This is likely to be 2 to 5 years of use, depending on how often you use them. While you can recharge wool balls by washing them, when your wool dryer balls wear out, you’ll need to replace them. With most dryer balls—and these in particular—you don't want to send them through your washing machine, since the regular cycles can damage the wool. As long as you avoid making that mistake, they should last you for years to come.

Dryer Balls - British Wool

Many scented dryer balls lose their fragrance over time. That can be a bummer—after all, you invested in a set of scented dryer balls, not a set of unscented ones. Thankfully, Woolzies found a clever way around this common problem. The brand’s Organic Wool Dryer Balls set ships with three wool dryer balls and an essential oil bottle, which you can use to perfume your dryer balls to your heart’s content.As I have shown above, wool dryer balls are more eco-friendly than plastic as they are a natural product that will easily biodegrade once you have finished with them. Many wool dryer ball manufacturers also try to support and provide fairly paid work to women and minority communities. If you live in a small space then any extra noise coming from your dryer is going to get on your nerves. Plastic dryer balls are definitely much noisier than wool dryer balls so this could be an important point of difference when making your choice. Plastic dryer balls are made from plastic which is a man-made substance created from petroleum and natural gas. This means that they are created from a non-renewable resource. Plastic can take hundreds of years to break down and even then there are problems with microplastics getting into the oceans and food chain.

The 10 Best Wool Dryer Balls of 2023 - The Spruce

In the wild, sheep do not require shearing as they grow just enough wool to regulate their temperature. But modern farmed sheep are bred to overproduce wool which can result in discomfort, overheating, and even maggots laying eggs under the wool which can then eat the sheep alive. Winner: Plastic dryer balls – no cruelty to animals Noise Wool dryer balls are generally sold as a 100% natural and fragrance-free product. This doesn’t mean that they can’t be used to improve the smell of your laundry though. You can simply add a few drops of your favorite essential oils to the wool balls before you use them. By choosing wool dryer balls you may feel good that you’re doing your bit to help the environment by using a 100% natural product that’s biodegradable at the end of its useful life.However, wool isn’t without environmental impact. Theoretically, all plastics can be recycled. But many dryer balls are not made from recycled plastic and cannot be easily or affordably recycled.If you plan to buy plastic dryer balls, it would be smart to invest in a recyclable version such as the Ecoegg Dryer Eggs.

Also, many wool dryer balls are made from New Zealand wool. This means that there are quite a few air miles involved with the resulting carbon emissions. If you or someone in your home prefers to avoid wool, then we have some good news: There are other dryer ball styles! From Whitmor, these small and spiked balls give you similar outcomes, but they're made from lightweight plastic instead of wool. With a 2.6-inch diameter, they're slightly smaller than the wool options on this list. However, they feature rounded spikes to effectively fluff fabric. One good tip to reduce the noise from either type of ball is to layer them in with your washing rather than simply placing them on top. This will help to reduce the noise to a more manageable level. Winner: Wool dryer balls – much quieter Fragrance Wool dryer balls are made from a natural and biodegradable product. They are often made by hand, following fair trade principles. The balls should be suitable for small to medium loads of laundry, according to LooHoo. They might not hold a scent well, and you might need to treat them with essential oils after a while. The set is certainly on the expensive side, but worth it if you'd love to add a pop of your favorite color to your laundry room.

Best Tumble Dryer Balls (2023 UK) - In The Wash Best Tumble Dryer Balls (2023 UK) - In The Wash

According to Brown, wool dryer balls can last for several years. “As they age, the balls will become hard and stiff.” When that happens, it might be time to replace your go-to dryer balls. Scott Thomas, Director of Systems at Dryer Vent Wizard, notes that your dryer balls may also unravel over time. If that happens, you should stop using them and replace them immediately.Brown recommends using three balls for small loads, four balls for medium loads, and five to six balls for larger loads. “These balls separate the garments, allowing for air to circulate," says Brown. Now, let’s take a look at how wool dryer balls and plastic dryer balls compare in different aspects… Effectiveness However, depending on which brand you choose, plastic dryer balls can have the advantage of being cheaper, longer-lasting, and vegan-friendly.

Friendsheep Wool Eco Dryer Balls: All Natural Fabric Softener

Wool dryer balls tend to come in sets of three, four, or six, and sometimes more. When shopping, you’ll want to pay attention to how many balls you're getting for a given price, to make sure you're getting your money's worth. You’ll also want to ensure that you get enough balls to support your laundry needs. If you have decided to ditch single-use dryer sheets in favor of more effective and more sustainable dryer balls then you’ve made a good decision. But you may now be confused over what kind of dryer balls to go for. They come in one color, a solid blue, so they're easy to spot when you lift your dry clothes out of the dryer. Note that they're unscented, so if you were hoping to add essential oils, these won't be the best fit for you. For everyone else (and especially for fans of the color blue), we think they're a great option. Your dryer balls may pill over time, but it's not a cause for concern. “This does not mean they are no longer effective,” says Hay. In fact, you can pull the pills off. Thomas suggests using a sweater shaver to get the job done.Although plastic is famous for lasting forever, plastic dryer balls will lose effectiveness over time. As they tumble around in your dryer the spikes will gradually be worn away and the plastic dryer balls will become less effective at speeding up drying times. Searching for a set of larger, organic dryer balls? The Company Store’s Wool Dryer Balls set is a stellar choice. They come with three dryer balls that boast a 4-inch diameter and are crafted entirely from organic New Zealand wool. While the balls are sure to make a great addition to any load of laundry, the brand recommends pairing them with your machine-washable down and down-alternative comforters for some of the best results (which a number of reviewers wholeheartedly agree with). Plastic dryer balls aren’t any more effective than wool ones. Both types of dryer balls offer many of the same benefits and can reduce laundry drying times but up to 30%. Choosing between wool and plastic dryer balls comes down to personal preferences and your own priorities.