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Let’s talk about how to use wool dryer balls today! And, do they actually work??
Over the years, Chemistry Cachet has received many questions in regards to laundry. I’ve had readers asking for natural dryer sheet options, so earlier this year, we shared a HUGE post on the best natural, non-toxic dryer sheets.
My home smelled amazing experimenting with all these dryer sheets. The Mrs. Meyers geranium scented sheets are a favorite in our house!
I had so many readers write me saying they loved them too.
Now, I would like to share with you some information about wool dryer balls because we have many requests for this too.
Although I am a dryer sheet fan, I have also used wool. We have some important, science based tips for you today.
Be sure to share and pin this post!
How To Use Wool Dryer Balls Plus Do They Actually Work?
Using wool for laundry has been around for a long time, and now it is a popular Eco-friendly option,
There are different types of laundry balls out there, but wool dryer balls are made from natural, organic wool fibers. These make the best option if you want a completely natural choice! There are other reasons to use them too.
How Do Wool Dryer Balls Work?
First, wool dryer balls work to reduce static. The size of the balls mixed in with laundry produces aeration between materials. It stops the wet items from clumping together! With less static and less clumping, you also benefit from less drying time. Essentially, the wool balls will help your load dry quicker!
Also, wool dryer balls beat against material on clothes during a drying cycle and help to soften fabric.
Benefits of Using Wool Dryer Balls
Understanding how these work will also help us understand the simple benefits!
Benefits include:
- reduce static
- soften clothes
- quicker drying time
- they last 1000+ loads
- cheap
- eco-friendly
- chemical-free
- safe for babies and kids
Those are the most notable benefits, so you can see why they make a popular option!
How Long Do Wool Dryer Balls Last?
Most brands say on the package these dryer balls will last over 1000+ loads. You might wonder what happens after that? They dryer balls will start to come apart a little and loose their efficiency. 1000 loads is still an amazing amount for the price you pay!
For us math people, if you do 3-4 loads per week like I do, a wool dryer ball would last you 250 weeks at 4 loads per week. There are only 52 weeks in a year. That comes to 4.8 years! The wool dryer balls I use cost $10.95 on Amazon. That comes to about $2.20 a year for one dryer ball to be used like this. Of course, this is hypothetical, but you can see how cost efficient they are!
How to Use Wool Dryer Balls Correctly?
Many of my readers have told me they aren’t impressed with how their wool dryer balls worked, so I wanted to go over how to use them correctly.
The most important thing is to make sure you are keeping your loads smaller than usual. If the wool ball doesn’t have space to work, it won’t benefit your clothes. I do a medium sized load when using the wool balls.
Add 3 dryer balls to your load, then set on a normal dry cycle. These will usually dry your clothes faster than dryer sheets, so keep that in mind!
What About Adding Essential Oils?
This is a very important tip! Essential oils are a fire hazard when added to wool on high heat! I see this all over the internet, and it is dangerous!
If you want to add an essential oil, be sure to follow these instructions so it is safe!
- Add 10-15 drops of essential oil to your wool balls. You can also inject it into the middle if you really want the ball to soak up everything, this isn’t necessary though.
- Allow the essential oil to dry for 5-10 minutes.
- Once your clothes are DONE in the heat cycle, add 2-3 essential oil filled wool balls to a cool cycle.
- You can do half of a cool or no-heat cycle to get the scent into your clothes.
You can typically use the essential oil filled balls a few times before needing to add in more essential oil. Just play around with it and see what works best for your dryer! I love this rose oil for laundry.
Which Is Better: Dryer Sheets or Wool Balls?
Since I am a dryer sheet lover, I wanted to compare the two to see which was really better.
I prefer the scents of these non-toxic dryer sheets to the wool balls. Even adding in essential oils, it doesn’t leave as a strong of a scent compared to these dryer sheets.
The wool balls dry quicker! A medium sized load dried faster adding in 3 wool balls compared to a few dryer sheets.
Also, they are more economical. Anyone wanting to save money will benefit from using wool dryer balls. Plus, quicker dryer time is beneficial for large items like sheets, towels, or even blankets. If I am going to wash towels, I prefer to use wool.
When it comes to baby clothes, I like to use a few non-toxic dryer sheets for Amelia because her clothes are delicate and don’t take long to dry anyways.
Best Wool Dryer Balls
I really like these from Amazon. They are affordable, 100% wool, organic, and have a great reviews.
Just make sure to choose wool balls that are 100% pure and organic, so you make sure you are getting a good product.
Wood Dryer Balls vs Plastic Laundry Balls
You will also find different types of laundry balls available. There are these plastic laundry balls available at the store and online. So, which is better?
I have tested both. The plastic dryer balls fluff clothes more especially towels. They also last for years! These plastic balls are considered eco-friendly also. The downside, is they are plastic, so many people prefer to keep it natural with the wool dryer balls. Another downside, you can’t add any essential oil for scent.
Overall, I think the wool balls are the better option.
Can You Make Your Own?
You can make your own, but they will be a little different. I prefer buying them since they are affordable, sturdy, and last so long. If you would like a DIY option, this is a great tutorial!
Other Laundry Posts
We have some other popular laundry posts you might enjoy:
- Non-Toxic Dryer Sheet Options
- 11 Must Have Laundry Items to Save Time, Money, and Chemicals
- Do Wrinkle Sprays Really Work?
- Homemade Stain Remover
- Unique Ways to Use Borax
So, now you know how to use wool dryer balls! And how they work too!
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I also want to thank you for reading this post today! We love having new readers, so feel free to comment below or send an email! We are always available and love to help anyway we can. Chemistry Cachet is a fun space to share chemistry tips for cleaning, skincare, gardening, and health. We also love to share tips like this so you can understand how something works, the best way to use it, and the best products to purchase. We always hope to save our readers TIME and MONEY!! So, thank you for joining us.
This particular post was requested by readers, so I have enjoyed writing it for you! We love to help readers and answer questions, so feel free to ask us anything!!
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I have a set of four New Zealand wool dryer balls that I have used for at least eight years. I do one of two loads a week, one large and one medium, dependent on how much clothing I have (I am the solo householder). So far, they are still working after all these years. No static, and no scent.
That’s awesome! It’s amazing how long they last and how well they continue to work.
I continue to have issues with static cling. Someone told me to use safety pins on the balls which I have tried. This doesn’t work either. Any ideas?
The wool dryer balls don’t work 100% with static for me, especially this time of year. I stop drying when clothes are super hot and that helps. I also use a combination of dryer sheets and wool dryer balls. Dryer sheets seem to be the best when it comes to static. I use ones from this list.
Ooo I’ve been wanting to know more about these for a while! I currently don’t use any dryer products (skin sensitivities) and minus some static it’s been okay. Would using the balls affect my skin? Another question is how the balls would affect the special properties of microfiber towels. The towel packaging says don’t use fabric softener as it coats the fibers and lessens their effectiveness. Would the oil from the wool do the same? I could air dry the towels and use the balls in the dryer with the rest of laundry. Thanks for this very informative post,
These won’t have any impact on your skin! They are great for that 🙂 And you can also dry microfiber with it since they don’t have anything in them except the wool. I wouldn’t add any essential oil if you want to do microfiber though. They are so handy to keep on hand. I really like them best for towels!
I have used wool dryer balls for about 5 years now but I am tired of chasing them all over the garage floor after opening the dryer and/or pulling out clothes. Not to mention having to wash them afterward can’t be good for them. Thinking about making dryer sheets.
I use dryer balls like this and they are great I like them
They are great to use! So easy and cheap 🙂
At the what point should you put the essential oils on the dryer balls? Could I do it now & do a load of laundry later on today?
This is copied from the post towards the bottom:
Add 10-15 drops of essential oil to your wool balls. You can also inject it into the middle if you really want the ball to soak up everything, this isn’t necessary though.
Allow the essential oil to dry for 5-10 minutes.
Once your clothes are DONE in the heat cycle, add 2-3 essential oil filled wool balls to a cool cycle.
You can do half of a cool or no-heat cycle to get the scent into your clothes.
It just needs to dry about 5-10 minutes. It is not safe to use the essential oil filled balls on a heat cycle
My dryer balls have little fuzzies on them and while it does not effect most of our clothes i notice them on black clothes. Is it time to throw them away? They are not that old and are good quality.
Mine do the same when I have used them a lot with heavier things like towels. I continue to use mine even when they get fuzzies. I stop using mine when I notice they are no longer helping with static
I have a large family and do 2-3 loads per day, so smaller loads is not an option! ? However I usually have about 12-16 dryer balls in the dryer depending on how many are lost in unfolded laundry. I’ve been using them for years and I have replaced quite a few on the way, but given my extreme usage I’ve been very happy!
They are definitely great for large loads! Especially when you have to do so much laundry too!!
Can the wool dryer balls be used with dryer sheets. I know it seems like over doing it but I don’t like the idea of using the essential oils but still want to have my clothes smell good.
I think using dryer sheets along with the dryer balls would defeat the purpose of using the wool balls. They would beat down the scents from the dryer sheets, and I am not sure it would linger on the clothing. They are really best to use for those who want something more natural and healthy for their laundry…I also recommend trying non-toxic dryer sheets if you want good smells and a safer way to get them.
I just found this article and was very interested in the information to see if I was using them correctly. I am thank heavens. I have been keen on the wool balls for a couple years now and must say I really enjoy the no smell vs the former dryer sheets. Fall and winter seem to be the worst for static and so far I have no complaints. I purchased a package of 6 and use all 6 of them in my dryer and am done in no time at all. I have also found that when I want to freshen up several items, I run water over a couple of the balls and put them in to “steam” the items. They do a fantastic job and saves me having to wash clothes more often. Thank you for the article, it was ver6 informative.
Hi Mary, that is a great tip about the steam! I am glad you enjoyed our article!
Rather than buying dryer balls from China via Walmart or Amazon, please support your local fiber farmers! Thank you!
We have nothing like that in our area
My biggest issue is the static. I’ve added aluminum foil balls to the dryer and still dealing with the static.
What can I do about the static?
Static can be tough depending on your climate. A great trick I have used along with wool dryer balls, about 10 minutes before the cycle is done, I throw in a damp hand towel. I finish the cycle out with that inside, and it adds a little moisture back into the clothes without them getting wet again. It helps with static.