Author Topic: Wool dryer balls?  (Read 3883 times)

HipGnosis

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Wool dryer balls?
« on: February 18, 2016, 05:51:48 PM »
Is anyone using wool dryer balls and would you recommend them?

I'm reading that they eliminate the need for fabric softener and substantially reduce drying time (which saves money!).

lbmustache

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Re: Wool dryer balls?
« Reply #1 on: February 18, 2016, 06:43:20 PM »
They do not help with static for me... but they do reduce drying time! I like them. I got mine off amazon.

ZiziPB

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Re: Wool dryer balls?
« Reply #2 on: February 19, 2016, 08:34:08 AM »
I use them.  Bought them on clearance at Marshalls so they were just a few dollars.  I used to have plastic ones but like the wool better.  They don't really do anything for static.

dess1313

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Re: Wool dryer balls?
« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2016, 09:34:02 AM »
i have the plastic knobby ones and i think they make a difference.  never used the wool ones before.  norwex has em for a horrible price but around here even the dollar store carries them now

acroy

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Re: Wool dryer balls?
« Reply #4 on: February 19, 2016, 09:42:45 AM »
recently blew $15 on amazon for them
They do nothing for static. Winter here is cool and often dry... which makes for static. No magic way around this.
It is funny to see the wool hairs stand up like crazy on the 'anti-static' wool ball.
But they may reduce drying time. Hard to say. Our dryer is pretty efficient.

GuitarStv

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Re: Wool dryer balls?
« Reply #5 on: February 19, 2016, 09:59:59 AM »
*cough* old tennis ball *cough*

Petuniajo

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Re: Wool dryer balls?
« Reply #6 on: February 19, 2016, 10:26:45 AM »
Same as others--they do reduce drying time, but they do nothing for static. I usually try to hang dry my clothes until they are *almost* dry, and then toss them in the dryer for 5-10 minutes so they aren't so stiff. I find the dryer balls help to fluff them up better.

catccc

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Re: Wool dryer balls?
« Reply #7 on: February 19, 2016, 10:41:56 AM »
They do not help with static for me... but they do reduce drying time! I like them.

Ditto this.  I made my own with old wool scraps for the base  (balled and up held in place by winding wool yarn around it strategically) and then encased the messy looking base into a section of old wool sweater sleeve and cinched the ends.  The kids helped.

Prairie Stash

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Re: Wool dryer balls?
« Reply #8 on: February 19, 2016, 04:16:39 PM »
I like them. My wife made them from old wool socks (ask around and lot of people will donate if you need wool) and wrapped wool around, I helped a little but it went pretty fast. Do not just use wool yarn exclusively, that's labour intensive and takes a large skein.  She got fancy with some and felted on some designs, they're pretty as well as functional. My daughter likes playing with them too, its a game tossing them back into the hamper.

Not everything comes out static free every time, but it seems to reduce the static. I think the problem is we sometimes forget to put all of them back in for the next load, I recommend having 6-10 in the dryer, Its hard to have too many.

ambimammular

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Re: Wool dryer balls?
« Reply #9 on: February 19, 2016, 04:59:00 PM »
I've used crumpled up heavy aluminum foil balls for a few years now. It seems like they've shortened my drying times.

Villanelle

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Re: Wool dryer balls?
« Reply #10 on: February 19, 2016, 06:04:56 PM »
I also use old tennis balls.  Other than the noise they make thunking around in the machine, they work fine.