DIY Dryer Balls Using Socks That Lost Their Mates!
Can I let you in on a secret trick I use to dry my clothes faster? Dryer balls! They are little balls that are designed to bounce around your dryer and help fluff your clothes so they dry faster and more efficiently. They can replace dryer sheets or be used with them if you prefer. The best part is, you don’t have to buy them! You can make them instead!
The beauty of these dryer balls is that you can use those lone socks that are hanging around your laundry room in search of a mate. We all have that pile of lone socks whose mate never made it out of the dryer alive. Now you can upcycle those into dryer balls! Sweet, free DIY dryer balls using socks! You can’t beat that!
If you aren’t familiar with dryer balls there really isn’t anything difficult about them. First you wash your clothes, then you dry them in the dryer and toss in the dryer balls with your wet clothes. When you remove the clothes just leave the dryer balls in the dryer.
We first wash our clothes with method NEW 4x concentrated laundry detergent. It comes in a little bottle since it is so concentrated and that means it doesn’t take up much room in the laundry room either! It works great in cold water so you use less energy for every load which also adds to your efficiency when used with the dryer balls!
To make the DIY dryer balls you’ll need socks and if you’d like to add scent to your dryer balls you’ll also need some essential oils. I love citrus fresh scent and it pairs nicely with the method ginger mango scent! There’s a fragrance for everyone with this line too! I love the range of scents that you don’t normally see in the laundry aisle including ginger mango, spring garden, beach sage and fresh clover, and free + clear (no fragrance).
Begin by dropping 10-20 drops of essential oil on your first sock. Then roll the sock up starting at the toe end and going up toward the cuff.
Then roll the cuff over onto itself tightly to form a ball.
Now place that sock on top of another sock. Sprinkle more drops of oil onto the second sock. Now roll that one up with the first sock ball on it working your way from toe end to cuff.
Roll that one all the way and tightly wrap the cuff over it to form a ball.
I like to use 4-6 sock dryer balls per load. You can just use these over and over again. Toss them back in the dryer each time you dry a load. Once the scent wears off you can add more drops of essential oil to the sock ball by opening the cuff a little and dropping them into the center.
I love using natural hacks to get things done better! The dryer balls are an easy natural hack to dry your clothes faster. The method laundry detergent is naturally derived cleaning power that is proven to remove tough dirt and stains. It is a biodegradable and hypoallergenic formula. It can also be used as a really effective pre-treat for stains which eliminates the number of products you need to buy.
If you love this hack you’ll really love my trick to stop folding your kids laundry!
What laundry hacks do you use?
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
I wash my socks in a lingerie bag, so I never have lost ones – but I would totally use an old pair to make these.
What a neat idea. Save on dryer sheets.
I absolutely love the dryer ball idea. I have to make some of these because sometimes a load of clothes doesn’t completely dry after a single cycle. We live in an apartment that has laundry rooms so I’m at the mercy of their machines, so anything to help is great.
These will definitely help cut down on dry time and save your sanity a little!
This is such a great idea. I have an entire graveyard of socks with no match.
Ha! Love it. Now there is something I can do with all those spare socks… lol… and do something that we can use. Thanks so much for sharing.
What a great project idea! We lose so many socks that I swear the dryer eats them.
Yours too? I would love to find that stash of lost socks someday!
What a clever idea for those poor lost mates. I have a basket of them and just don’t have the heart ot throw them out. So many socks! Always need new dryer balls, too!
Yes, it is a great way to put those socks to good use!
What a great way to use mateless socks!! I have never used a dryer ball before sounds like it would be a great way to add scents to our clothes!
Yes, they work great to cut down the dry time too!
What will you think of next? That is just an amazing way to use those old unmated socks! Never would have thought of it myself!
This is such a brilliant idea! I have such a pile of socks that have lost their mate. This is such a great way to put them to use!
This is such a great idea. Every person has some random socks to use and this is a great way to do it! Thanks for the idea.
You’re welcome Valerie! I love repurposing things!
I love this idea! I have plenty of socks that lost their match! Thanks for sharing!
I LOVE THIS IDEA. I am so trying this! Some clothes take so long to dry, I think this will help.
It definitely helps cut down dry time!
what a great idea. I use wool dryer balls. They really help with cutting dryer time in half.
Wool dryer balls are great too! I never had the patience to make them though!
Oh man, I think I would end up with more dryer balls than clothes! My kids lose at least one sock per day!
Haha it seems they get lost quickly!
oh wow! this is a good idea. i am always loosing socks.
That is such a great idea. I have so many left over socks from all the kids losing theirs.
very interesting,sure didnt know we could make our own dryer balls,,thanks
It is a great trick that will save lots of money.
I found your tutorial and just made some balls out of old wool socks!
That’s fantastic! Thanks for sharing.