Hikin' Mama Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=wool%20dryer%20balls&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Awool%20dryer%20balls&tag=simporgalivi-20&url=search-alias%3Daps&linkId=QLYXP5NNMEZ3TSCS Do they replace dryer sheets? Would pieces of wool fabric work just as well, or is the ball shape necessary for effectiveness? TIA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 You can get yarn and make a ball then wash it in hot water so it felts or felt up fabric into a ball. I think it needs to be a ball or a solid shape of some sort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 I bought these https://www.etsy.com/listing/58822103/natural-wool-dryer-balls-set-of-three?ref=shop_home_feat_1 and really like them. I have 6 of them. They do NOT help with static cling very much, if at all. They do seem to reduce drying time and the clothes come out nice and soft. I think the ball shape is important as they tumble around and help the air move more around in the dryer. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaKim Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 I got me some of those first ones on the Amazon link. Like a pp said, they don't help with static at all, but I definitely am noticing shorter drying times! Very pleased with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azucena Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 Yes, we use and like them as well. They are good for fabric softening, but not for static. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 agree with everyone else - I like them for softening clothes and shortening drying times, but not for static. Anne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zimom Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 Yes. I LOVE mine! My dryer is TERRIBLE. The dryer vent is waaaaaaaay too long which means it takes many, many cycles for my clothes to dry :( Finally, my clothes are now drying in half the time. YES!!! As long as I don't over dry (impossible in my dryer) they have helped with static too. We only have one specific pool towel that has static now. I have six large ones in my large LG dryer. I'm even debating adding a few more. http://www.amazon.com/Smart-Sheep-Reusable-All-Natural-Softener/dp/B00GA9P5P0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425507076&sr=8-1&keywords=wool+dryer+balls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hikin' Mama Posted March 5, 2015 Author Share Posted March 5, 2015 Thanks for the input. I would like to get rid of dryer sheets, but I really need something to help with static. I will have to keep searching. However, maybe I should get some for my son and dil, as their dryer is SUPER slow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 There's patterns for making them on Ravelery if you want to give them a go for a lot cheaper than buying and happen to knit. :) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiara.I Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 If your dryer is slow, you have thoroughly cleaned out all lint buildup, right? RIGHT????? Please, please, please, make sure that it is thoroughly cleaned. It's a serious fire hazard, and one of the first symptoms is increased drying time. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaKim Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 I've heard aluminum foil balls work well for softening and static, tho I doubt it would shorten drying time. That just reminded me! I saw somewhere that you can put a safety pin through something (one of the balls, a piece of clothing) in your dryer and that is supposed to help with static. I have tried the foil balls before, but wasn't really impressed. I doubt the pin is going to do much either, but worth a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLMom Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 I make my own. Super easy. I buy an old wool sweater for the inside of the ball because if you make them with just carded wool, they are expensive to make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zimom Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 If your dryer is slow, you have thoroughly cleaned out all lint buildup, right? RIGHT????? Please, please, please, make sure that it is thoroughly cleaned. It's a serious fire hazard, and one of the first symptoms is increased drying time. I'm guessing this is directed at me. Yes. Don't worry, I don't have increased dryer time, it has been this bad since the day we built the house, purchased the dryer and moved in :(. The dryer vent is easily 20 feet which is a huge no no. I don't know why they chose to run it under that floor and out the side of the house. We are looking at having the vent rerun straight out the closest wall, 1 foot, when we get the funds. About a month ago I took the whole dryer apart, including the drum, to replace a back roller. Obviously I could not clean out the 20+ feet of venting but the rest of the dryer was cleaned thoroughly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiara.I Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 I'm guessing this is directed at me. Yes. Don't worry, I don't have increased dryer time, it has been this bad since the day we built the house, purchased the dryer and moved in :(. The dryer vent is easily 20 feet which is a huge no no. I don't know why they chose to run it under that floor and out the side of the house. We are looking at having the vent rerun straight out the closest wall, 1 foot, when we get the funds. About a month ago I took the whole dryer apart, including the drum, to replace a back roller. Obviously I could not clean out the 20+ feet of venting but the rest of the dryer was cleaned thoroughly. And at Hikin' Mama's son and DIL. I'm glad you cleaned out your dryer thoroughly. I'd encourage you to have the venting professionally cleaned if you can't get it yourself (I know I don't have the tools! But a duct cleaning company probably could.) It's one of those, "I know people who...." things, you know? I worked in the insurance industry and there was a VERY large claim (multiple millions of dollars) from a factory which burned badly due to lint in their dryers. Yeah. Fortunately it was "just" a business and not a home, and nobody was injured as far as I know. But dryer lint buildup is serious stuff. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 If your dryer is slow, you have thoroughly cleaned out all lint buildup, right? RIGHT????? Please, please, please, make sure that it is thoroughly cleaned. It's a serious fire hazard, and one of the first symptoms is increased drying time. Thanks for this warning. We had checked ours and thought it was fine. Today dh ran a new run that is much shorter and direct and he found that our old vent was about 80% plugged further down the line that we couldn't see. We are hoping this reduces our drying time but quite a bit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wendyroo Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 We also have a very long drier vent run, and we have had great luck with this vent cleaning kit. You hook the rods up to a hand drill and slowly feed them into the vent to clean it out. It works wonderfully. Our vent is long enough that we first unhook the drier from the vent and feed the rods into the vent from that end (it goes around the bends in the vent just fine). Once we have all 12' inserted that direction, then we pull them out and repeat the process from the exterior end of the vent. Each time we clean the vent we remove a lot of trapped lint and we improve drying times significantly. Wendy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 I've heard aluminum foil balls work well for softening and static, tho I doubt it would shorten drying time. I have a newer LG dryer, using dryer sheets will void the warranty, apparently it messes with the electronics. I'm not sure if aluminum foil could potentially cause similar problems but I would use caution and possibly check with the manufacturer first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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