Wool Dryer Balls - why I use them and you should too

In my attempt to live a greener, more sustainable and thoughtful life I was given a number of Christmas presents to help me so. One of my favorite "green" gifts was a set of felted dryer balls.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with dryer balls, here’s the just: by allowing the hot air in the dryer to circulate better and get transferred from the balls into your laundry as they beat up your stuff, dryer balls shorten drying time, soften fabric, and reduce static.

There are a lot of mixed reviews and various studies that report findings both for and against the efficiency of dryer balls. From my own experience, however, since using my dryer balls I have noticed a difference in the drying time of my loads and that my sheets and towels come out feeling softer and, more importantly, completely dry.

I live in an old apartment building with an old set of washers and dryers which, I imagine, are not of the highest energy star rating.  Based on the research I've done, it's these types of dryers that are most suited to dryer balls - old ones that get hot but don't necessarily dry your clothes the first time. The newer, more efficient, high tech dryers have already been specially designed to reduce drying time and the amount of energy it takes to dry your clothes so when you add dryer balls you may not notice a huge difference in the time it takes to dry your clothes.

That being said, dryer balls are still a great way to soften and scent your clothes, even if you have a new dryer. The easiest way to do this is by replacing your chemical laden dryer sheets with wool dryer balls lightly sprinkled with essential oils. You'll still get your clothes smelling fresh and feeling soft but you'll also get the added bonus of doing it all naturally.

So regardless of what decade your dryer comes from, there really isn't any excuse not to use dryer balls - they speed up drying time, use less energy, make your clothes smell good and help fluff up your towels and sheets... what's not to love?! Do YOU use dryer balls - wool or otherwise? Let me know in the comments below and tell me how you feel about them!