How Do Wool Dryer Balls Work?
• As few as 3 balls are sufficient for small to medium loads; 5-7 may be appropriate for larger loads; 8-12 for extra-large.
• Wool dryer balls are better for the environment due to being reusable and reducing energy usage.
• They can last up to 5 years (over 1,000 loads), depending on frequency of use.
• Recharging wool dryer balls is easy: put them in washing machine on gentle cycle with hot water, then place in dryer on high heat.
How to Clean Your Dryer
This is slightly more of a Public Service Announcement than an article, but I have got to tell you to CLEAN OUT YOUR DRYER RIGHT NOW.
A few months back, my dryer (which is not old, yet it's not old) stopped working. It would tumble the clothes for hours and the laundry was still always damp. I didn't pay much attention to it because like always, I was doing a dozen other things at the same time. I finally said something to my husband about it and thought out loud that I should probably start looking at new dryers. He suggested we clean off the inside and maybe the sensors were dirty or something.
So I took my bottle of MamaSuds All-Purpose Cleaner and sprayed the inside of the drum and the inside of the door and wiped it all down. I did this twice for good measure. I then took a different rag and sprayed it with isopropyl alcohol and wiped everything down again. I then took the vacuum and sucked the lint out of the trap that gets caught on the edges. I noticed that there was still quite a bit of lint way down in that space where the lint trap goes. (Sorry ladies + gents but I don't know the technical terms for these parts!).
I asked the tiniest person in my house to try and reach down and grab the lint and she took one look at the lint and fled the scene. Great. Now what?! I located an old wire hanger and got a giant wad of lint out. I couldn't believe it!
I Facetimed my mom to show her what the heck came out of my dryer and she suggested going behind the dryer and sticking the vacuum hose into the vent. OH. MY. GOODNESS. So gross. So much lint.
And now my dryer works just fine. Luckily, the dryer's safety features were working and since the dryer wasn't getting any air into it, it wasn't letting the heating mechanism on. Whew!
I put on my calendar every 3 months to clean the dryer out, you should do the same!
Do Dryer Balls Really Work?
• They can reduce drying time by 25-40%, soften clothes, and reduce static.
• They work by circulating air in the dryer and the more balls used, the better their effectiveness.
• Traditional dryer sheets contain ingredients linked to cancer, respiratory tract irritants, central nervous system disorders, neurotoxins, and hazardous waste.
• Using dryer balls is a great alternative to conventional dryer sheets.