While some green cleaning swaps require a little more effort and elbow grease, making the switch from dryer sheets to dryer balls couldn't be easier. After all, why would you continually buy packs of fragranced sheets, when eco-friendly dryer balls can be used for countless washes?
Dryer sheets are usually made of polyester and are coated with a waxy softening and anti-static solution, along with fragrance. Though these inorganic ingredients are controversial, what's clear across the board is that these polyester sheets are designed to be thrown out after each use, as they lose their efficacy after tumbling in the dryer. Wool dryer balls, conversely, can be used for years.
Admittedly, the jury is out on whether or not dryer balls significantly reduce static — certain materials, like microfiber, will cling to lace or fibrous materials, even when wool dryer balls are used. There are a few hacks out there to help boost dryer balls' static-reducing power, such as moistening them or sticking them with a safety pin, but their efficacy may differ from load to load. It still may be a good idea to separate clingy materials or air-dry them when possible.
With so many varieties of dryer balls on the market — both wool and plastic — it can be tricky to discern which type is really the best for your household. We're breaking down everything you have to know about buying eco-friendly dryer balls online, so you can enjoy chemical- and waste-free laundry loads.
As far as the best dryer balls for large households go, it really doesn't get any better than this Smart Sheep wool dryer balls six-pack.
Constructed from 100% New Zealand wool, these softball-sized picks are touted by users for their effectiveness at reducing drying time and the amount of wrinkles in each load. You can use all six balls in the dryer at once for extra-large loads, or just opt for two or three for a smaller cycle.
This three-pack of handmade wool dryer balls are all you need if you're doing laundry for just one or two people. It even comes with a bonus bottle of lavender essential oil!
Just add a few drops of the oil right onto the dryer balls to impart a subtly floral scent to your loads, without covering your clothes in the strong chemical fragrance from dryer sheets.
Make laundry day a little more cheerful with Food52's colorful set of dryer balls! These 100% wool balls come in a set of three or six and help to amp up the fluffiness factor of your linens.
These are a unique offering for their eye-catching spectrum of shades — they're available in multicolored sets of "warm tones," "cool tones," or a mix of the two!
Folks with wool allergies or those who don't use animal-derived products can opt for these spiky laundry balls instead. Instead of wool, these adorable pufferfish balls from Kikkerland are made of hard plastic, and they work in the exact same way; they break up clumps of laundry to help your loads dry more evenly.
Just keep in mind that plastic laundry balls can have a couple of issues. Users are likely to hear them bouncing around while the dryer runs, and they tend to feel quite hot when immediately taken out.
On the plus side, these balls tend to be cheaper than 100% wool, but are just as durable.
5
Best Laundry-Day Hack
Wilson Prime All Court Tennis Balls (Set of Three)
For those who love a good cleaning hack or budget-friendly dupe, a fresh pack of tennis balls will set you back just a few dollars and will effectively help to soften dense laundry loads! You can even scent them with a drop of lemon or lavender essential oil to impart a fresh fragrance to each load.
Tennis balls are better used when drying loads of sturdier clothing items, not with your delicates.
Melanie YatesSenior Home Decor EditorMelanie is the senior home decor editor of Best Products, where she's been researching and testing out home and bedding products since 2015 — her work can also be found on House Beautiful and Women's Health.
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