Learn how to make your own wool dryer balls with this simple tutorial. All you need is wool yarn and tights or pantyhose. Using wool dryer balls in your dryer has many benefits, including decreased dry time, static-free clothes and by choosing not to use dryer sheets, you are protecting your family from unnecessary chemicals, endocrine disruptors and potential carcinogens!
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It’s funny how once your eyes are opened to the world of conventional cleaning products, personal care products, diapers, wipes etc. there is no turning back. You can’t just ignore what you know is true. Dryer sheets isn’t something you would think would have nasty chemicals lurking, but they do.
The dryer sheet boxes are deceiving. You will see images of clean laundry hanging to dry or flowers in bloom. The truth is that those scents and ingredients are known endocrine disruptors and cause unpleasant side effects internally. And for some reason, the Consumer Safety Commission doesn’t even require manufacturers to list the ingredients and chemicals used in the dryer sheets. What?! I won’t go into the details, but the list of chemicals and carcinogenic hazardous air pollutants being spewed into the air of our homes, neighborhoods and onto our laundry is shocking.
Once I discovered what was in the dryer sheets, I stopped using them and didn’t know of a replacement so I didn’t use one. But after a year or so I really missed my warm towels coming out of the dryer smelling good. And I almost started buying those scented sheets again, but then I discovered wool dryer balls. And I absolutely love adding essential oils to my dryer balls for a lovely scent! You get all the same clothes-fluffing, static-stopping, fresh-smelling laundry and you dodge the carcinogens that are woven into every fiber of conventional dryer sheets.
Win. Win. Win.
And the fact that you can make them yourself is such a bonus for me. I just love anything homemade. And, another bonus is that you can add essential oils to them for a lovely scent and aromatherapy benefits!
In the video below I walk you through step by step how to make your very own wool dryer balls:
How To Make Wool Dryer Balls
- 100% Wool Roving Yarn
- Felting Needle(optional)
- Pantyhose or Tights
- Essential Oils(optional)
Make a V shape with two fingers and begin wrapping the wool yarn around your fingers, once you wrapped 20 times, slide the bundle of yarn off your fingers and begin wrapping in the opposite direction. Continue wrapping until your wool dryer ball is as big as you would like. I got 2 good sized wool dryer balls from each skein of yarn. Tuck the end of the yarn into the ball or use a felting needle to secure it. Place the wool dryer balls into the pantyhose and make a knot in between each ball. Next, wash them on HOT, preferably with towels for 3 cycles. Then dry them on HOT for 2 cycles. Remove them from the pantyhose and voila! You have your very own set of wool dryer balls. Add your choice of essential oils, 3-4 drops per ball and reapply as often as you would like.
Some of my favorite essential oils for the wool dryer balls:
- Purification
- Gentle Baby
- Valor
- Peppermint
- Lavender
- Peppermint and Lavender(heavenly)
I encourage you to toss those dryer sheets and give this a try. I got my skeins of yarn for 50% off so each dryer ball was about $1.25 each and the wool dryer balls last a really long time. You can’t beat that price!
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