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DIY Wool Dryer Balls! {How to Make Your Own}

September 6, 2016 By Heidi 55 Comments

I may get paid for ads or purchases made through links in this post.

Toss those dryer sheets and make your own DIY Wool Dryer Balls!

DIY Wool Dryer Balls

How to Make Wool Dryer Balls - Tutorial at TheFrugalGirls.com

Looking for another easy Laundry Money Saving Tip?

I absolute LOVE my DIY Wool Dryer Balls!  They’re so simple to make, cut down drying time, and save the cost of dryer sheets in your laundry loads!  They do such a great job of softening your clothes, reducing wrinkles, and fluffing up your laundry.  Plus… I love that they’re all natural, too!  They can also help save money on laundry with shorter drying times!  Woohoo!

Make some for your Laundry room, or you could even give some as a fun Homemade Gift!

Now when it comes to static, I live in Phoenix where it’s very dry and we can get a lot of static.  I find that I mostly get static when things are dried too long at too high of a heat. Now that I use dryer balls in every load, I dry on Low or Medium heat and for a shorter time. After making those changes, I haven’t really had to deal with static at all anymore.

Plus, I was so happy to ditch my dryer sheets completely for a simple natural alternative!  Have you ever seen what types of bizarre things go into dryer sheets?  Yikes!

Did you know you can even make your dryer balls scented, too?  I add drops of Orange Essential Oil to the dryer balls, and they smell A-MAZING!

Are you ready to get started?  Here’s what you’ll need for this Wool Dryer Balls DIY project…

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DIY Wool Dryer Balls

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DIY Wool Dryer Balls from TheFrugalGirls.com

How to Make Laundry Dryer Balls from Wool Yarn

Laundry Dryer Balls How to Make

Supplies Needed to Make Wool Dryer Balls:

  • 1 large Skein 100% Natural Fisherman’s Wool Yarn {465 yards}
  • 1 pair Panty Hose
  • Optional: Crochet Hook
  • Optional: Essential Oils for Scent

Fishermen’s Wool

Essential Oils

DIY Wool Dryer Ball Instructions:

  1. Begin by wrapping yarn around 2 fingers approx. 15 times.
  2. Then slip yarn off fingers, and wrap around the middle 15 times.
  3. Now it’s time to make a ball!  Simply just wrap yarn around and around, gradually turning, until you form a baseball sized ball.
  4. When you’ve finished your ball, snugly tuck in the end of the yarn under several other pieces, so it’s no longer visible.  {you can use your fingers or a crochet hook}
  5. Repeat process until you have 4 balls.  {now is a good time to turn on a Fun Movie so you have something fun to do while rolling, or work on these during a Road Trip… if you’re in the passenger seat. 😉 }
  6. Once you have wrapped 4 balls, cut off one leg of panty hose, and slip balls into the panty hose, knotting between each ball.
  7. Wash in your laundry machine on the hottest setting, then dry in your dryer on the hottest setting, then repeat this process 3 more times.  This will ‘felt’ the wool balls.  You can toss them in with your loads of towels as you’re completing this step. {they’ll shrink down and become solid during this process}.
  8. Remove balls from panty hose, and they’re ready to use!
  9. Optional: After your Wool Dryer Balls have been felted, add 4 drops of your favorite Essential Oil scent to each ball, and they’re ready to use!  I like to use Orange Essential Oil.  Then, every 5 loads or so, I reapply 4 drops to each dryer ball to keep the scent fresh.

How to Use Your Dryer Balls:

  • Simply toss all 4 balls into each dryer load with wet clothing.  They’ll help fluff up your clothes AND cut down on drying time!  If using Essential Oil, as the scent gradually wears off, simply add more drops as necessary.

What Your Frugal Friends Are Saying About Wool Dryer Balls…

Penny writes: “I’ve used these for years in my dryer instead of dryer sheets and love them.”

Diana writes: “They work! I put a few drops of essential oils on them and my laundry smells so fresh!”

Becca writes: “I love using laundry balls. They’re so eco-friendly and save money! I like to put essential oils on mine.”

Debbie writes: “I had issues with static in my clothes and read putting safety pins in them takes it away so I gave it a try! Happy to say, it worked!”

Patti writes: “They truly do work.  I am doing my best to keep chemicals out of my laundry, especially eliminating dryer sheets. The yarn and some essential oils do the same work that the dryer sheets do, but without the harmful chemicals.”

Stephanie writes: “I’ve been using wool dryer balls for years, I’ll never go back to traditional dryer sheets!”

Now… don’t worry ~ if you don’t want to make your own Wool Dryer Balls, you can buy Wool Dryer Balls, too!

For some strange reason I just kind of find it therapeutic to roll yarn… but the pre-made Wool Dryer Balls work great, too!

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So have you tried making these DIY Wool Dryer Balls?  Or do you have another fun Laundry Tip?

Leave a comment & share!

Dryer Balls Laundry
Wool Dryer Balls How to Make

Filed Under: DIY, Homemade Cleaners, Most Popular, Most Popular 1, Most Popular 2, Outreach

Comments

  1. Keira says

    November 8, 2022 at 7:36 pm

    Love using these in the dryer!

    Reply
    • Heidi says

      November 9, 2022 at 11:02 am

      So do I, Keira… they’re such a game changer!

      Reply
  2. Christie says

    January 4, 2021 at 1:42 pm

    This is so neat! I love this idea! Much better than the plastic kind which end up in landfills! Such a helpful idea.

    Reply
    • Heidi says

      January 4, 2021 at 1:58 pm

      I’m so glad you liked the tip, Christie! I’ve been using these almost every day for over 4 years now and still just LOVE them! I like how you can add essential oils for a little scent, too. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Hasin says

    September 9, 2020 at 2:06 pm

    Heidi

    You are such a star, I love reading your diy posts, they are so helpful and practical plus money saving! I’m off to get some wool to make these balls with my daughters as I don’t use any fabric conditioners due to the allergies. I love how you infuse them with orange oil and the others. Lavender will be the pick! Thanks

    Reply
    • Heidi says

      September 21, 2020 at 2:14 pm

      Aww… thank you, Hasin! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the DIY tips and tricks! Lavender would be such a lovely scent on these dryer balls, too! Have fun making yours with your daughters. 🙂

      Reply
  4. Liss says

    March 2, 2020 at 8:13 am

    Do you have to use wool yarn?
    Great idea!

    Reply
    • Heidi says

      March 2, 2020 at 9:53 am

      Hi Liss… yes, the wool will help to naturally wick moisture away from your clothing as it dries, which will also help to reduce the drying time. 🙂

      Reply
  5. Jes says

    January 26, 2020 at 9:49 pm

    Sorry if this seems silly to ask, but do we wash the wool balls again after a certain period of time; Or just the first four and never again after that? Im really excited to make my own. Thank you kindly from Indiana 🙂

    Reply
    • Heidi says

      January 28, 2020 at 9:37 am

      Hi Jes ~ that’s not a silly question at all. You’ll just wash them those first times and that’s it. Mine just live in my dryer and stay there in between laundry loads. I take them out when adding essential oils to freshen them up again, then toss them back in the dryer. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  6. Tiff Setzler says

    January 24, 2020 at 11:06 am

    Thank you so much for this post, I look forward to making these!

    Reply
    • Heidi says

      January 24, 2020 at 11:37 am

      You’re very welcome, Tiff… have fun making your dryer balls. You’ll love them! 🙂

      Reply
  7. Janelle Cluff says

    November 12, 2019 at 10:31 pm

    I have some old, blue wool yarn I found at Goodwill for $0.50. Does it need to be the natural/white color? I’m kind of afraid of the dye leeching out.

    Reply
    • Heidi says

      January 8, 2020 at 3:16 pm

      Hi Janelle ~ I prefer using the lighter tones for that same reason. It is always a possibility that some of the dye might transfer if the yarn isn’t colorfast. It shouldn’t be a problem once the balls are completed and felted, but if you’re concerned… I would probably just stick with the light or natural tones.

      Reply
  8. RM says

    March 25, 2019 at 6:31 pm

    Hello! I’m finally ready to try making my own! Do I have to use panty hose when I wash, or can I tuck them into a bra/lingerie bag?

    Reply
  9. Barb says

    March 17, 2019 at 5:51 am

    These sound great. I have a lot of acrylic yarn. Do you think I could use that for the middle and then wrap the outside with wool yarn?

    Reply
    • Heidi says

      March 22, 2019 at 1:40 pm

      Hi Barb ~ I honestly have never tried that. If you make some like that and get it to work, let us know!

      Reply
  10. Cheryl Kohan says

    February 12, 2019 at 3:07 pm

    I’ve got wool yarn that I’ve never used so I’m for sure going to try this! I think they’d make great little gifts, too.

    Reply
    • Heidi says

      February 12, 2019 at 3:25 pm

      Hi Cheryl ~ that sounds like a great idea! I’m sure people would love to receive these as gifts!

      Reply
  11. Gina McIntyre says

    January 22, 2018 at 9:41 am

    Hi! Could you share the oils that you have used for your dryer balls? I know about lavender & patchouli & purify. Would like some other options! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Heidi says

      February 12, 2019 at 3:23 pm

      Hi Gina ~ My favorite oil to use on my dryer balls is the Now Solutions Orange Essential Oil, which you can find here: https://amzn.to/2TGy9pf

      I start by adding 4 drops to each dryer ball, the every 5 loads or so, I reapply 4 drops to each all to keep the scent fresh.

      Hope that helps! 🙂

      Reply
  12. Renee says

    October 4, 2017 at 12:30 pm

    I made wool balls once before and most of them unraveled. I did not felt them then. Could that be why?

    Reply
    • Heidi says

      October 7, 2017 at 4:21 pm

      Hi Renee ~ yes… the felting process is a critical step you’ll need to do when making your wool dryer balls. The felting process causes the fibers to connect together as one, and will prevent them from unraveling. Hope that helps!

      Reply
      • Anita says

        July 8, 2018 at 4:26 am

        I have made these in the past using an old 100% wool sweater. I rolled the yarn as described here and boiled the woolen balls on the stove. Then I put them in the dryer with a load of towels. They have been working great for about 5 years. I love them! I usually refresh the essential oil (I use lavender and lemon) with 5 or 6 drops per ball about every 10th load of laundry.
        Thanks for your great posts! I use many of your ideas every day!

        Reply
  13. Carri says

    August 29, 2017 at 8:58 am

    When you wash them, do you use detergent? That may be a silly question but I wasn’t sure.

    Reply
    • Heidi says

      August 29, 2017 at 10:20 am

      Hi Carri ~ not a silly question at all! When you first wash them in the pantyhose for the felting process no detergent is needed, you’ll wash just in water. Hope that helps! 🙂

      Reply
  14. Jean says

    January 22, 2017 at 9:54 pm

    Hi !! I would love to use them however I’m allergic to wool. My question is, because they become felted. Do you think it would still affect me? Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Andrea says

      January 23, 2017 at 8:11 am

      Hi Jean. I worked in the wool industry for many years. You are likely not allergic to wool, but sensitive the coarse wool fibers. Most coats or mid priced wool garments use a coarse wool than the very high priced suit coats and sweaters. The reason wool felts is because of the design of the natural fibers. They have serrated scales on them that ‘lock’ together when washed in hot water. Using a felted ball in the dryer should not affect you. If you would like to learn more and see a microscopic wool fiber, check out this link! Have a wondeful day!
      https://oecotextiles.wordpress.com/tag/wool/

      Reply
  15. Sarah says

    January 8, 2017 at 12:58 pm

    Is “Roving” wool yarn ok to use? It states 100% pure new wool.

    Reply
  16. Andrea says

    December 9, 2016 at 1:09 pm

    A money saving and washing machine saving tip for my household… I have a front load washer and for the first 6 months I just hated it because if I wasn’t around to get the laundry right out, it smelled mildewed. My sister in law finally suggested putting vinegar in the bleach tray every now and then. I did that and that helped with the smell of the clothes and the washer. Then I found online that vinegar is a great natural fabric softener and refresher. I use it now almost every load with a drop of essential oil- doTERRA purify is my favorite! I’m looking forward to making these dryer balls though, and using the oil in the dryer! Thanks.

    Reply
    • Heidi says

      December 9, 2016 at 1:26 pm

      That’s a great tip, Andrea! Thanks so much for sharing!

      Reply
  17. Vanette says

    October 14, 2016 at 12:03 pm

    Hello! I’m excited about making these for Christmas gifts! Will they felt ok in a front load washer?

    Reply
    • Heidi says

      October 14, 2016 at 1:21 pm

      Hi Vanette ~ how fun… these would make great Christmas gifts! Yes… they’ll felt just fine when washing in a front loader. 🙂

      Reply
  18. Julie T. says

    October 1, 2016 at 5:45 am

    Does it need to be a full-on wash cycle? Can I put it in the shortest cycle (20 minutes in my Bosch front load washer)? Or, can I soak them in hot water in the sink and then use the spin cycle in my washer?

    One other question. I presume that because they are felted, there is no pilling or lint on my other clothes, is that right?

    Thanks for the post!
    Julie

    Reply
    • Heidi says

      October 7, 2016 at 6:59 pm

      Hi Julie,

      Correct… once it is felted there should be no lint on your other clothes. I’ve never had any problems with that. For the washing process, I just washed on the full hot cycle. Have fun making your dryer balls!

      Reply
  19. Carmen says

    September 25, 2016 at 4:23 pm

    One more question. Do you wash four times, then dry four times, or do you wash/dry then wash/dry three more times?

    Reply
    • Heidi says

      October 7, 2016 at 6:40 pm

      Hi Carmen ~ you’ll wash in your laundry machine on the hottest setting, then dry in your dryer on the hottest setting, then repeat this process 3 more times. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  20. Amy says

    September 25, 2016 at 2:45 pm

    2 questions – You use these instead of fabric softener? How long does 1 ball last? Thank you.

    Reply
    • Heidi says

      October 6, 2016 at 3:24 pm

      Hi Amy ~ yes… you can skip the fabric softener when using dryer balls. The balls can last for several years, too. 🙂

      Reply
  21. momof2 says

    September 11, 2016 at 8:12 am

    Do you take the panty hose off after you wash them the four times? Or does it stay on? Thanks for the clarification! And hi from Flagstaff!

    Reply
    • Heidi says

      September 11, 2016 at 10:11 am

      Hi there Momof2 from Flagstaff!

      I apologize for not making that more clear… yes ~ after washing, you’ll remove the dryer balls from the panty hose, discard the panty hose, and the dryer balls will be ready to use!

      PS ~ Flagstaff is one of my absolute favorite areas to go hiking around in the woods! I think we went up there at least 5 times this summer. SO beautiful! 🙂

      Reply
  22. Amber says

    September 6, 2016 at 6:05 pm

    I love mine!

    Reply
    • Heidi says

      September 6, 2016 at 6:26 pm

      I LOVE them, too… I’m totally hooked!

      Reply
  23. Teresa says

    September 6, 2016 at 1:17 pm

    How much did it cost you to make these?

    Reply
    • Heidi says

      September 6, 2016 at 1:33 pm

      Hi Teresa ~ they can be made for as low as the price of one skein of yarn. So it cost me about $8.00 to make four. Or you can also buy pre-made ones here: http://amzn.to/2c5jYEw Hope that helps!

      Reply
  24. KellyRae says

    September 6, 2016 at 11:14 am

    How do the felted wool dryer balls affect static for the dryer loads? Will that still be a problem?

    Reply
    • Heidi says

      September 6, 2016 at 11:26 am

      Hi KellyRae ~ I live in Phoenix where it’s very dry and we can get a lot of static. I find that I mostly get static when things are dried too long at too high of a heat. Now that I use the dryer balls in every load, I dry on medium heat and for a shorter time. After making those changes, I haven’t really had to deal with static anymore. It’s also saving money with shorter drying times. Hope that helps! 🙂

      Reply
      • KellyRae says

        September 6, 2016 at 11:54 am

        Howdy neighbor! I live about 60 miles south of Phoenix 🙂 Static has been such a problem that I already dry on medium and pull the clothing out while still slightly damp so I was hoping the DIY felted wool balls would eliminate. Sounds like I’ll just have to try it.

        Reply
        • Heidi says

          September 6, 2016 at 11:58 am

          Yay for neighbors! 🙂 Yes… just give it a try. You could always add 1/2 of a dryer sheet in as well if you still need to. You can check out my tip for cutting back on dryer sheets here:

          https://thefrugalgirls.com/2010/01/save-money-on-laundry-cut-dryer-sheets-in-half.html

          Reply
          • KellyRae says

            September 6, 2016 at 12:26 pm

            Great tip, thanks Heidi! I’ve been using 1/2 sheets so I’ll try the DIY wool ball first without any dryer sheet and then maybe a 1/4 sheet.

            Reply
    • Vickie says

      January 2, 2018 at 3:35 pm

      I recently switched to dryer balls and I love them. I have always had a problem with static but since using these ball I haven’t had any. Can’t wait to make my own.

      Reply
  25. donna says

    September 6, 2016 at 10:36 am

    I’ve used dryer balls for years & love them. No gunky fabric softeners in my washer. They work great. Thanks for the tips.

    Reply
    • Heidi says

      September 6, 2016 at 10:45 am

      Aren’t they the best, Donna? I’m completely hooked on mine now, and can’t believe I didn’t try them sooner! 😉

      Reply
  26. Carmen says

    September 6, 2016 at 10:14 am

    What’s the optional crochet hook for?

    Reply
    • Heidi says

      September 6, 2016 at 10:22 am

      Hi Carmen,

      Oops… thanks for catching that! When you’ve finished your ball, you can either use your fingers or a crochet hook to snugly tuck in the end of the yarn under several other pieces, so it’s no longer visible. Hope that helps! 😉

      Reply

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Hey there... it's so nice to meet you! I'm Heidi: a Frugal Girl living in sunny Arizona! I love sharing Easy Recipes, DIY Decor, Style & Beauty Hacks, Gardening Tips, Travel Hacks, and Creative Ways to Live the Sweet Life on a Budget. I'm so glad you're here!
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