You Know Those Balls You Put in the Clothes Dryer?

I've used tennis balls for about 20 years, now. I periodically have to replace them as the dog steals them, but hey. Once in the dog's mouth, it's his, and he knows it.

I only use them on things like down comforters and pillows... things that need clumpy feathers broken apart so they can fully dry and loft properly.

They absolutely do work. I went on to using tennis balls instread of the plastic dryer balls after they all cracked though. The plastic can only take so much in the dryer I found.
They do help cut down drying time, I never use dryer sheets or fabric softener but they keep everything soft.
I have a HE washer and dryer with a steam clean cycle. I can put bed pillows in the steam clean cycle then put them in the dryer with the balls and they come out brand new and fluffy.

I use them. I cut my fabric softener sheets in half and use the dryer balls. My clothes come out soft.

I haven't tried them-but if your dryer is not working well-please, check the exhaust-the whole length of the system-and do it before you use it again-it is so dangerous!

um....they're not marketed to reduce ironing or reduce drying time...

but we have and we use - they do eliminate the need for dryer sheets. unlike a poster below - I HATE the scent of dryer sheets - gives me horrible headaches and they smell like chemicals, not whatever it is the marketing says. and dryer sheets cause my kids' eczema to act up.

the only caveat...you can't put both natural and man-made fabrics in together - you'll still get static (at least in super dry colorado). so I hang dry our performance wear stuff cause it dries super quick.

and, I've only used the more expensive ones from bed, bath, and beyond/target - the ones that are about $10 a pair.

I use the ones from norwex. I do not use any type of fabric softner or dryer sheets, so I use those balls instead. I don't know if they really shorten the drying time, but my clothes are soft with out the chemical film from softners. My clothes also do not have static either, so I guess they do work :) I've had them for about 3 years now

I use them, too. I use them mostly in the winter to help with the static.

I don't use any fabric softener, except vinegar here and there, so they do help soften.

Sounds like your $3 impulse buy could save you quite a bit money if you use less or no fabric softener. :)

I don't know that they do much to prevent ironing. My impression is that they are in lew of fabric softener, so your clothes don't dry crunchy and stiff. So chemical free fabric softening. No horror stories.

I put 3 tennis balls in with anything that has down in it. It helps re-fluff the down. Read it on the inside of a down coat I had one time, and been using it on everything down ever since! I also tend to throw them in with my sheets to help keep the sheets from clumping up so bad that they don't dry right. Never bought anything specifically for the dryer, though.

haha! They work if you pull your clothes out of the dryer when they're actually done instead of letting them sit for a day or two like me. :) I've had them for a couple of years, and they do help if you're good about folding/hanging clothes up as soon as they're done. And like another poster below said, they work great if you have a sensitivity to the smell of dryer sheets.

R.!!

SOOO good to see you on here again!!

I tried them - they really didn't make a difference for me. I still had to iron pants, even if I pulled them out when the drier was done. And I use Permanent Press, not high heat...

Although they do make my clothes smell good!! But I love the Purex Crystals and the Downey Unstopables as well!

No thought about it but I like the scent from fabric softner liquid or sheets plus the comfy softness.

I suggest when you go to get a new dryer that you have hubby work on the vent system and make sure it's very very cleaned out. My mom's was completely clogged and her dryer finally would not even turn on for more than a moment. The safety switch would not allow the gas to ignite.

My old dryer just wore out, it was from 1972 so it obviously was a piece of junk too...lol. It worked for such a long time once we put a new air system on the back of it. The one that was fully clogged went through the roof out of the garage. It had lots of room for packing stuff to gather. Over a foot of it was a clog.

I got an electric dryer this last time and I am amazed!!!!!!!!!!!

I have always used gas and I washed heavy jeans the first load out. I popped them in the dryer and put it on high expecting to come back an hour later and them still be damp. 20 minutes later the dryer is off. I yelled at my hubby that something was wrong with this new dryer. The washer was not even done with the next load. The jeans were completely dry....go figure. I had been using gas my whole life and them taking at least an hour for even the lightest load of perma press or dedicates.

I won't ever go back to a gas dryer unless I have no choice.

I've tried them and I think they help a little bit but to be honest I'm not 100% sure. I agree about checking the dryer vent not only for efficiency but safety.

The main issue with ours is I always take them out with the laundry and never put them back in. Silly simple fix I'm sure, just not in the habit and I don't think my husband knew what they where.

They work well as a softener, but only for so long before they crack.