pair a diy dryer ball spray with wool dryer balls for an inexpensive and unique gift!
what is dryer ball spray?
Okay – I’m sure you’re thinking either: a) what is “dryer ball spray?” and/or b) “why would I give this as a gift???”
Stay with me here.
Years ago – well before I started using essential oils and switching my household over to toxin-free products – I started using wool dryer balls. But not because I was smart or informed about why.
It was because I had signed up for a 3-month trial for a subscription service that sent one item each month to make any easy, sustainable change toward a cleaner home.
why you need to get rid of those dryer sheets!
And one of the items was a set of dryer balls. I had never heard of or used them before, and there was no one on the planet more addicted to her dryer sheets than I was. I not only used them in my laundry, I used them EVERYWHERE – in the hamper, gym bag, in smelly sneakers, in boxes of stored clothes and linens. And I had no idea how absolutely horrible they were. Dryer sheets are coated in scented fabric softener – which coats all of the clothing, towels and linens after they are dried and then cling to our skin (entering our bloodstream). They are one-use only, making them wasteful and not very eco-friendly. And they vent harmful “fragrance” through the dryer vents and into the air. I used to love approaching my washer/dryer and smelling the dryer sheets as I got closer – I now know that the very fact that I could smell them in the box should have been a huge red flag.
what are wool dryer balls and why do you need them?
Wool dryer balls are – as the name implies – wool balls that you add to your dryer along with your wet clothes. While the dryer is running the balls bounce around, helping to separate the clothes so that they can dry most efficiently. Wool dryer balls also reduce static cling through this agitating action. Best of all they last for years, making them eco-friendly and highly economical.
So this was an easy switch. Problem was I really missed my nice-smelling laundry (did you see this post I wrote?). I tried to solve this by placing a few drops of oil on the dryer balls before tossing them in. This worked a little but not enough for this “give me ALL THE FRAGRANCE” girl.
what is in dryer ball spray?
And then I discovered this all-natural dryer ball spray! It’s no more difficult than making a room spray and just as customizable. All you need are a glass spray bottle and your favorite essential oils, witch hazel and distilled water (though bottled water is fine). It works GREAT and my laundry comes out smelling divine. I’m partial to Eucalyptus, Citrus Fresh or any of the tree oils for our regular loads, Lavender for towels and sheets, and Purification for workout gear.
dryer ball spray and dryer balls make a great gift!
I love giving this as a gift because it looks pretty (most dryer balls are already packaged in a cute muslin drawstring bag), is inexpensive, and is gender-neutral. And as I experienced years ago, allows the recipient to make one small but easy change toward a cleaner, more plant-based home.
Let me know if you make it, and what oils you like to use!!!
SHOP THE POST!
[show_shopthepost_widget id=”4305955″]
Dryer Ball Spray
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon witch hazel
- 20 drops essential oil s
Instructions
- Combine the witch hazel and oil(s) in the bottle. Top with distilled or bottled water and shake to blend. Shake before each use. Pair with a set of wool dryer balls for gifting!
Notes
Please note that this post contains affiliate links. As a Rewards Style influencer I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases – at no additional cost to you.
Related posts:
24 Comments
Leave a Comment
Hi! I'm Sheri!
Welcome to my little corner of the web where you’ll find easy, delicious recipes, the best kitchen hacks and simple tips for turning your home into a clean haven that is free of toxins. So glad you’re here!
Love this! I use unscented everything but I could get behind this “clean” scent.
That’s the beauty of essential oils – it’s not fragrance so you don’t have to do “unscented” ANYTHING!!! 🙂
I guess that I missed the “link above” for the website for the labels. Could you publish it again?
The labels were made for me by a local girl who no longer does it – if you go on Etsy I believe there are TONS of really pretty labels for DIY’s like this one!
Love ALL your photo presentations. It makes me think I CAN fairly easily recreate these ideas, WISH is a bit more appropriate. I actually set aside a cardboard roll from used up aluminum foil for the knit hat ornaments diy, you posted recently. Let’s see if the cat or I make use of it first! But where do I get the pretty labels for these bottles? No doubt you have previously divulged.
You can TOTALLY do it – and I added a link for the labels above!
I am interested in trying these but have two questions. First, are there dryer balls that don’t make so much noise? I remember trying them years ago and they always made too much noise. And second, does it help at all with static or is there something else you recommend for that?
Good questions! I do not find the dryer balls to be noisy at all! Maybe they’re different now? I don’t experience excessive static but I’ve heard that the following tips help: 1. Put safety pins in the balls, 2. Put a few balls of foil in with the clothes (I suppose that, like the safety pins, the metal reduces the static?), and 3. Lower the heat of the dryer a bit. I hope these help!!!
Thank you! I think my problem was that I used plastic balls from BBB. I will order the wool balls.
That must be it!! Give the wool balls a try!
How many sprays do you recommend using on the dryer balls?
That is completely up to you! Everyone’s sense of smell is different, and some oils have a stronger scent than others. Basically you can’t go wrong so do a little trial and error for what works for you!
Very good points! Thanks!
Let me know how it works out! 🙂
How long does the spray last without adding a preservative?
Indefinitely! Because there are no chemical emulsifiers the oils will separate as the spray sits – just give it a shake before using!
Do you have different wool balls for different scents or can you just switch up the scents per load?
I just switch up the scents for each load!
Do the oils from the woop dryer balls rub off on clothes? I so want to try this but I’m nervous I’ll have oil stains on all my laundry.
Ty in advance
I’ve never ever had that happen! And I use colored oils like lemon and tangerine. That said, there are a few options if you’re concerned: 1 is to do a test on a rag or old t-shirt. 2 is to stick to clear oils and 3 is to make a dryer ball spray, which is just as effective but the oils themselves are more diluted (you can search the recipe right here!). I hope this helps!
I. Ant wait to try this. I use wool dryer balls but would like scent for my laundry. Can you tell me what the witch ha el is added for?
The witch hazel acts as an emulsifier, to give the oils something to bind to. Otherwise they just float around in the water!
Is there an alternative ingredient for witch hazel? Thanks!
You can try vegetable glycerin!