If you’ve ever shopped for laundry products, there’s a good chance you’ve come across dryer balls before. They’re typically seen as an eco-friendly alternative to dryer sheets and chemical fabric softeners because they result in cost savings and reduced waste — but do they actually work?
What are dryer balls?
Dryer balls are laundry drying aids that are placed in the drum of the dryer to reduce drying time, soften clothing, eliminate static cling and help with wrinkle reduction. “They are often used as an unscented, natural alternative to dryer sheets, as they provide similar benefits like reducing static and wrinkles,” says Morgan LaLonde, a brand manager at Whirlpool Laundry. “Many people with sensitive skin or allergies prefer to use dryer balls since they are unscented and oftentimes made with natural materials.”
There are different types of dryer balls, though wool and plastic are the most common. “[Wool] absorbs moisture from wet fabrics, which helps reduce drying time,” LaLonde says.
Made of 100% wool, these 3-inch dryer balls will absorb water during the drying process, creating humidity that helps reduce static cling. We appreciate that this set is so affordable — the dryer balls come out to just $2 apiece when you buy the pack of six.
“Plastic or rubber dryer balls provide a more durable option compared to wool dryer balls, which may shed or pill over time,” LaLonde says. “You may see spikes or texture on plastic dryer balls, which are used as another way to help break up clothes during the drying cycle.”
How do dryer balls work?
They prevent clumping
Dryer balls create movement in the drum of the dryer, which offers several benefits when drying clothes and household linens like sheets and towels. “Dryer balls can help prevent clumping and aid fluffing in the dryer,” says Jessica Ek, the senior director of digital communications at the American Cleaning Institute. “Fluffing allows for better airflow, which can lead to more even drying. This is especially helpful when washing bulky items.”
Dryer balls are usually seen as more environmentally friendly than dryer sheets, and James Joun, a laundry expert and a co-founder of Rinse, confirms that’s true. He also points out that, in addition to reducing the waste associated with dryer sheets, reusable dryer balls are more cost-effective because they can be used for approximately 1,000 loads of laundry before they need to be replaced. (Pro tip: If you’re in a pinch, you can even use clean tennis balls or insert a kids sneaker into a clean sock as an alternative to dryer balls.)
In general, you can use anywhere from two to four dryer balls per load. You may want to use more — four to six — when drying heavy or bulky items (like comforters or pillows) to increase airflow and help to redistribute the stuffing evenly as they dry.
“Drying comes down to exposing as much surface area to clothing to the heat source,” Joun adds. “If clothes are clumped together, warm air has difficulty penetrating all sides of a garment, which can result in uneven drying. As dryer balls move during the drying process, they are constantly helping separate items, which exposes more fibers to the circulating warm air.”
They reduce static cling and wrinkles
In addition to speeding up drying time and helping to redistribute stuffing in bulky items like bedding and winter coats, dryer balls can also reduce static cling and wrinkles.
“Because of the static charges, clothes can ‘stick together’ during the drying process,” Joun says. “As water dissipates during drying, these items can form creases and wrinkles. Dryer balls can prevent the buildup of static electricity by dissipating charges, which can prevent sticking.”
Joun also says that wool dryer balls perform better than their plastic counterparts at reducing static cling. “The water that wool dryer balls absorb is not immediately dissipated; the dryer heat will gradually disperse water from the wool fibers, which can increase the humidity of the dryer load. This humidity helps with reducing static cling by acting as a lubricant for clothes to move about.”
And even though dryer balls can help prevent wrinkles, Ek says, “The best way to reduce wrinkles is to remove your clothes promptly from the dryer, whether there are dryer balls in with the laundry or not.”
They soften clothes with friction, not chemicals
It’s important to note that dryer balls soften your clothes differently than chemical fabric softeners. “Most dryer sheets and fabric softeners contain chemical surfactants,” Joun says. Whereas dryer balls, Ek explains, “soften the fibers in your clothes through repeated friction while tumbling.”
While dryer balls may not leave your laundry as soft as dryer sheets or liquid fabric softeners, they are a safer and gentler alternative — not a direct replacement, Ek notes — to those products. “The chemical surfactants [in dryer sheets and fabric softeners] can make certain clothes more flammable,” Joun says. “Some surfactants may irritate the skin.”
More of our favorite dryer balls
Brooklinen, one of our favorite bedding brands, also has a line of laundry products that includes a set of reusable wool dryer balls, making it easy to add on when you buy a new set of sheets. They make a nice practical gift for anyone looking to improve their laundry game.
If you or anyone in your home is allergic to wool, then plastic dryer balls are the best choice. They’re also more durable and last longer than traditional wool dryer balls. This set comes with six, which will come in handy when laundering anything heavy or bulky — you’ll want to use extra dryer balls with these items to increase airflow and reduce drying time.
Interested in switching to dryer balls but don't want to lose the fragrance that dryer sheets and liquid fabric softeners impart? You can add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to wool dryer balls for a natural scent. This set from Grove Co. comes with a bottle of lavender essential oil, but other oils, like eucalyptus, are available.
Dryer balls don't have to be boring! This set of six designed to look like penguins will bring a smile to your laundry day routine. You’ll also find sloths, ladybugs and sheep from the brand.