I use Tennis Balls and haven't had a problem. I should've done more research to about the dryer balls! However, several of mine broke/slit so I'm not sure how effect they are anyway; plus Tennis balls are much cheaper.

I tried to go to the website to order some Fluff Balls and investigate the price - and it seems very confusing! I can't even figure out a set price for them. I'm thinking about seeing if any Etsy sellers make any...

Are they really $1000.00 Canadian????

Hi all :)

My name is Erin and I am the maker of Fluff Balls. To answer your question, no they are not 1000.00 per set. What you saw there is a listing to information on why we choose the products we do and what those products consist of. Unfortunately with Hyena Cart there really isn't an space where I can put that on my front page, nor can I put it in as a regular link.

Fluff Balls start at 24.00 for an unscented set, and 25.00 Canadian for a scented set plus shipping.

As well, if you would like to read feedback you can click "view store feedback" at the top, or search out "Fluff Balls" on diaperswappers.com :) There are a few threads there :D

I have to say that we are very excited to be offering a natural alternative, and are eagerly awaiting our call back from the lawyer we submitted our information to regarding a patent :)

Thanks so much all!

Erin

I bought dryer balls (the PVC kind) long before I realized that they were unsafe. What is an appropriate way to dispose of products like these when you don't want to keep using them, but can't throw them away either?

I too would like to know how to handle our green guilt?

I have these anti-static fabric sheets that I got from home hardware, they work really well... with bigger loads like towels I also throw in a couple of tennis balls but them can make alot of noise which isn't so great in an apartment.

http://www.homehardware.ca/en/609_626.htm

As I understand it, the concern here is with the safety of a household product made of PVC. Do the readers of this blog realize that PVC pipe is commonly used for water distribution? Like drinking water? And the water that goes into your washing machine to begin with?

Is there something else that I am missing here that makes these dryer balls riskier than PVC pipe?

I think most people are well aware of that fact :) However as with all chemicals why would you want to expose yourself more ? As well, it's bad enough to think of pthalates running in our hot water (known and now brought up with the scientific community to cause genetic abnormalities especially when heated) why coat our clothing even more let alone should a child chew on those PVC dryer balls?

Let's also touch on the fact that consumers are doing their best to do things that are better for the environment..... last I checked you wouldn't be throwing your water pipes into garbage on a frequent to semi-frequent basis, however, dryer balls, which are known to crack, have to be tossed somewhere as they no longer function...... are you suggesting tossing those into the trash? They certainly are not biodegradable like wool balls, and when they are broken down, what do you figure is being released into the soil / air (depending on how they are broken down)?

So considering the above, I personally prefer Fluff Balls, it's my personal preference, but one I stand beside for my children, my environment, and it's right for my family.

A further question: what about those of us who are allergic (no, not just sensitive to the fibers, but genuinely allergic) to wool and animal fibers? Plus, I don't even like the smell of tennis balls in their unheated state...

I have had this question posed before....

Although I cannot personally guarantee that no fibers will come in contact with your skin, I have searched for a hypoallergenic alternative for those that are allergic.

My results have come up with Alpaca as it has been dubbed as hypoallergenic. That being said, the only reason it is considered hypoallergenic is because it bears no lanolin. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpaca under the heading "Fibers")

I have constructed sets with Alpaca, however they are more expensive, and have found in the one circumstance that I have sent out a wool set to someone who was allergic to Wool, that to use Alpaca would seem an expenditure unnecessary as the process I use strips most or all lanolin from the wool.

Considering the above, I think the concern here then is are you allergic to fibers or lanolin? If it is lanolin, the chances of you having a reaction to Fluff Balls is minimal, though I cannot personally guarantee it (as I am sure you understand).

If you are considering a set of Fluff Balls using Alpaca as an alternative, please feel free to contact me :) I would be happy to discuss prices, colors, availability.

Thanks, ypperin - I've had reactions to alpaca as well, unfortunately. I guess I'll just have to keep looking!

For those of you that are very frugal or allergic, you can get by without dryer sheets, balls etc. My daughter's skin is sensitive so we stay away from stuff like this. After 4 years of not using anything in the dryer, I just don't understand why it is needed. We don't have problems with static. What other purpose do they serve?

"What other purpose do they serve?"
--------------------

Well, they soften fabrics as well as speeding up dryer time thereby conserving energy :)

Um, ok- here's a dumb question- how about run your clothes in the dryer for about 10 minutes on "fluff" with no heat, then line or hang dry them? My mother always used to use the hangers that were free to her from the local cleaners that she hung the laundry on every evening (especially in the winter) in the doorways. We just learned to duck, and it didn't cost her a thing- plus it was totally green and moisturized our house. We have lived many places and she still does this!

I'm a Materials Science Engineer, and I'm currently working on my PhD in Polymer Science. I'd like to clarify a few things for anyone who's panicked about PVC.

1. When you hold a flame to PVC, it does not burn, but instead shrivels and releases hydrochloric acid gas. A little heat from hot water in your pipes or hot air in your dryer will not cause this to happen. This phenomenon is mentioned in every basic polymer textbook. The process is well-documented, and well-understood.

2. Can we please not jump to hysterics every time someone says something's dangerous? Remember that the companies that make these products are made of people... people who have children, friends and pets... people who do NOT want their loved ones harmed! Table salt is made of sodium (a violently reactive metal http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VG21KqBLpw&feature=related) and chlorine (extremely toxic) - someone could note these facts about table salt and try to spin it like it's some terrible threat, but with a little reasoning and perhaps some inquiries to the experts, you'd find that the molecule NaCl is actually vital to the human body.

3. If you're about to reply that chemical companies are just interested in money, then consider that the groups that spew terrifying half-truths are interested in money, too! the website www.treehugger.com listed in the replies to "Look! Tennis Balls and Dryer Balls Work" has advertisements. Websites don't get advertisements if they're not drawing viewers in, and some random website has a lot less to lose if their information is incorrect/misleading than do the companies who actually make the products.

So who do you believe? Media and groups like treehugger.com would have you believe that everything around you is going to kill you. When in doubt, ask the people who devote their lives to the topics - the actual researchers, scientists, and engineers who study the stuff ... the experts! (Even when someone makes a mistake or knowingly allows harm to come to others, the courts still bring in the experts... because they're the experts).

Ok, green is good... reasoning is, too. And just so you know, i'm making great progress in my research on biodegradable, biocompatable polymers :)

I'm not being snarky, but what's wrong with dryer sheets, environmentally-speaking? I know that you throw them out afterwards, but is there more to it than that?

It seems to me that you're also creating/ consuming/ disposing of all of these alternatives as well-- foil, tennis balls, dryer balls, etc.

There's a company in Canada that makes non-wool re-usable dryer sheets that don't leave a burnt tennis ball smell on your clothes. A box costs about $15 US dollars and comes with two sleeves of a polyester/nylon blend fabric. I bought a box recently and so far they have worked fine.

www.staticeliminator.ca

i agree with lizziel

i've been doing laundry for over 25 yrs and never used a dryer sheet or anything to that affect (or is it effect), except i have used a tennis ball when drying a comforter if i remember to bring the thing to the laundrymat.

i've never understood the purpose to use these things. maybe it's new york water but my clothes never come out static-y...

I'm going to try making some. Here's a tutorial:

http://www.thegoodmama.com/index.php?main_page=document_general_info&cPath=94&products_id=724

fibsci -

Not all arguments against PVC (or any other toxic materials) are based on health concerns. As I am quite sure you, being an "expert", are aware, such materials harm the environment during their production and continue to do so after their disposal. That's enough argument to convince me against PVC.

Also, yes, groups like Treehugger.com do seek to earn money just as big "chemical companies" do; however, the difference is what that money is used for. You may call it naive, but I do believe that the money earned by Treehugger.com and other similar groups will be used to further the cause of bettering our environment. Meanwhile, the money earned by companies with toxic products will go to further ruin our environment.

So who will you trust?

here is a tutorial to make your own
http://howtomakedo.net/154/make-your-own-wool-dryer-balls

Correct me if I am wrong: PVC is technically recyclable but is rarely done because it is not financially feasible.

We have been using Nellie’s PVC Dryer Balls for a few weeks now and are pleased (an effort to eliminate artificial fragrances for allergy reasons).

Interesting tutorial, Laucus. I have some extra fisherman's wool that I might try this with. (Though, I'll probably keep using the PVC dryer balls I have until they die.) I'm wondering how long it will take before wool fibers stop sticking to the clothes in the dryer? I've felted a few crochet projects, and I've always had trouble with excess shedding. Any thoughts?

I feel really out of touch reading this. We use the dryer maybe twice a year and otherwise line dry everything. We have racks for the smaller items and then strung a set of lines like one would see outside in our basement. Saves money and the enviroment.

Do these things really work? I bought the balls a couple of years ago to dry my duvet but that was to give it loft not speed drying. I don't use softener or drying sheets because my skin is too sensitive. If they work I have lots of left over knitting projects I could make into drying balls.

Solution: don't use anything, or better yet, get a clothes rack and hang dry your clothing. You would be amazed at what a little fresh air and sunshine will do for your clothing. Even in our apartment with no balcony we can dry the laundry on a folding rack in our living room.

I've been going without dryer sheets for years and I very rarely get a static-y load of wash.

I bought some off Etsy and I love them! I add a few drops of essential oil to them about every 5 loads to scent the clothes, too.

If you're getting a lot of static, it's b/c you're over drying.

I bought those PVC dryer balls for myself and as gifts before I realized that they were made of PVC. I stopped using them when I realized and noticed no problems as a result. I guess that I just don't need anything to prevent static. I do try to line dry as much as I can, but I have a small apartment so I do still use my dryer. I thought only synthetic fibers got static anyway, does anyone know if that is correct?

I'm sensitive to a lot of fragrances (including some essential oils), so I prefer to not add any to my laundry anyway. I don't notice my clothes taking any longer to dry, but I haven't sat down and measured it to verify.

Regarding PVC, I really started avoiding it after seeing Blue Vinyl and realizing how the production and disposal of it were so problematic and dangerous. I don't just care about my own safety but also the safety of the people who make the products and materials I use in a day.

"I thought only synthetic fibers got static anyway, does anyone know if that is correct?"

Ummmmm... if that's correct, then my hair must be made out of synthetic fiber... all winter I look like I've been touching one of those electricity balls you see in science museums!

eirracoes,

You make excellent points about production and disposal consequences of PVC. I did not take those into consideration when I composed my original post. Thanks for a thoughtful response.

I also agree with you that it is difficult to know who to trust when the possibility and reality of corruption is so frequent in the world market. For myself, I choose products and companies that are truthful in their marketing over those that spin the truth for financial gain. Perhaps consumer discussions such as the one on this thread will convince producers of the necessity of responsible, truthful production.