Dryer Balls?

[IamJen]

Has anyone tried these things? http://www.asseenontv.com/prod-pages/dryer_balls.html

They're supposed to keep your clothes from getting stiff/wrinkled. I'd seen them before but not really paid much attention, as I didn't have a softening problem. :p Now, our washer/dryer tends to leave things pretty wrinkly. I hate hate hate HATE ironing (more than cleaning the toilet), so when I saw these again at the store, I was intrigued. They're pretty pricy here though, so I wasn't ready to shell out the dough just yet.

[Iria]

I use them because I would rather reuse something like that than keep paying money for dryer sheets. I've never done laundry without them though, so I can't say for sure if there's a difference. I know my clothes aren't wrinkled when I take them out.

[hoodedclawjen]

i've been tempted, mainly on the anti-static promise (i get static electric shocks off almost everything in canada in winter, and the idea of touching anything remotely metallic between october and april fills me with dread!) but i've been too cheap to pay for them so far.

i cope with wrinkling and avoid ironing by taking the crumpled clothes i intend on wearing each day into the bathroom on hangers, and leaving them there while i shower every morning. the steam works pretty well at getting the crinkles out for me. other stuff like bedsheets, i let stay crumpled (they're gonna end up that way anyway!)

i've never used dryer sheets and don't buy fabric conditioner- both seem expensive and chemically to me (chemicals aren't my friends, they make me itchy and sneezy).

anyway... erm... yeah.... i'm interested in learning how well these dryer balls actually perform too... but with reducing static.

[Iria]

I'll test it for you guys--I'll do a load without them and tell you the difference. You'll have to wait two weeks, though. I'm going home and when I do laundry there, it's everyone's laundry. I'm not going to risk wrinkling my mom's clothes. :)

[Iria]

Wrt static, I think it's helpful. I've been getting shocked a lot this winter, but I don't get that staticky feeling when I put on a sweater--I just get shocked every dang time I put my coat on my metal coat hanger. :grr:

[queenfluff]

I used something similar to this that I got from Gaiam (they sell those dryer balls too - but they were selling these first many years ago). I haven't been using them lately those as I don't seem to have any static. They are reuseable sheets.

http://www.gaiam.com/retail/product/06-0531

[IamJen]

Yeah. I've only purchased fabric softeneer once in my whole life, and it was after we moved here. The smell was nasty, and it didn't really get out the wrinkles.

We have wrinkly sheets too. (it's actually what reminded me, as I'm doing them today)


i've been tempted, mainly on the anti-static promise (i get static electric shocks off almost everything in canada in winter, and the idea of touching anything remotely metallic between october and april fills me with dread!) but i've been too cheap to pay for them so far.

i cope with wrinkling and avoid ironing by taking the crumpled clothes i intend on wearing each day into the bathroom on hangers, and leaving them there while i shower every morning. the steam works pretty well at getting the crinkles out for me. other stuff like bedsheets, i let stay crumpled (they're gonna end up that way anyway!)

i've never used dryer sheets and don't buy fabric conditioner- both seem expensive and chemically to me (chemicals aren't my friends, they make me itchy and sneezy).

anyway... erm... yeah.... i'm interested in learning how well these dryer balls actually perform too... but with reducing static.

[Black Heart]

You can get washing balls too to use instead of detergent in the washing machine. Like this www.greenshop.co.uk/ecoballs

I always use a tiny bit of fabric softener. It makes a huge amount of difference to how soft my clothes are; if I don't use it, everything is really stiff and rough. I think it might be because we have hard water here.

[Dirty Martini]

If you have any clean tennis balls around, those work just as well. :)

[IamJen]

Ah. I don't think I have any clean ones, but they're probably cheaper than the "real" balls. You don't get yellow fuzzies on everything? :D

[Lelena]

You can get washing balls too to use instead of detergent in the washing machine. Like this www.greenshop.co.uk/ecoballs

I always use a tiny bit of fabric softener. It makes a huge amount of difference to how soft my clothes are; if I don't use it, everything is really stiff and rough. I think it might be because we have hard water here.

I have been using the washing balls for about 10 years, I am on my second set. They work really well. I don't use softner though as my clothes are fine without. So maybe it is the hard water, mine is on the soft side.

[scarlet]

If you have any clean tennis balls around, those work just as well. :)

tennis balls work, i use them when i wash comforters to keep them fluffy.

[Spidergrrl]

I don't have a tumble dryer,but my mum does and she just bought some dryer balls. i'll ask her how she likes them and report back.

We have HARD water. Since I hang stuff to dry I like to use Ecover liquid softener in my wash. I find it makes a BIG difference and it is plant based and not petroleum based and doesn't stink like perfume. I can't smell it on the clothes once they are dry.

A friend got the washer balls but his report was that in our very hard water his clothes were not clean. And he was washing lightly soiled clothes.

[Black Heart]

My clothes always come clean in London water even at 30 degrees. In fact, I sometimes used not to use detergent at all because I have sensitive skin and they were still clean. I use Ecover too.

[IamJen]

Ecover is the brand we tried that was "smelly". Perhaps I'll have to see if there is an unscented or something. They only had one kind "morning fresh" at the HFS. I'm not sure if it's the water, but yeah, a lot of our stuff comes out stiff.

I'm not convinced about the washer balls, but I don't mind using the soap so much. We do use Ecover liquid, and the bottles are refillable, so the amount of waste/expense is pretty small.

Eventually, I'd like to be able to hang stuff more, but it's just difficult here. If I hang things inside, it takes too long to dry, but there's not outside space. (not a lot inside either). Meh. Anyway, it sounds like the dryer balls/tennis balls might be worth a shot.

[Spidergrrl]

I find ecover mildly smelly compared to Lenor which can trigger a migraine for me. I think morning fresh is the only one they have. I smell it faintly on the wet clothes but not after it dries.

BTW, Jen--love the picture of you. You are a babe!

[Cinnamon toast]

I have a set of dryer balls - I like them. It is really important not to over fill your dryer and not to over dry your clothes to get the best effect.

[thehappyhippo]

Thoose washer balls are great only really use BioD for my undies and socks. Thankfully we have soft water in S.Wales so clothes are lovely and soft. Hehe never thought I would have a mini brag about the softness of my clothes.

For you vegans out there Ecover contains milk. BioD is vegan and natural (a bit cheaper too).

[Spidergrrl]

I know some of their washing up liquid contains whey (not the lemon and aloe vera but the other one) but where do you see milk in the fabric softener or detergent?

[rabid_child]

I'd love something like that if it reduced static cling. I've upgraded to a liquid softener plus two drier sheets and all my clothes still crackle like mad coming out of the drier. Stupid winter.. grrr :grr:

[IamJen]

No go with the tennis balls. I tried it Monday on our sheets/duvet cover...wrinkly as ever. :(

I did check our Ecover bottles though. The liquid detergent, fabric softener and the lemon washing-up liquid are all fine, they even have the Vegan Society logo.

[thehappyhippo]

I know some of their washing up liquid contains whey (not the lemon and aloe vera but the other one) but where do you see milk in the fabric softener or detergent?

Ecovers non-bio laundry liquid and washing powder and the large 25L bottles of softener are not marked as Vegan on the suma catalogue. I know that quite a few shops allow you to refill your bottles from their large 25L bottles. Sorry for the generalization, should have looked in the catalgoue first before making sweeping remarks.

[Spidergrrl]

Ecovers non-bio laundry liquid and washing powder and the large 25L bottles of softener are not marked as Vegan on the suma catalogue. I know that quite a few shops allow you to refill your bottles from their large 25L bottles. Sorry for the generalization, should have looked in the catalgoue first before making sweeping remarks.

No biggie! I just went into panic mode thinking "I swear I read the label. How could I have missed that?????"

[Joe]

I have tried them and use them. But I haven't done any "scientific" comparison tests. I don't have much static in my clothes, but I usually set my dryer to "damp dry" anyway, then hang things to dry for the final drying. Also, I bought these things in Bed, Bath and Beyond for $9.99, so the cost was incidental.

Adding a cup of white distilled vinegar to the final rinse in your washer also acts as a "softener" for clothes.

[mschiavone]

We have been using the dryer balls since our baby was a newborn - about 9 months ago. We stopped using dryer sheets because a) all those chemicals are dangerous for babies and b) they are bad for the environment.

I would say the balls work about 70% as well as dryer sheets for static cling removal and 100% as well - or better - for fabric softening. I will keep using them, as I figure a little static cling is a small price to pay for the safety of my baby and the health of our earth!

ps: we bought them at Linens & Things using a 20% off coupon - they ended up costing about $7.