Blog Spotlight: 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 contains 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 washed, dry the balls thoroughly in the dryer at the highest heat setting.
5. After the balls are completely dry, remove them from the pantyhose and they’re ready for use! Before drying your next load of laundry, add your favorite doTERRA essential oil to 4–6 dryer balls, toss them in the dryer, and enjoy the soft, fluffy, wonderful-smelling fruits of your labor.

Editor’s tip:

• 2–3 drops of essential oil per ball should last a few loads. Add more drops if you would like a stronger scent.

Fun Laundry Tips:

• Crumple up aluminum foil into a ball and toss it in the dryer with the wet laundry to get rid of static cling.
• For an even extra burst of essential oils in your clothing, place a wash cloth with a few drops of essential oil into your dryer. It will come out smelling beautiful!
• Add a few drops of Lemon essential oil to your wash cycle to help remove grease and oil from fabrics. For more handy ideas, recipes, and tips, check the doTERRA blog.