Toss those dryer sheets and make your own DIY Wool Dryer Balls! They’re easier to make than you think… and they’re a great way to save money on laundry!
DIY Wool Dryer Balls
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! Then, make up some homemade laundry powder while you’re at it so you can watch your laundry savings skyrocket!
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…
Related: 50 DIY Homemade Cleaners Recipes That Work! (Surprisingly Easy)
Benefits of Wool Dryer Balls
- Saves Money by Cutting Down Drying Time
- Reusable (save the cost of dryer sheets)
- Soften Clothes
- Reduce Wrinkles
- Fluff up Laundry
- All Natural
- Easy 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
DIY Wool Dryer Ball Instructions
Begin by wrapping yarn around 2 fingers approx. 15 times.
Then slip yarn off fingers, and wrap around the middle 15 times.
Now it’s time to make a ball! Simply just wrap yarn around and around, gradually turning, until you form a baseball sized ball.
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.)
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. 😉 )
Once you have wrapped 4 balls, cut off one leg of panty hose, and slip balls into the panty hose, knotting between each ball.
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.)
Remove balls from panty hose, and they’re ready to use!
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!
Note: If using Essential Oil, as the scent gradually wears off, simply add more drops as necessary.
Wool Dryer Ball Reviews
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. They really reduce drying time, and are a fantastic, eco-friendly solution to save electricity.”
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!”
Dianna writes: “I have used them for a few years now, they really do work better and no nasty chemicals.”
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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On the hunt for more Laundry Money Saving Tips? Check out these simple homemade cleaner tips and tricks…
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Did you know it’s actually ridiculously easy to make your own Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent? You won’t believe how much money you’ll save!
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Make doing laundry extra frugal with this easy Homemade Laundry Detergent Powder Recipe!
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You need to try this DIY Wrinkle Release Recipe that is both fast and frugal!!
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This Homemade Fabric Softener with Vinegar and Hair Conditioner Recipe is about as easy as can be! You won’t believe how much money you’ll save!
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I’ve been using this Homemade Glass Cleaner for years and I love, love, love it! It’s so fast and easy to make, so frugal, and honestly works better than store bought glass cleaner!
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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!
Love using these in the dryer!
So do I, Keira… they’re such a game changer!
This is so neat! I love this idea! Much better than the plastic kind which end up in landfills! Such a helpful idea.
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. 🙂
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
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. 🙂
Do you have to use wool yarn?
Great idea!
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. 🙂
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 🙂
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!
Thank you so much for this post, I look forward to making these!
You’re very welcome, Tiff… have fun making your dryer balls. You’ll love them! 🙂