I’m all about life hacks–easy ways to make life well, easy. So here’s one that’s honestly one of my favorites–wool dryer balls. I never thought twice about my laundry habits until last year. Okay–I was always careful about not running the machine without a full load unless I absolutely had to, but I never really thought about the laundry products I was using until last year. My family and I had gone to visit a dear friend of mine in Dallas. She and her husband were doing some laundry while we were at their house, and I noticed these wool balls in her load of clothes to be folded. She couldn’t stop raving about how well they worked. She had me convinced, but I went home and did a little more reading, just to see what other people thought of them. I discovered some unsavory information about my beloved dryer sheets. And I’m so happy I made the switch.

The most obvious reason to switch is that you are saving yourself from having to repurchase stuff that’s meant to be thrown away or heavily used. One less thing on my shopping list? Yes, please. That also means you’re consuming less plastic and packaging. Less consumption means lowering your carbon footprint–it takes a lot of resources to manufacture, market, and distribute products that you buy in your local store or online.

“But, Seema, I recycle my fabric softener bottles!” you may be thinking. Even if you think you’re doing good for the planet because you recycle your bottle, it still takes energy to recycle that bottle. (But the whole recycling thing is for another time, in another post.) Having no liquid fabric softener bottle means no bottle to recycle. Meaning less energy used. Meaning lower carbon emissions. Meaning it’s better for the planet. But let’s consider something other than the obvious environmental impact for a second.

So here’s the unsavory part to which I was referring: traditional fabric softeners (liquid or dryer sheets) contain chemical-based surfactants to “soften” your laundry. Some of them may be plant-based, but did you know they can be animal-based (like from rendering plants) as well? The source of the surfactants is not disclosed on the packaging, so who’s to say what’s really in your fabric softener? Also, these surfactants can cause skin irritation and exacerbate conditions like eczema–something my family battles with every day. Also, liquid fabric softener creates this residue on your towels over time, making them less absorbent. That means–you guessed it–you have to buy more towels. More money and resources down the drain.

Wool dryer balls have no surfactant–they are 100% natural and biodegradable. No harsh chemicals, no pollutants being washed down the drain with the water. But how do they work? It’s said that they bounce around and create space between your clothes, meaning air can flow more readily between them, and hence decreased drying time. In the process, they also fluff up your clothes, leaving them less wrinkled (but only if you don’t leave your clothes in the dryer for long periods of time. If that’s your tendency, then you won’t notice less wrinkles, but you will notice faster drying times.). These little guys really hold up well, and reduce static, too.

Wool dryer balls last for roughly 1,000 loads of laundry (2-4 years, depending on how much laundry you do.) When they lose their efficacy, you can compost them, or give them to your local animal shelter to serve as cat toys.

I bought these little laundry helpers through Amazon. You can also find them through companies that actually care about the environment, like Clean Cult or Grove Collaborative, who put proceeds towards planting trees with each purchase you make. When I ordered mine, I wasn’t yet mindful of where I shop. I wasn’t aware that there are companies out there that have a mission to help save the earth. I still use Amazon, of course. But I try to make purchases that are eco or socially conscious when I can. (No commissions or perks are earned with this post–these are my unsponsored recommendations/honest opinions.)

How do you use dryer balls? It’s really easy. Just toss two to three in your dryer load. Be careful you don’t toss too many in, because what I’ve found is that if you do that, the humidity sensor in the dryer thinks that it’s dryer than it is (since a lot of moisture is absorbed in the balls) and the clothes are still wet at the end of the cycle. If you really want, put a drop of your favorite essential oil on the dyer balls (Be judicious with how much you use–a little goes a long way!). I like lavender, personally.

My main point is this–switching to dryer balls is such as easy life hack that saves money, time, energy, and the earth. So why not do it?