Going Green With Wool Dryer Balls

Wool dryer balls are an easy, inexpensive way to go green. By using wool dryer balls, you will reduce your dryer’s energy use and eliminate the need for dryer sheets and fabric softeners. Saving time and money — sounds good, right?

I have used wool dryer balls in the past (and need to buy some so I can use them again as part of my 2011 green goals) and for those of you who may not be familiar with wool dryer balls, I wanted to share some basic information to help point you in the right direction in case you would like to go green with wool dryer balls.

What are wool dryer balls and How do they work?
Wool dryer balls are balls of felted wool that bounce around with your laundry in the dryer, separating the clothes allowing air to circulate and softening them. You don’t need to do anything special to use dryer balls, just toss them in your dryer along with the wet laundry. Keep them in your dryer for the next use when the clothes are dry.

How many dryer balls do I need?
I think 4 is a good number to start out with, keeping in mind that the more dryer balls you use, the better results you will get. Some people use 6-12! Larger and heavier loads will need more dryer balls.

Can I use them on baby clothes, cloth diapers, and for people with sensitive skin?
Yes! I love using these to cut down on my cloth diaper drying time.

Where can I buy wool dryer balls?
Lots of places! Online cloth diaper stores and places like Etsy are a great place to shop around for them. Many natural food stores also sell wool dryer balls.

But what if I like for my laundry to smell good?
Good news! Many dryer balls come in scented options. You will have to occasionally rescent them.

A few words of advice from my experience with buying wool dryer balls online:
1. Read the product reviews before you buy. Make sure other customers are satisfied with the way theirs works. I did not do this before purchasing and ended up with some teeny tiny dryer balls that did not work at all!
2. Buy wool dryer balls that are a decent size and weight. I have had the best results with dryer balls that measure about 8-9 inches around and weigh about 3 ounces.

Quality wool dryer balls will last indefinitely, even YEARS! Your initial small investment in wool dryer balls will easily pay for itself in energy savings and if you no longer choose to buy dryer sheets and fabric softeners.

Note to the Budget Conscious:
It is entirely possible for you to make wool dryer balls yourself! There are online tutorials that are easy to follow and the only real expense is buying the 100% wool yarn. Embarrassing admission: I made wool dryer balls once. It was easy and cheap; however, about a month into my using them, I opened my dryer to find a crazy tangle of unraveled yarn knotted all around my clothes. If you read my blog or know me, you will know that this is par for the course as far as me and “Make it Yourself” projects go! May you have better luck than me if you choose this route.