How To's

DIY Dryer Balls

By editor ⋅ August 18, 2008 ⋅ Email this post ⋅  Print this post ⋅ Post a comment

I love the smell of clothes and sheets that have been hung on a clothesline to dry. But with summer nearly over and a snowy winter to look forward to, I know that I’ll be using my dryer soon enough. Now I’ve found out (at, least, I’m hoping … ) that there’s no need to use laundry softener or dryer sheets - you can soften a load of washing with these homemade Dryer Balls.

If you’ve got a stash of 100% wool, here’s a way to use it - because the secret to these dryer balls is using yarn that will shrink and mat together when you wash and dry it (the same felting process that turned my husband’s hand knit sweater into a toddler-sized sweater when it was accidentally tossed in the washer one day). If you can wind up a ball of yarn, then you can make these dryer balls.

Apparently, there’s a commercial version of these dryer balls, made from PVC plastic, and advertised on TV. I haven’t seen the ads, but Erin Huffstetler, the About.com frugal living guide, has taken them for a test-run. You can read her Dryer Ball review of Dryer Max dryer balls for the pros and cons - according to Huffstetler, they do live up to the hype. However, that experience isn’t always the case, according to these Dryer Max Dryer Ball Comparisons.

Tags: DIY, dryer balls, dryer max, review