Thrifty Thinkin': How to use Aluminum Foil as a Dry Ball

You know what they say, "one woman's wad of aluminum foil is another woman's fabric softener." (What? You haven't heard that one?)

As you may know, I am on a bit of a health/thrift/frugal/DIY kick. Besides becoming pricey over time, did you know that dryer sheets are full of all sorts of nasty toxin and chemicals which can harm not only your skin, but your overall health? In this recent post I wrote about how I switched my Snuggle fabric softener and sheet addiction over to more healthy (and cost effective) alternatives. I have to admit, I still have a stash of dryer sheets in my laundry room (closet), but once I use them up I will not be purchasing more for my laundry.

 

Truthfully, this post shouldn't really be a "how to" because the instructions are as simple as can be. Ready? Taking notes? Your one and only step is this: rip a sheet of foil, wad it up, and throw it in your dryer with your clothes.

 

That's all folks. A ball of aluminum foil is not only cheap, but it is great at ridding laundry of static and combating wrinkles. It doesn't add any scent, obviously, but I use scented detergent and scented homemade liquid softener in my wash cycle. You can use the same ball over and over again. I've been using mine for a month, and while it has smoothed out a bit, it still does the job just fine. I guess after a long period of time you might want to replace the ball, but that is easy enough to handle, yes?  The only down side to this method as far as I can tell is the ruckus it makes banging around with the clothes. It doesn't do any damage, it is just slightly noiser than just clothes in the dry alone. My cat thinks it is interesting to listen to though...

 

I'm very happy with this method and will gladly be keeping it in my laundry routine.

 

Another, but slightly more pricey alternative, would be an actual plastic dryer ball. Blue, spikey looking guys? Have you tried them? My mom bought a bunch at a dollar store and I used those when I lived at home. I also hear that they have some with a tube which you can add essenstial oils too, if you want a little added freshness.

Rumor has it you can use balls of felted wool (and scent them) for a similar effect, but that I haven't attempted. If you're interested in trying that method out (I am!) see this tutorial here.

Also, I haven't tried this yet, but I have read that you can use paper coffee filters with a few drops of essential oils on them (or fabric softener) if you want something more in sheet form.

Let me know if you try this out! It is so simple!