Dryer Balls

If you haven’t had a chance to explore the doTERRA blog, no worries! Here is one of our most popular DIY posts that you won’t want to miss. Enjoy!

Fabric softeners come in all different shapes and sizes, and have scents that range anywhere from “Tropical Breeze” to “Lavender.” Did you know that most lavender-scented fabric softeners actually contain no lavender—only chemicals that have been blended to give you an impression that you are smelling the real deal? Substituting these chemically-driven fabric softeners for an all-natural, toxic-free alternative is much easier and more affordable than you might think. Follow this step-by-step tutorial to make your own wool dryer balls that can last for many years and can easily be scented with doTERRA essential oils leaving your fabrics fragrant and soft.

What You Need:

• 100 percent wool yarn or other 100 percent animal yarn
• Pantyhose

Upcycling Idea: Reuse pantyhose with runs in them

Directions:

1. Take the end of the yarn and wrap it around your middle and index finger 10 times. Remove it from the fingers and wrap 2–3 times around the middle (it should look like a bow). This will be the start of your ball.
2. Continue tightly wrapping the yarn around the start, working toward making a round shape. Once your ball is roughly the size of a tennis ball, cut the yarn and tuck the ends into the sides of the ball. Repeat this process until you have created four or more balls of yarn.
3. Cut one leg off of the pantyhose. Place one ball into the bottom of the leg and tie a knot right above the ball to secure it in place. Repeat until all the balls have been added and secured.
4. Once the balls are tightly secured in the pantyhose, put them in the washer (can be with a load of dirty laundry) and wash on the hottest setting. This will allow the yarn to felt. Felting will make the yarn fuse together, resulting in a solid ball. Once the wash is done, put the balls in the dryer on high heat to continue the felting process.
5. Once the balls are completely dry, they are ready for use! If desired, add a few drops of your favorite doTERRA essential oil to each ball to lightly scent your laundry.

Use 3–4 dryer balls for small or medium loads, and 5–6 balls for large loads. Dryer balls help reduce drying time and static cling. They also fluff clothes while reducing wrinkles and naturally softening fabrics—no chemicals required. Dryer balls are a great alternative to traditional dryer sheets and fabric softeners.