One of my favorite and most popular items at Creating with Sticks would have to be my Natural Wool Dryer Balls. These little balls work wonders in your dryer to fluff and soften your clothes without chemicals and reduce your drying time. Each ball is individually hand wound from over 2 ounces of natural wool, they are felted three times and do not contain any dyes or chemicals. The core of the ball is made from a sturdy rug wool and the outer layer, a softer garment wool. My natural wool felted dryer balls are a safe, eco-friendly and budget friendly alternative to traditional dryer sheets. If you choose to have your dryer balls scented, I use only therapeutic grade essential oils, never perfume oils, and they can be re-scented anytime by adding a few drops of your favorite essential oil to each ball.
The wool dryer balls work by absorbing moisture and circulating air
while your clothes tumble in the dryer. When the dryer balls absorb the
moisture, the heat then turns them into little steamers to help reduce
wrinkles. The more dryer balls you use the quicker your clothes will
dry, we recommend 3 to 5 balls per load. As the dryer balls tumble your
clothes they help soften them and reduce static electricity. Best of
all wool dryer balls last for at least two years, but most of the time much longer, making them budget friendly!
*Static may still occur if you over dry your clothing or dry synthetic
fibers. If you are drying synthetic fibers, I suggest taking them out
before they are completely dry and then finish drying the rest of your
load to avoid static cling. I have also learned that putting a safety pin on the inside edge of your polar fleece will reduce static, give it a go.
Why choose wool dryer balls over traditional dryer sheets? When I was growing up, I grew up in two households, one that was loyal to heavily perfumed products, I won't mention brands, and one that used products with less dyes and perfumes. When my clothes were washed and dried in the perfumed products, my skin itched like crazy, my nose would itch and burn and I would get headaches. When my clothes were washed and dried in the more natural products, I didn't have any reactions. Today I still use a detergent that is free of dyes and perfumes, a splash of white vinegar and my trusty dryer balls; my laundry is sparkly clean, odor-free and soft.
Dryer sheets are full of harmful perfumes and chemicals that are embedded in the fabric and released to the skin over time. Our skin does not only expel toxins, but absorbs them as well. While the long-term effects of using dryer sheets themselves have not been studied, the chemicals in them have been. It used to be that the ingredients of dryer sheets were listed on the box, now it simply says: perfumes and catonic softeners. Well, what exactly is in those perfumes and catonic softeners and what are their effects? Here you go: Certain ingredients release formaldehyde, which is known to cause cancer in laboratory tests. Among other softener components are benzyl acetate (linked to
pancreatic cancer), benzyl alcohol (an upper respiratory tract
irritant), and chloroform (a neurotoxin and carcinogen).
Some chemicals are neurostimulants or irritators and may be linked to
central nervous system toxin exposure symptoms like headaches,
disorientation, mood swings, numbness in face or extremities, memory
loss, or irritability.
Most fabric softeners use petroleum-based chemicals which deplete a non-renewable source and are not easily bio-degradable.
I hope this information was helpful. There are many different dryer balls out there and whether you choose mine or others, please look for natural, un-dyed wool and natural essential oils, never perfume oils. If someone offers scents like fresh linen, apple, cherry, chocolate, pumpkin, etc., I would be wary as these are not usually natural compounds or essential oils. There are plenty of lists of true essential oils online to reference.
Sources: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/greener-laundry/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabric_softener
http://www.ehow.com/about_5541944_dangers-cationic-softeners.html
