When we started cloth diapering Graham, I really began to pay attention to the chemicals and additives that are in cleaning agents - laundry detergent included. It's amazing how many harsh soaps, fragrances, additives, preservatives, brighteners, well, GUNK is in so many of our day-to-day products. So I started trying to cut down. We try to use more earth-friendly, biodegradable detergents to protect our water supplies. I've eliminated fabric softener, opting instead for vinegar in the rinse cycle, which does a fantastic job (and no, there's no acidic smell when it's done).
Dryer sheets were another obvious chemical-leach that we needed to cease. As an alternative, I made these felted wool dryer balls. They roll around in your dryer, and reduce the static buildup. And They.Are.Awesome! My first load of towels came out so fluffy and soft! The next load, down blankets, were bouncy and downy and snuggly. Seriously. These things rock!
You can find instructions on how to make them here. Probably the hardest part of the whole process was picking out which yarn to use. I would say my first two balls took about an hour each to complete. Once I got the hang of it, the other two went quickly, maybe 25 minutes each?
If you don't fancy yourself a Martha Stewart type, you can always purchase some Fuzzy Wuzzy Dryer Balls here. They'll run you around $12 each after S&H.
Erik even thinks that our laundry smells better now, as we think the wool absorbs any residual skinkies left on the clothes. Or you can add a few drops of essential oils (lavender, almond, lemon and orange) to the balls for some real, non-synthetic frangrance.
Seriously, for $5 each, why not give them a try? Of course, you might become the addict that I am and start scoping out prettily colored wool skiens everywhere you go, but hey, wouldn't three (or seven or nine) more just gorg all stacked up on top of the dryer?
Another perk to having these around the house? The dryer's not the only one happy to have a few spare balls laying around :-)
