If you cloth diaper or are trying to “green” your laundry routine in general, then you probably know how problematic dryer sheets can be. Filled with chemicals, they add a film to your fabrics to make them feel softer and more “fresh”, but the effect is completely artificial. The buildup of residue on your clothing from dryer sheets damages your fabric, wears out your clothing more quickly, and the chemicals are anything but good for your skin. The oils in them used for softening the fabric and removing static cling build up quickly and can cause repelling, which is definitely a bad thing for wick-away fabrics and cloth diapers.
A fantastic alternative that is rapidly gaining popularity is using wool dryer balls in your dryer. Wool can absorb 30 percent of its weight in liquid and is quite durable. I recently had the chance to try out some really nice dryer balls from Devon’s Creative Designs. Devon’s Creative Designs was created by mom Devon, when she wanted a way to quickly dry her cloth diapers and reduce static. Her dryer balls are 100% wool and created by hand.
I had the pleasure of using the Caramel and Pecan Wool Dryer balls.
These dryer balls are a generous size. Each one is around eight or nine inches in circumference, which is a little bigger than a lot of other brands. I really loved the heft of these. They are about the size of tennis balls, without the loud thumping in the dryer. Being 100% wool, they absorb around 30% of their weight in liquid so they not only help laundry dry more quickly by separating and aerating, but also by simply sucking up some of the moisture in the dryer.
Dryer balls also soften up stiff laundry by pummeling the clothing softly. This eliminates the need for fabric softener, which is especially nice if you have hard water. If you line dry your clothing or diapers, they are often pretty stiff coming off the line. Just five minutes in the dryer on the no heat, air only setting with some dryer balls can soften your fabric right up. You can simply leave your dryer balls in the dryer for the next load.
The wool dryer balls from Devon’s Creative Designs are really nice. They are great quality and a good size. A four pack is only $25, which is very reasonable for real wool. I like that they are felted and not wound yarn. Not only do wool dryer balls save you money on electricity and fabric softener, but they can help reduce static cling as well, so long as you don’t over dry.
I tell everyone to give wool dryer balls a try. I would definitely recommend the dryer balls at Devon’s Creative Designs for the quality and the price. Plus, I really love buying from small businesses and supporting work at home moms.
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I’ve been meaning to try out dryer balls – these ones look great! Thanks for the review!
Hi, I bought a pack of 6 wool dryer balls from allurewool.com online store. When I got them I was really amazed how beautiful they are 🙂
I am not familiar with allurewool. Thanks for the heads up.