ramble & frolic: recycle, reduce, and re-use: launder green

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

recycle, reduce, and re-use: launder green

These earthlings have some questions for you.

Are you ready to give up your plastic jugs of chemical-filled fabric softener?
How about those perfume-infused dryer sheets that you throw away after one use?
Would you like to reduce drying time in your clothes dryer and save money on your electric bill?

The answer is simple:

alpaca balls!

(like these):

Alpaca dryer balls are usually the size of a tennis ball, and made from felted alpaca fiber, either natural color or with dyed accents.

How to use: Place four or more dryer balls in your dryer with your damp clothing and linens. As they gently bounce around in your dryer, they soften the fibers of your laundry while separating the items, allowing more air to circulate through each individual piece.

The balls also absorb excess moisture, cutting down on drying time while at the same time fluffing your laundry, reducing wrinkles and static, and softening the fibers. You can re-use them over and over again. The ones pictured have been used for a year now and they are still going strong.

Here's more information from Perfect Timing Alpacas (who sell alpaca dryer balls in their online shop):

Advantages of Alpaca Dryer Balls

Decrease drying time by about 25%, saving you money on utility bills. The more dryer balls you have in your load, the quicker the clothes will dry.
Commercial fabric softeners and dryer sheets are filled with harmful chemicals and perfumes that coat your clothing, eventually ending up on your skin and inside your clothes dryer.
Alpaca dryer balls can be re-used for years, saving you $.
Alpaca dryer balls are perfect for keeping cloth diapers soft and chemical-free.
Alpaca dryer balls won’t affect the absorbency of your towels; commercial softeners will.
Great for drying sheets, towels, and down comforters because the balls allow the load to be broken up instead of balling up, thereby drying quicker and more efficiently.