Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Dryer Balls ROCK!

doTERRA dryer balls - SOLD OUT first day of catty!
 
Advertizers would have us believe that 'fabric softeners' are a necessity to our laundry routine but the more studies that come out about the harmful effects of their respiratory toxicity the more savvy shoppers with a commitment to alternative options for 'nice smelling and feeling clothes' search for solutions.

Why Use Wool Dryer Balls?

  • Cut your drying time in half which will also save you money on your hydro bill ~ if you live in Ontario you will appreciate that!
  • Reduce static ~ you are electric enough!
  • Unlike dryer sheets ~ natural and non toxic
  • Great for environment ~ they can be re-used over-and-over again
  • Increase the softness of your clothes
  • Unlike commercial dryer sheets are safe to use with cloth diapers
So with all these reasons in mind I was so excited when I saw that doTERRA® would have dyer balls in their Holiday Catalog ~ but apparently so was most of North America as the new doTERRA® dryer balls were so popular in the Holiday Catalog that they sold out the first couple hours and are now out of stock.  Heck the whole catty was so popular that wellness advocates crashed the system trying to place their orders yesterday! Hopefully they will be able to 'restock' and carry these regularly!

However never fear for those who were not able to get in on the ready made options there are lots of DIY options to make your own dryer balls that are just as amazing if you have a little time! 

In fact the doTEERA blog had an amazing visual tutorial for them here.

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Other Laundry Tips:
Crumple up aluminum foil into a ball and 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 was come out smelling beautiful! No fake lavender smell here!
Add a few drops of Lemon essential oil to your wash cycle to help remove grease and oil from fabrics.
For extra soft clothing, add 1/2 cup vinegar (a natural fabric softener) to your washer with each load. Don’t worry, your clothes will not smell like vinegar once dry. Give it a try!
- See more at: http://doterrablog.com/laundry-essentials-diy-natural-alternative-to-fabric-softener-and-dryer-sheets/#sthash.QEUWxvkA.dpuf

What You Need
  • 100% wool
  • Panty Hose - great way to use up a pair with a run in them
  • Crochet Needle
  •  Dental Floss

What You Do
  • Begin by wrapped several strands of yarn around your fingers 10-20 times.
  •  Pull the yarn off your fingers and pinch together in the center.   
  • Tightly wrap yarn around the middle.
  • Start wrapping until the yarn takes on the shape of a ball.
  • Continue wrapping the yarn around the small wool ball.  
  • Keep wrapping until your wool ball is about the size of a tennis ball. Cut the yarn leaving a short yarn tail and thread it through a crochet needle.
  • Push the blunt end of the needle into the center of the wool ball and pull through to other side. If long enough tail thread back through a second time using a different path and out the other side.  Clip the yarn tail so the end is now 'hidden' inside the ball. This will help ensure it felts nicely together later
  • Repeat the above steps until you have 4 yarn balls. Note: One 223 yard ball of yarn should make about 4 tennis size balls
  • Now, you are ready to begin the felting process.
  • Push the first wool ball down into the toe of the panty hose leg.  
  • Tie a square knot using a piece of dental floss.  Note:  Do not use any of your left over wool yarn or it will felt during the washing process. 
  • Repeat this process for all 4 balls until you have a long 'snake' of balls.
  • To felt your dryer balls, wash your snake balls on your machine’s hottest setting.  If you have a front loader, add in some towels to help muffle the noise of the balls flinging around
  •  Once the wash cycle is complete, dry on the hottest dryer setting.
  •  Now your dryer balls are 'felted' and you can remove them from the panty hose and prepare them for use.
  • To prepare for use add 2-3 drops of your favorite doTERRA® essential oils to each ball and toss into the laundry. 2-3 drops should last two - three loads of laundry for the day but you can always add more if you prefer a stronger scent. 
     
Favorite Oil Blends for Dryer Balls

Dryer Ball Essential Oil Blend - Fresh Floral Scent

Dryer Ball Essential Oil Blend - Gym Buster
 
Dryer Ball Essential Oil Blend ~ Seasonal Spice

  • Wild Orange and Ylang Ylang ~ lovely spring fresh for everyday wear
  • doTERRA® Purity Blend ~ lovely fresh scent
  • Lavender ~ all on its own is lovely

Have an amazing day!

Margaret
Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much
Totallyawake4-life

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