherwise.
2. Better Absorbency
Fabric softeners — both liquids and those found in dryer sheets — deposit a thin layer of chemical softeners onto fabrics, and those layers can build up over time. Fabric softener buildup can be particularly problematic on bath towels and can drastically reduce their ability to absorb water.
Wool dryer balls won’t affect the absorbency of any of your laundry, helping your towels stay fluffy and absorbent.
3. Conserve Energy (And Save Money!)
The quicker your laundry dries, the less energy your dryer uses, and saving energy is good for both the environment and your wallet! But your power bill isn’t the only way dryer balls can help you save money — one set of dryer balls can replace a 3-year supply of dryer sheets or fabric softener, according to my calculations.*
*According to the NPS, the average American family does about 300 loads of laundry per year. Dryer balls have an expected lifespan of around 1,000 loads, and 1,000 divided by 300 equals approximately 3.33 years’ worth of laundry loads.
4. Non-Toxic And Free Of Harsh Chemicals
When you use wool dryer balls, you don’t have to worry about chemical softeners or synthetic fragrances in the air or on your clothes. Nor do you need to worry about those used sheets ending up in a landfill!
5. Softer Clothes
Another great benefit of using dryer balls is that they help to soften fabrics through physical means, rather than using chemicals or other additives. As they tumble around with your laundry, the felted wool balls will help to smooth rough fibers and soften fabrics, making your clothes more comfortable to wear and even extending their lifespan.
6. Eco-Friendly And Sustainable
You can reuse wool dryer balls up to 1,000 times, which is a lot more than you can say about single-use dryer sheets (or even a bottle of fabric softener, for that matter!) That’s one of my favorite wool dryer ball benefits — they’re environmentally friendly by design.
7. Fewer Wrinkles
Dryer balls can also prevent wrinkles from settling into fabrics, particularly when used in smaller loads. Dryer balls help separate individual items as they tumble around, reducing the likelihood that anything will get bunched up against the dryer drum long enough for wrinkles to settle into the fabric.
8. Safe For All Skin Types
I have terribly sensitive skin that reacts poorly to many kinds of chemicals and fragrances, and I know many people have skin even more sensitive than mine! The lack of chemicals and fragrances in wool dryer balls makes them a great choice for people of all skin types, especially when compared to liquid fabric softeners and dryer sheets. No chemical residues mean there’s nothing left on your clothes that will potentially irritate your skin.
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9. Less Noisy
While I’m normally all about substitutes and homemade solutions, there’s really no substitute for wool in terms of dryer ball noise level. Theoretically, almost any spherical object could help separate items in your dryer, but most of them would make a huge racket while doing so!
Plastic dryer balls, tennis balls, and other non-wool alternatives tend to make a lot of noise as they bounce around in the dryer. Felted wool makes for the best dryer balls because it isn’t too rigid, bouncy, or heavy.
10. Minimize Pet Hair
One thing I’ve noticed about my clothes since I started using dryer balls is that they come out with less dog hair attached to them. Whether the balls are knocking the hair loose or reducing static cling, the result is the same: more dog hair ends up in the lint trap rather than on my clothes!
11. Fragrance-Free (Or Not)
Finally, while wool dryer balls are naturally fragrance-free, they also make the perfect delivery system for natural fragrances. Traditional dryer sheets rely on synthetic fragrances, but with wool dryer balls, you can give your laundry a naturally pleasant scent with just a few drops of essential oils.
Using essential oils with dryer balls couldn’t be easier: just add 3-4 drops of an oil or oil blend to one of your dryer balls before starting your dryer. Your laundry will come out smelling heavenly, and it’s one of my favorite essential oils laundry hacks for that reason!
Wondering if these wool dryer ball benefits are all they’re cracked up to be? Don’t take my word for it — take a look at what readers who have tried them have had to say:
I have used dryer balls in the past, but without a doubt, your wool dryer balls ARE THE BEST! Thank you for carrying these!
Bettye N.
Why did I wait?! I have been getting the emails about these dryer balls for so long, I always said I would get them someday. I finally ordered them and am so glad I did! They are perfect! Clothes dry much quicker and are soft. I love these dryer balls!!
Carol C.
I used them for drying my sheets and it was the first time I didn’t have a pillow case or sheet rolled up and still wet at the end of the cycle. Saved me the time of additional drying!
Gerianne D.
I didn’t like being shocked even though I was using dryer sheets. Now my laundry comes out without the static it once had AND my clothes are so soft.
Elaine J.More Ideas You'll Love
How To Use Wool Dryer Balls
Using dryer balls isn’t complicated — just toss a few of them into your dryer along with your wet clothes! I usually use between four and six balls at a time, depending on the size of the load.
If static in your laundry is driving you nuts, try soaking your dryer balls in water and squeezing out the excess moisture before adding them to your dryer. The damp wool will help keep your dryer more humid, helping to prevent static cling without increasing the overall drying time. (You can also try attaching a safety pin to one or more of your dryer balls — they’ll whisk away those pesky free electrons as they come into contact with the dryer drum!)
Recharging And Replacing Wool Dryer Balls
If your dryer balls are starting to look a little worse for wear, try using a lint roller to remove loose wool and lint buildup. The wool needs to be firm to work properly — if the balls are losing their shape or getting soft, you can “recharge” them by placing them in a pot of water, bringing it to a boil, then removing the pot from heat and leaving the dryer balls in the water until it cools.
Another way to recharge your dryer balls is to zip them into a mesh laundry bag and wash them in hot water — use a gentle cycle without detergent or fabric softener. After washing them, dry the balls on high heat or let them air dry for a few days.
Unfortunately, even the best-kept dryer balls won’t last forever! You’ll know your dryer balls are ready to retire when recharging them only helps for a short time. (They can still be useful after retirement, too — why not pull them apart and use the wool as stuffing for toys or throw pillows?)
Check Out These Laundry Essentials In My Shop!
Learn more about the laundry products mentioned in this post by visiting these links:
- Wool Dryer Balls – Set of six colorful 100% organic New Zealand wool dryer balls; comes with a cotton drawstring storage bag.
- Simple Clean Essential Oil Blend – A fresh, clean-smelling blend of essential oils with citrusy and woodsy notes.
Have you taken advantage of the benefits of wool dryer balls yet?
