Cleaning > LaundryApril 13, 2006

Are Tennis Balls Safe In The Dryer?

Is it safe to use tennis balls in the clothes dryer to keep them from balling up?

Jean from Michigan

Answers

Read answers for this post below.

By Melanie (Guest Post) 02/26/2009

If I had a white comforter, would the yellow colour of the tennis ball come off onto my comforter in the dryer? melaniechapstick AT gmail.com

By Mark (Guest Post) 02/12/2009

I think the slit in the ball is so the air inside can safely expand.

By
02/07/2009

I tried the blue dryer balls and didn't like them at all, my clothes were all stuck together and full of static. I'm going to try tennis balls and see if they are any better.
Lynne

By Kasey (Guest Post) 09/29/2008

Yes they are safe. It is an old trick - my grandmother used to throw 2 or 3 tennis balls into the dryer when I was little. For some reason she had cut a slit into each of them (I remember playing with them by squeezing the sides of a slitted tennis ball so that it would "talk," like a little green Pac Man). But they are safe even new just out of the can. It really cuts down on dryer time, especially with thicker fabrics like towels or jeans, or with fitted sheets that tend to hold wet clothes hostage in their pocketed corners. I noticed a big $ difference when I was in college using quarters in a laundromat.

By
06/21/2006

hi, i have the blue porcupine dryer balls and am very happy with them. i tracked my drying time and figure i am getting every 5th load free. also, i never have left my stuff just sitting in the dryer when it goes off. the last few minutes of the cycle i grab clothes out and hang them and restart the dryer as i am hanging that one or two items up. i keep stopping, starting, and hanging until i've got everything out of there. i never iron ANYTHING. don't have to!!

By Leslie (Guest Post) 04/18/2006

I wash and dry my down comforter myself instead of having it dry cleaned. Believe it or not, my drycleaner told me how to do this! I use Woolite and cold water on a gentle/delicate cycle. I then toss the comforter, and about 6 tennis balls, in the dryer; set it on delicate/air dry then check and reposition it about every 15 minutes until dry. Works wonderfully!

By Sandy from Pittsburgh (Guest Post) 04/13/2006

Don't waste your money on those blue porcupine dryer balls. My daughter bought them and they did not work at all. The laundry was a wrinkled mess and she had to wash it over again. What a waste.
Sandy from Pittsburgh

By Linda (Guest Post) 04/13/2006

Has anyone tried the dryer balls instead of dryer sheets. I keep seeing them in stores and have wanted to try them but didn't want to waste the money if they are no good. Comments, anyone?

Linda

By Mary (Guest Post) 04/13/2006

Yes it is safe, I use them when ever I dry blankets and such. Laundry mats usually even keep a few on hand just for that reason.

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Tennis Balls as Alternative to Dryer Sheets

To save money and time when drying your clothes, instead of using dryer sheets or dryer balls, put three tennis balls in the dryer with your load. This saves you money by not having to buy dryer sheets and cuts drying time in half. The tennis balls can be used over and over. They also make your clothes softer. I do this every time.

By blueeyes27 from Peru, IN

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