One of the questions I’m most often asked is how to keep laundry balls in good shape so they can carry on doing what they do best: helping to soften and dry your laundry in the most fabric-friendly way possible.
Well, as they’re made of 100% pure natural wool, you’ll be delighted to hear that these tumble-dryer tamers are pretty low maintenance kinda guys.
Getting the best from your laundry balls
Of course, to get the best from your laundry balls, it doesn’t hurt to make sure you’re using them in the right way to start with. So here’s a quick little recap of getting the most from your fluffy flock.
- As a rule of thumb, three laundry balls are sufficient for a small load; six or more are enough to handle a heavier one.
- Simply pop the required number of laundry balls into the dryer on your usual settings and let them do the rest of the work for you.
- If you fancy a little extra fragrance, then simply add a drop or two of your favourite essential oil to the laundry ball an hour or two before it goes into action.
And it really is that simple. That’s the beauty of these sheepish heroes, they just get on with the job with the minimum of fuss.
Soft laundry without the residue
Thanks to their native lanolin content – which really is Mother Nature’s very own softener – laundry balls naturally massage the fabric during the drying process. So when your garments emerge from the dryer, they feel naturally softer.
Even better, there’s no residue that softeners can leave behind and no laundry sheets or excess plastic packaging going to landfill.
Laundry balls are gentle yet tough
The secret behind the long-lasting nature of Little Beau Sheep laundry balls lies in their 100% wooliness. No filling, no wrapping, no layers. This simple yet effective construction means they are good for 1000s of spins in the tumble dryer.
The table below gives you an idea of just many years your laundry ball will last over 1000 loads
Just like any self-respecting sheep, they need a quick trim now and again to remove any bobbles, pills and threads – and then they’re good to go again. You can do this with a pair of scissors or lint remover, no sheep shearing skills required! This simple operation also helps your laundry balls to improve moisture absorbance and speed up the drying process.
The science behind the performance
So how does a simple material like wool do all of this? The answer lies in the way those clever sheep grow their wool.
Due to the way wool is constructed, it can absorb as much as 30-40% atmospheric water without feeling damp to the touch. This is due to tiny scales on the wool’s surface – think of them as mini roof tiles. On the one hand, they repel water but at the same time allow atmospheric moisture to be absorbed without becoming wet.
It’s this capacity to absorb that means wool can be dyed so successfully and also work as an insulator, trapping air between its fibres. I said those sheep were clever, didn’t I?
How to help laundry balls bounce back
If your laundry balls are looking a bit stressed and sad – even after a trip to the barbers – then there’s still plenty you can do to breathe new life into them.
- First, simply put them on a hot cycle with a lanolin enriched laundry detergent to help replenish any lost natural softener.
- Next, dry them in the usual way – but remember, if they’re going in the tumbler with your normal load, you’ll have to let them off drying duties just this once.
- Make sure they’re fully dried out before they launch refreshed and ready to go into another bout of dynamic drying and super softening!
Laundry ball storage
When your laundry balls are out of use, where do you keep them? Personally, I think they’re too lovely to lock away, so I keep them in a big glass jar where they’re warm and dry but still on view!
I realise I’m a bit of a fan girl, however, so you may want keep them in the dryer, ready to go. Or you could drop some of your favourite scent onto them and use your sheep to keep drawers fresh and fragrant. There are so many uses for these mini marvels, you may even have a few of your own. If you do, I’d love to know
