Some reviewers indicated these dryer balls cut down on drying time and soften clothes as they facilitate tossing clothes during the drying cycle. In my experience, drying time may be lessened minimally, but I don't expect a lower electric bill as a result. In addition, I would not say these dryer balls make the clothes significantly soft by themselves. However, I am very happy not to be using fabric softener in my machine and in my clothes. Omitting fabric softener has resulted in clothes coming out smelling and feeling clean (I could always feel the fabric softener still in towels, for example). I have found that white vinegar is a natural rinse agent and fabric softener. Adding about 1/2 cup of white vinegar to the fabric softener dispenser helps ensure the clothes are soft and rinsed well (no more fabric softener residue), with minimal static cling. So yes, I am happy with the combination of the dryer balls, and the vinegar in the fabric softener dispenser. I'm also happy with the money I save not buying fabric softener.
I bought these dryer balls as a spur of the moment decision and have been very happy that I did. They are solid but soft and about the size of a large orange or small grapefruit. They are a permanent fixture in my dryer and have helped keep my laundry soft and unless I overload the dryer, they really do help reduce the dry time. I don't think they are as helpful in reducing dryer time for say, a queen/king size comforter because the dryer is simply too full for the dryer balls to bounce around much. Yes, they bounce around and do add some additional noise to the dryer cycle, but because they are soft, it's not like you've got a tennis shoe rattling around or anything, but it will be a little louder and you will hear them bumping around.
An added and unexpected bonus is that these wool balls attract dog hair away from my clothing! On any given day, I have a minimum of 4 Samoyeds (very hairy white dogs) and 2 white-ish cats who are all dead set on depositing as much fur on my clothing as possible. So I know about hairy clothes! They don't leave my laundry fur-free but there is a noticeable reduction since I started using them.
I have also added scented oils to the dryer balls with good success. While it's probably best to not use heat with essential oils, I wasn't using it as a therapeutic use, but more just to try out how well the scents would transfer. It works pretty good and I had scents last through multiple loads of laundry. Just be careful that the oils get absorbed well by the wool before drying or you'll be distributing actual oils onto your laundry and not just passing along the smell.
Overall, I love these things. Just know that they can get all tied up in laundry and I "lost" one for a while because it was wrapped up inside a fitted sheet and I hadn't noticed it.
I would not say they are better than dryer sheets at removing static, but I'm impressed that they cut my drying time on towels from 180 mins to 80 minutes. Since the washer washes faster than the dryer can dry, these wool dryer balls are going to live in the dryer now. Towels and insulated pants are no longer going to hold up progress with their longer drying times. I did a load of towels comparison to test these. I have a high capacity washer and when I fill it full of towels I have to run it through the dryer for 180 mins. When I checked them with the balls they were dryer at 40 mins than they used to be at 90, so I put them in for another 40 minutes. For towels at least... it literally cut my drying time in a little less than HALF. You can hear them in there but they aren't any louder than my washer and they certainly aren't as loud as tennis balls. They did not however remove all the static out of my load of microfiber towels. Overall I'm impressed with their cost savings!
My husband purchased these without my knowledge as I was skeptical. We used to use the "dryer bars" but they have become difficult to find. We HATE traditional dryer sheets but as you can guess, not using anything left our clothes full of static cling and uncomfortable. The dryer balls are kind of a pain when changing the laundry as they get tangled in sheets and towels, but once you learn to feel for them as you're emptying the dryer, you get used to that pretty well. I have DEFINITELY noticed a difference in the level of static and the drying time. I use all 6 balls for all loads because I usually only do large loads. These little balls have really made a difference in our laundry routine and I'm glad my husband found and ordered them.
I bought these to replace my dryer sheets. I use a lavender essential oil dropper to sprinkle a few drops of oil on each ball every load. My clothes come out soft and they smell fantastic.
Using all 6 balls for each load I've noticed that the drying times have been cut down, saving me time and energy. I feel really good knowing I am using a more natural solution to dry my clothes vs dryer sheets. I have a 3 year old and one on the way, so the fewer harmful chemicals in our lives the better.
One thing I did notice when I initially started using these balls is that my clothes would come out of the dryer full of static. After a bit of research, I found several solutions. 1) Don't over-dry the clothes; 2) Spray the dryer balls with water getting them quite wet (adds humidity to the dryer and cuts down static); 3) Separate synthetic materials from regular clothes (materials like polyester, rayon, acrylic, and nylon) as these will add a lot of static to the load. Trying any one of these solutions yielded much less static per load. During the winter when it is typically less humid in the house, I do notice a little more static, but nonetheless, a small price to pay for an all-natural solution to drying clothes. I will not go back to dryer sheets again.
Feature Product
- Set of 6 Original Smart Sheep 100% Premium New Zealand Wool Dryer Balls (no fillers, don't settle for knock-offs, we strive to stay ahead of competition by offering exceptional quality and customer service)
- Softens Laundry Naturally--- No Chemicals or Synthetics Used (great for those with sensitive skin & babies)
- Shortens Drying Time (use 3 balls for small/med load, 5-6 for large)
- Extra-Large (larger than a tennis ball,) Handmade, Eco-friendly, Saves Energy
- Lasts for a Thousand-Plus Loads, Replaces Dryer Sheets & Liquid Fabric Softeners, Saves Money. (A healthy, petroleum-free alternative to plastic dryer steamer balls)
Description
Smart Sheep wool dryer balls shorten drying time, soften and fluff fabric, and reduce static. They help bed sheets stay untangled during the drying process as well as keep pet hair off of clothes.
They are all-natural, with no synthetic fibers or chemicals used. While some other brands use center fillers or low-quality wool, Smart Sheep dryer balls are always made of 100% premium New Zealand wool. They will not unravel and will last for years. Their size is optimal for maximum dryer efficiency. They may develop some pilling, but pilling makes for softer laundry because a larger surface area improves softness and drying time. Wool dryer balls are quieter and more gentle on clothing than plastic dryer balls with nubs. They are great for fluffing down feather items such as quilts and jackets. Using wool dryer balls saves your dryer from the residue left from liquid fabric softeners and dryer sheets. Our wool dryer balls are the perfect gift for all occasions: baby showers, Mother's Day, Father's Day, bridal showers, weddings, Christmas, college graduation, housewarming, teacher appreciation, and more! They also make a fabulous stocking stuffer. The Smart Sheep family works hard to bring you the best wool dryer balls at the best price. Get rid of chemical-laden products and try Smart Sheep.
TIPS:
- Try scenting the dryer balls by placing a few drops of essential oil (lavender, lemon, etc) on each ball. This will lightly scent your clothes!
- Keep dryer balls away from pets. They will think they are fun toys and will run off with them. However, if you are fine letting your dog play with them and getting them dirty, our dryer balls also make safe and excellent fetch toys! They are great for both indoor and outdoor play as an alternative use.
- Reduce static further by making sure clothing is not over-dried. Try taking clothes out sooner than you usually do.
I utterly detest static in my clothes and sheets. We live in an extremely arid climate (our % humidity is often in the single digits) and we have a dog who apparently is capable of shedding her entire weight almost daily. While we have eliminated many unnecessary chemicals from our household, I was really reluctant to give up dryer sheets. Tried these *finally* and I am so impressed! Our clothes aren't 100% static free but they are sufficiently low enough in static that it is tolerable. Dog hair on our clothes isn't that much of an issue to begin with but I have not noticed any increase in things sticking to us and no need for a lint roller yet. I find they actually assist in keeping the tumbling effect of the clothes in the dryer going, especially when I only have a couple of things in there. That seems to help things dry faster. I have not noticed any wet wool odor (and I have a very sensitive sense of smell) and no issues with this tickling my allergies, either. Very impressed with these!
So far I am very pleased with this product. I don’t know that it dries things faster I haven’t seen that but as far as making my clothes softer it sure does. I bought some essential oil which gives them a nice scent and does not leave any stains. The best part is I can pick what scent my clothes have with no added chemicals.
My towels and jeans are the softest than they have ever been. I use to have issues with sheets and a jeans twisting up this has stopped some of that. They look nicer when coming out of the dryer. I raise rabbits and get hair on me all the time this ball really gets the hair out of my clothes I do have to use a lint brush from time to time to get the hair off the balls which is no big deal. I was very pleased with the sizes they are very big much bigger than tennis balls. I was very surprised that when I pulled the clothes out the balls were dry and not wet which pleased me. So far I haven’t had any problems with static I use to with bedding and blankets but not now if this changes I will do an update. Another thing that surprised me was how quite they are there is a little noise but not so much I can hear it out side of the laundry room. Some reviews say they can smell the sheep odor I was raised on a farm yes it has been many years ago but I still know what sheep smell like and I did not smell any odor. I also am using essential oil but when opening the package I didn’t notice an odor. To get my clothes smelling good I did have to put more oil than some have said. I guess it depends on how big the drops are mine ended up being pretty big. I saw no lint on dark or light color clothes over time this may change I don’t know. I have waited to post this review until I used them a few times. They are holding together well, I have no issues and love them. I will update if I have any issues in the future.
These little gems are excellent! I wish I'd bought them sooner. They literally cut the drying time of my laundry in half. I use them with absolutely every dryer load and finish my laundry in record time.
For me, this is a time and money-saving, must-have laundry helper.
BOTTOM LINE: Buy it.
I've been looking for ways to cut down on my single use plastics and consumables and I thought this would be a nice addition. I was dubious about how well these would work, it's just some balls in your dryer after all. These however turned out to be great! The biggest surprise is how much they shortened the drying time on my clothing, they also work to soften the clothes and help remove pet hair but the reduced energy usage is a big bonus! I do wonder if they are creating extra wear and tear on my clothing but in the cold months where the dryer is the only option I feel like this is still better. Once you scent them you can't really change your mind so make sure it's something you love, don't just grab the first scented oil you find... like I did, although sandalwood is a surprisingly nice smell for clothes once it's not so strong! They are also fairly quiet, I was worried they would be bouncing around my dryer loudly but even on small loads they only add a small amount of noise. All and all I would absolutely recommend and plan on buying some for my mother.
I used these for several different loads of laundry this weekend. I did not notice a substantial difference in the drying time but I did not use fabric softener and the clothing seemed to be as fluffy as if I had used softener. I did realize how much I love the smell of fabric softener on our clothing when I removed the clothing from the dryer and there was no "clean smell". The clothing was definitely clean but odorless. This would be great for those that want to omit the use of fabric softener due to allergies or for cost savings!
They were well packaged, are definitely sturdy and well made. I will continue to use but may not be able to give up fabric softener completely due to personal preference.
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