Tuesday, September 10, 2013

The Ahh-Mazing Powers of Natural Dryer Balls!

Natural Dryer Balls
I have to admit it, I love dryer balls!  There are so many reasons that I love them, but the #1 reason is that they leave my laundry smelling Ahhh-Mazing!!  Oh, and there are a lot of ‘green’ reasons to love them too: they minimize drying time, they don’t emit harmful toxins like dryer sheets, and they are reusable. 

Like my laundry wash, I love to try out new scents with our dryer balls, this month I am using our new scent: Sandalwood Rose.  It is such a clean, fresh and light scent and it is so yummy on our sheets!  We have just finished testing on our new dryer ball rescenting kits, and you can now scent your dryer balls at home each month to keep them smelling yummy too!

I am often asked, “How long do dryer balls last?” We have 6 that we use each time we use our dryer.  I have had them all for over two years, and there are still no signs of them ‘wearing out’.  I do rescent them often, but that is mostly because I love to have yummy scents on our laundry! 

Dryer balls work by breaking up the clumps of wet clothes, which allows them to dry more quickly.  This is especially great when you are drying heavy loads like towels, work pants or bedding!  I have found that when I am drying our bedding I have to go in and shake them out of the blankets about half way through the drying cycle to make sure that they don’t get stuck in there!  I have noticed that we are able to dry even a big heavy load in about 45 minutes instead of the hour it was taking before.  And less time in the dryer equals more money in your pocket!! 

I am also asked, “are dryer sheets really TOXIC?” and the answer is YES!!  They really are!!  There are a lot of resources out there that can give you more information on the subject – but for a quick overview…there are at least SEVEN toxic substances in dryer sheets that can affect the central nervous system.  They include: Alpha-Terpineol, Benzyl Alcohol, Camphor, Chloroform, Ethyl Acetate, Linalool and Pentane!  For more information on what these can do to your body we recommend reading The Brain Wash by Michelle Schoffro Cook {it can be found on Amazon}. 

There is no magical number for how many dryer balls to have, but I suggest at least 4 per load to really start to see an impact on the time the load takes to dry.  But if you want them just for the scenting joy, you can start with just one! 

Ready to add some dryer balls to your laundry routine?  Check out the beautiful ones we have to offer from Shelly Rose Designs! 
http://www.ahappygreenlife.com/dryerballs.html

Have A Happy Green Day!
Kristin Ward
Owner, A Happy Green Life