Wool Dryer Balls

I love good smelling, freshly washed and folded laundry.  Dryer sheets have a few downsides that I would like to avoid.

1. Constant use can lead to film building up on the lint screen, which can lead to a fire.  The odds are small, but still, it's a concern.  The film also reduces the dryer's efficiency.  Simply cleaning the lint screen with a soap and water removes the film, but I am of the mind it is better to prevent a mess than clean one up.

2. My son is allergic to most of the perfumes, chemicals, etc in stuff like dryer sheets.

3. They cost money.

4. They create trash that accumulates in my laundry area.

5. The fake scents are nice, but I really prefer more pure smells that have therapeutic benefits.

Keeping all of the above in mind, I was intrigued by the idea of wool dryer balls.  They are basically balls of wood yarn that you use in the dryer in place of dryer sheets.  You make them once and they last forever.  A couple of drops of your favorite essential oil will scent several loads of laundry.  They reduce static, soften your clothes, and reduce drying time.

I live in Hawaii, and apparently there isn't much of a market for 100% wool yarn in this climate.  So, I had my mother in Arizona send me some.  (I'm not sure how Arizona is more conducive to wool use than Hawaii, but nonetheless, she had no trouble finding some.) 

It's important to use 100% wool, the kind that says on the label, "DO NOT WASH".  If you have ever washed wool, you know what happens.  It shrinks, and it felts, meaning all the fibers sort of fray and then stick to each other.  If you use any soft of washable yarn, acrylic, cotton, a blend, this will not happen and your yarn ball will come undone in the laundry.

They are super easy to make.

1. Take a skein of 100% wool, non-washable, yarn and roll it into a ball about the size of a tennis ball.  Roll it tight.

2. Use a darning needle or a crochet hook to weave the loose end into the ball of yarn.  Wind it around in there good and make sure there is no tail of loose yarn sticking out of the ball.  You don't want these to unwind.

3. Take an old pair of pantyhose or tights and cut off one leg.  Put the balls of yard into the leg, tying it off between each ball.

4. Wash the yarn balls in the pantyhose leg in with your next load of laundry.  The hotter the better.

5. Dry them with the load.  Again, the hotter the better.

6. Repeat 4 & 5 a couple of times to make sure it gets good and felted.

7. Cut the yarn balls free from the pantyhose.

8. Put a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil on each ball.

9. Toss in the dryer and leave them there for use with each load.

10. Reapply a few drops of your favorite essential oil as the smell dissipates.

I am happy to answer any questions you have about which oils to use for this project or any other usage.  Email me at mylifewithclarity@gmail.com