We hang-dry our cleaned laundry outside, even on blustery winter days. Fresh air and sunshine are powerful disinfectants. Upon reentry to the house, though, we run each load through the clothes dryer for a few minutes, to bake the bugs (we had a cicada in the bedsheets once!) or soften towels, etc., just a bit. Always ready in the dryer: wool dryer balls.
These felted balls:
- Reduce static – wet the balls before adding to the dryer.
- Soften clothes with lanolin, without toxins.
- Unlike fabric softeners and dryer sheets, fragrance- chemical- and VOC (volatile organic compound)-free
- No trash – bottles, boxes, or single-use “sheets”
- 100% hypoallergenic wool – no plastics!
- Tumble quietly
- Reduce drying time by bouncing around, fluffing and separating clothes
- Fun to juggle.
Our set has lasted a decade. When one goes missing, it (uncomfortably!) reappears in a sleeve or pantleg. And then we cheer.
Planetarily,
Laura & Gil
Our friends Laura & Gil Richardson are, in their own words, “imperfect” but they are much further down this Planetarian path than anyone I know. They are a treasure trove of sustainable living inspiration and we’ve asked them to share one simple swap per week that they’ve made (and the products they love) in hopes it might inspire you to make them, too.
