Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Dryer Balls, really?
What in the world is a dryer ball? I'm glad you asked. These nifty little items take the place of Dryer Sheets, yet they have no chemical fragrance and reduce the amount of time needed to dry your clothes. They are made of 100% felted alpaca fleece. The fleece used to make these balls is the stuff some farms just throw away after shearing. It is generally the leg and belly fiber that has little use in the industry according to many owners. When we are making grapevine nesting balls for the birds, we set aside plenty of additional fleece to create these beauties. They can be used over and over again so the investment is worthwhile. Store them right in the dryer - otherwise the dog thinks they are a play toy and while they are fun to toss around the house, they are better served among the freshly washed clothing. Like dryer sheets, dryer balls reduce static electricity and soften clothes as they dry. Unlike their sheet counterparts, dryer balls can be used on clothing that is 'flame-retardant' because it has no chemicals that will alter them (that is a lot of our children's clothing and blankets). In fact, alpaca fiber IS flame retardant. Plastic Dryer Balls are becoming popular on the market but why buy plastic when you can have a 100% natural alpaca product do the trick?