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Home » Healthy Living » Essential Oils » DIY Green Cleaning Recipes » DIY Dryer Balls with Essential Oils

DIY Dryer Balls with Essential Oils

Published: Oct 3, 2017 by Wendy Polisi Modified: May 1, 2020 · 622 words. · About 4 minutes to read this article. This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

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Eliminate chemicals, speed up drying time and keep your laundry smelling fresh with these DIY Dryer Balls. Easy to make Wool Dryer Balls with Essential Oils are an effective alternative to harsh chemicals.

We do our best to eat natural and organic, but sometimes keeping a green home feels overwhelming.

With tween boys who love to be outside, keeping our laundry soft and fresh minus the chemicals can be a big challenge.

Great smelling laundry is important to me, but I just can't get there when it comes to using conventional fabric softener and dryer sheets.

Photo of DIY Dryer Balls with Essential Oils

 

 

These days I skip both altogether, in favor of these DIY Dryer Balls.

They are a great natural alternative to fabric softener and dryer sheets. These DIY Dryer Balls with essential oils were so easy to make and can be reused over and over.

How Do the Dryer Balls Work?

  • By creating space between clothing and preventing them from sticking together, DIY Dryer Balls help clothes to dry faster.
  • They soften clothes without synthetic chemicals.
  • When you add essential oils to your dryer balls, they help to keep your laundry smelling fresh.

 

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How Do You Make Wool Dryer Balls?

Here is what you will need!

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Don't have the time to make dryer balls?  Get them from Amazon!

Why Do You Use Wool Dryer Balls

You may be wondering what is the point of dryer balls. Here are the reasons why you should consider using them.

  • Dryer balls offer the same benefits as commercial dryer sheets and fabric softeners, without the toxins.
  • Most dryer sheets coat clothes with chemicals like acetone (also found in nail polish remover) and quaternary ammonium compounds.
  • These toxins are not only harmful to your health, but they can also negatively impact fabrics. Towels and work-out clothing will be more absorbent without a chemical covering.
  • Commercial laundry products may contain xenoestrogens which are endocrine disrupters. These synthetic chemical compounds mimic the hormone estrogen and can lead to estrogen dominance.

How Many Wool Dryer Balls Do You Need?

I have used up to six in a very large dryer. For most sized dryers I recommend using three DIY Dryer Balls.

Print Recipe

DIY Dryer Balls with Essential Oils

Keyword: DIY Dryer Ball
Author: Wendy Polisi

Ingredients

  • 100% Wool Yarn
  • 5 drops Lavender Essential Oil or Sweet Orange

Instructions

  • Wrap the yarn around two fingers 15 times. Pinch the bundle in the center and pull it off of your fingers.
  • Working in the other direction, wrap the yarn around the center of the bundle 15 times.
  • Continue wrapping, alternating directions, until you have a ball the size of a tennis ball. Cut the end of the yarn and tuck the end under several layers of yarn.
  • You may make multiple balls at the same time if you want.
  • Place balls in a sock or old pair of pantyhose. Wash with other laundry on high heat and dry on the hottest setting. You want the balls to felt, to the point you can no longer separate individual
  • strings of yarn. You may need to wash and dry a second time.  Or a third.
  • To use, add 5 drops of essential oil to the ball and toss into the dry with wet laundry.

If You Like These DIY Dryer Balls, You May Also Like:

  • DIY Lavender Laundry Detergent
  • Lemon Dryer Sheets
  • DIY Lavender Fabric Softener Spray
  • Produce Cleaning Spray

 

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About Wendy Polisi

Hi, I’m Wendy! I’m a cook, author, blogger, natural health enthusiast…and most importantly a mom. My boys are 10 & 11 and my late life princess is 3. Firm believers in lifestyle design, our family has been location independent since 2008. Join me to read about our adventures in the kitchen…and out!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Cheryl Bernstein

    April 08, 2017 at 6:05 pm

    Instead of vinegar soaked fabric sheets with essential oil as fabric softener, do you think soaked dryer balls would work equally well? Just wondered as they'd be ready to go if many were already in a jar.

    Reply
    • Wendy Polisi

      April 08, 2017 at 6:14 pm

      I haven’t tried it but I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t work.

      *Wendy Polisi*

      *https://wendypolisi.com *

      Reply
      • Cheryl Bernstein

        April 08, 2017 at 6:23 pm

        I'll make some up and give it a shot! Stay tuned....thanks for the quick reply!

        Reply
        • Wendy Polisi

          April 08, 2017 at 6:34 pm

          Please do let me know how it goes?

          --
          Wendy Polisi

          Reply
  2. travel blogger

    October 10, 2017 at 1:21 am

    This is such a fantastic idea! I would have never thought about it helping the clothes dry faster. We have got to make these for our laundry. They would be perfect, and I love that I can choose my favorite essential oil scents.

    Reply
  3. AnnMarie John

    October 10, 2017 at 1:38 am

    I've never tried making these on my own before. It does make sense and it's better than buying something that's filled with chemicals. I'd love to try this!

    Reply
  4. Maureen

    October 10, 2017 at 1:44 am

    I think I saw this on Pinterest, I am hoping to give it a try. I think it will be a great DIY project for sure and I bet will leave clothes smelling wonderful.

    Reply
  5. Theresa

    October 10, 2017 at 1:53 am

    I love using wool dryer balls in place of softener sheets. I haven't added essential oils to mine yet, but it sounds like a great way to add a little more freshness to a load of laundry.

    Reply
  6. Tonya

    October 10, 2017 at 1:56 am

    This is great! I'd love to make my own dryer balls! I'm in a crafty mood and my essential oils just came in today.

    Reply
  7. Kita Bryant

    October 10, 2017 at 2:29 am

    I love this idea! Just when you the essential oils couldn't get any better!

    Reply
  8. Toni | Boulder Locavore

    October 10, 2017 at 4:06 am

    This is a great hack! I will definitely try this for our laundry!

    Reply
  9. Carol Cassara

    October 10, 2017 at 10:10 am

    Okay, I definitely need this in my life and I cannot wait to give it a try. I love that it also leaves your clothes smelling clean while speeding up the drying process!

    Reply
  10. Dogvills

    October 10, 2017 at 2:52 pm

    As humid as it has been lately, I think having dryer balls in the dryer would help! I will give this a try. I'd choose lavender essential oils to use with it.

    Reply
  11. Kiwi

    October 10, 2017 at 3:40 pm

    I love essential oils! I think this an awesome DIY concept for washing your clothes.

    Reply
  12. Monica

    January 15, 2020 at 4:38 am

    Little late to the party here! Do you add those drops of essential oils every load of laundry? Also, do you find if adding too much oil to the ball runs into the clothing, staining it, ever?

    Reply
    • Wendy Polisi

      January 15, 2020 at 1:31 pm

      I add a few drops most every time - depending on how things are smelling. I have never had an issue with any transferring onto clothes.

      Reply

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Hi, I’m Wendy! I’m a cook, author, blogger, natural health enthusiast…and most importantly a mom. My boys are 10 & 11 and my late life princess is 3. Firm believers in lifestyle design, our family has been location independent since 2008. Join me to read about our adventures in the kitchen…and out! Read More…

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