All About Wool Dryer Balls - Do they really trim the energy bill?

If you have already caught wind of the buzz around wool dryer balls, then you've probably also been skeptical about whether they really work. Heck, you may be wondering what they are, in the first place.

“Do they really help cut down on the energy bill?” “Are they really an alternative to dryer sheets? Do I finally get to give up on all the chemicals ?”

That’s all on the menu of what we're going to take a deeper dive into: what exactly wool dryer sheets? How do they work? Do they work better than tennis balls or plastic dryer balls? How do they reduce drying time, if at all? 

Well, let’s get into it.

What exactly are wool dryer balls, and why should I care?

Wool Dryer Balls - as the name suggests- are basically baseball-sized balls, ideally made from 100 percent organic material, usually wool. 

You can throw them into your dryer along with your clothes to help them dry faster (hence reducing energy consumption), reduce static cling, reduce wrinkles, keep them looking newer for longer and leave them soft and fluffy.

That’s right. Wool dryer balls are making rounds as an organic alternative to the dryer sheets and liquid fabric softener. This is because the majority now consider the latter to be highly toxic and chemical-filled, despite the refreshing, scented, aromatic state in which they leave one's clothes.

Considering the benefits you’re promised - especially a reduced energy bill - one can understand why all the buzz around these balls. 

How exactly do wool dryer balls work?

If you’ve already used tennis balls or plastic dryer balls, then you must be familiar with the general idea of how dryer balls work. Basically, between your clothes, separating them and creating hot pockets this helps them dryer faster.

You may then be wondering, “Why wool dryer balls if I can use plastic ones or tennis balls?” 

Well, one drawback of using tennis and plastic dryer balls is that they’re loud, especially since they tend to bang hard on the sides of your dryer.

Also, in addition to being chemical-free, wool dryer balls are larger and denser than tennis balls and hence soak up more moisture. 

Another edge that wooled balls have over their plastic companions is durability. Although plastic balls do not last long with repeated use, usually splitting in half before long, their woolen counterparts, on the other hand, are very much durable and reusable. 

They usually last a couple of years at least or the equivalent of about 1,000 uses.

Do they really save on the energy bill?

Anything to cut down on the energy bill, right? Dryers are one of the biggest consumers of energy in a home, surpassing most of your appliances, including your washing machine and refrigerator.

And depending on the size of your family, more specifically the male population, you probably appreciate every less minute the drier stays on.

So, do wool dryer balls do the trick? You bet! Although there are different brands of wool dryer balls - a good number being knock-offs - genuine balls do reduce drying time by about 20% to 30%. 

So basically, you could take about ⅓ of the time you usually take to dry your clothes. Many consider that reasonable relief to the energy bill, even more in the long term.

Do they also reduce static cling?

Well, let’s just say this is debatable. Yes, wool dryer balls do indeed reduce static cling big time. How? Static cling is less likely to occur in humid conditions. Now, since wool dryer balls soak up about ⅓ of the water in the dryer, this humidity created greatly reduces or eliminates the possibility of static cling.

However, if you live in an arid or semi-arid area, wool dryer balls are much less effective in reducing static cling. So much as you get to enjoy all those other benefits, you still have to take those other alternative measures to combat static.

How to use wool dryer balls?

As may already imagine, these balls are relatively easy to use. There’s no rocket science about it, and you certainly won’t be needing a manual.

• Just place the balls in the dryer along with your clothing; mix them up a bit. The more balls, the better, especially if you have a big load. Ideally, six balls should do the trick.
• These dryer balls can be used with essential oils to give your clothes that aromatic oomph you’d get from dryer sheets and softener. 
• Just dab a few drops of the oil onto the balls and let it soak in before throwing the balls in. Popular scents to try are lavender and lemon scent. 
• If you’re using the balls them for the first time, set the drying timer to less than usual. You could also just use the moisture-sensitive setting. 
• It may help to avoid dark load for your first. The balls may leave some wool fuzz just that one time.
• The balls will make a gentle thumping sound, much less than with tennis balls or plastic dryer balls. Still, the less the clothes, the louder the noise. 
• If you must soften your clothes, wool dryer balls can help. Although they only seem to do this when used with fabric softener.

So what’s the verdict?

Wool dryer balls indeed live up to all the buzz. They;

• Save you time and money with up to 30% savings on drying time. 
• Reduce static cling unless you live in a near-arid area.
• Make much less noise than tennis and plastic dryer balls. 
• Will last a couple of years before you even consider replacing them. 

So there you have it!

Still, the only way to know for sure if these balls really work is to try them out. However, there's one other drawback of these dryer balls that we may not have mentioned earlier. Your pets and/or toddlers will start to stand guard at your washer with lustful eyes just hoping one of the balls pops out!