About Wool Balls VS Dryer Sheets, Wrinkles, static, delay in drying, and clumping are things you want to eliminate after washing your fabric.
You want to feel the softness of freshly dried fabric against your skin. You also want to eliminate odors that might have formed from your previous use of the fabric.
Therefore, wool dryer balls and dryer sheets are excellent choices for your laundry.
Worry no more if you are confused about whether to choose wool balls instead of dryer sheets and vice-versa.
There is enough information here that will help you make the best choice.
Table of Contents
- How Do Dryer Balls Work?
- What Do Dryer Sheets Do?
- Which Kinds of Dryer Sheets or Dryer Balls Should You Choose?
- FAQs
- Conclusion
How Do Dryer Balls Work?
(wool ball)
Dryer balls are circular-shaped objects made from wool, plastic, or rubber to dry your fabric. A wool ball is a kind of dryer ball made from natural wool.
The heat from the wool ball is used to absorb moisture from the clothes so that the clothes can separate. As the clothes separate, warm air flows easily.
The free flow of air speeds up the drying time of the clothes and eliminates wrinkles and clumping.
Pros
Reusable: You don’t have to throw wool balls away after your first use. Wool balls are used multiple times.
Environmentally friendly: Wool balls are made purely from natural materials and are eco-friendly. When you finally dispose of wool balls, they decompose to form organic materials beneficial to the environment.
Reduced drying time: The movement of the wool ball prevents clumping, so air flows to each piece of clothing, making it dry faster.
Soften Clothes: Wool balls are a better choice for softening clothes when compared to dryer sheets. Wool balls do not contain chemicals that can weaken the fabric’s durability.
Budget-friendly: Wool dryer balls are not expensive to purchase. Since dryer balls are reusable, you do not have to keep purchasing new ones anytime you want to do laundry.
They come from natural material; hence wool dryer balls do not contain a chemical harmful to your fabric. Wool dryer balls also help you save money on clothing.
No health risks: There are no health risks involved with the wool ball as it is natural.
Cons
Noisy: A wool ball bounces off the walls of your dryer and gives off loud bangs as a result.
No fragrance: You will need to add essential oils to your wool dryer ball as they do not have any fragrance.
Not suitable for large laundry loads: The wool ball is best suited for small or medium laundry loads. A large load will reduce the softness of the clothes or create wrinkles.
What Do Dryer Sheets Do?
(woman putting dryer sheet into a dryer)
Dryer sheets do the same work as wool balls to separate your laundry so it doesn’t get clumpy. The difference between dryer sheets and wool balls is that dryer sheets contain chemicals and fragrances. The dryer sheet’s advantage over the wool ball is its ability to remove static and add fragrance to your garment.
Pros
Soften fabrics: Dryer sheets soften your fabric better than a wool ball.
Remove static. Dryer sheets are way better at removing static in clothes versus wool balls.
Suitable for any laundry load size. You can use dryer sheets to dry an enormous laundry load compared to a wool ball.
Cost-friendly: The initial cost per load of dryer sheets is low and affordable.
Cons
Health risk. The chemical in the dryer balls causes skin irritation for some persons.
Not eco-friendly. Dryer sheets are coated with softeners, lubricants, and fragrances, making them unfit for recycling.
Disposable. Dryer sheets are disposed of after each use, unlike dryer balls.
Damages to the fabrics: Dryer sheets contain chemicals that weaken the durability of your clothing and even cause wear and tear.
Which Kinds of Dryer Sheets or Dryer Balls Should You Choose?
(fabric softener dryer sheets)
The fragrance type and chemical composition of the dryer sheet depends on the brand that produces it. You can try different dryer sheet brands until you find one suitable.
Dryer balls are either wool or plastic, so that you can choose either. Plastic dryer balls are spiky and good for catching folds in clothing. Wool balls are heavy and move through materials to separate them. Your choice of dryer sheet depends on your preference.
FAQs
How to Make Dryer Sheets
You can make your dryer sheets if you have the right ingredients. You require pieces of fabric, fragrance, and fabric softener.
- Cut your fabrics into square pieces and put them in a container
- Add a measured amount of fabric softener
- Add the fragrance of your choice.
How to Make Scented Wool Dryer Balls
You can make scented wool dryer balls by simply adding your chosen oil to the ball. Add 2-3 drops of the essential oil to the wool ball; it soaks into the wool ball in a few minutes, and voila!
What You’ll Need to Use Natural Dryer Balls
You’ll need to use natural dryer balls because of these reasons:
- They are eco-friendly
- Reduce the drying time of your laundry
- Do not leave wrinkles on your garment.
Conclusion
(dryer ball in dryer)
You know all you need now to make a good choice for your next laundry. For a well-scented, softer feel and reduced friction of your garments, go for dryer sheets.
If you are more concerned about the environment and prefer to go green, the wool ball is your best choice.
A head-to-head of wood ball dryer vs. dryer sheet shows both benefits and disadvantages. You decide on the one whose disadvantages are bearable compared to the positives.