DIY Reusable Dryer Balls
Cut down on dryer time, and naturally freshen your clothes by making reusable dryer balls with wool yarn or an old sweater.
Reusable dryer balls are a sustainable alternative to chemically-filled dryer sheets and can help cut down on dryer time. Add essential oils to naturally freshen your clothes.
![DIY Wool Dryer Balls](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/video/5/52/522/5221/5221928.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.1280.720.85.suffix/1660762089905.webp)
![DIY Reusable Dryer Balls You can use 100 percent wool yarn to make reusable dryer balls that cut down on drying time and soften clothes naturally.](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2019/2/15/01/HGTV_Internal-Productions-diy-dryer-balls-yarn-final-1.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.411.85.suffix/1550249329516.webp)
Sarah Busby
What You'll Need:
- old wool sweater
- 100 percent wool yarn
- scissors
- stockings
- wooden skewer
- optional: essential oils
Wool Yarn Dryer Balls
Roll the yarn into a ball by wrapping it around two fingers and tying a knot to create a small ball. Continue wrapping, and tuck in the end with a wooden skewer.
![Roll the yarn into a ball by wrapping the string around two fingers and tying a knot to create a small ball. Then continue wrapping. Tuck in the end with a wooden skewer.](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2019/2/15/01/HGTV_Internal-Productions-diy-dryer-balls-roll-yarn-1.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.411.85.suffix/1550249329289.webp)
Emily Cullum
![Roll the yarn into a ball by wrapping the string around two fingers and tying a knot to create a small ball. Then continue wrapping. Tuck in the end with a wooden skewer.](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2019/2/15/01/HGTV_Internal-Productions-diy-dryer-balls-roll-yarn-2.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.411.85.suffix/1550249329285.webp)
Emily Cullum
![Roll the yarn into a ball by wrapping the string around two fingers and tying a knot to create a small ball. Then continue wrapping. Tuck in the end with a wooden skewer.](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2019/2/15/01/HGTV_Internal-Productions-diy-dryer-balls-roll-yarn-3.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.411.85.suffix/1550249329295.webp)
Emily Cullum
![Roll the yarn into a ball by wrapping the string around two fingers and tying a knot to create a small ball. Then continue wrapping. Tuck in the end with a wooden skewer.](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2019/2/15/01/HGTV_Internal-Productions-diy-dryer-balls-tuck-in-end.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.924.85.suffix/1550249329274.webp)
Sarah Busby
Take an old pair of stockings, and cut the legs off. Place each ball in the stockings, and tie knots between each ball.
![](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2019/2/15/01/HGTV_Internal-Productions-diy-dryer-balls-yarn-final-2.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.411.85.suffix/1550249329500.webp)
Sarah Busby
Wash the dryer balls in the stockings on the hottest cycle without detergent five times. Tip: Put them in with a load of towels to help them stick together. After washing, cut the knots, remove the stockings and they're ready for use.
![](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2019/2/15/01/HGTV_Internal-Productions-diy-dryer-balls-cut%20stocking.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.411.85.suffix/1550249336671.webp)
Sarah Busby
![© 2018, Sarah Busby. All Rights Reserved.](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2019/2/15/01/HGTV_Internal-Productions-diy-dryer-balls-remove-stocking.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.411.85.suffix/1550249333588.webp)
Emily Cullum
![You can use 100 percent wool yarn to make reusable dryer balls that cut down on drying time and soften clothes naturally.](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2019/2/15/01/HGTV_Internal-Productions-diy-dryer-balls-yarn-final-1.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.411.85.suffix/1550249329516.webp)
Sarah Busby
Sweater Dryer Balls
Cut sweater into 1/2" to 1" strips.
![DIY Sweater Dryer Ball Cut an old sweater into ½” to 1” strips.](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2019/2/15/01/HGTV_Internal-Productions-diy-dryer-balls-cut-sweater.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.411.85.suffix/1550249333587.webp)
Sarah Busby
Make a ball by wrapping strips around two fingers. Continue to roll the strips. When you come to the end of one strip, tuck it in and start the next strip until complete.
![Start making the ball by wrapping strips around two fingers. Continue to roll the strips. When you come to the end of one strip, tuck it in and start the next strip until complete.](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2019/2/15/01/HGTV_Internal-Productions-diy-dryer-balls-roll-first-strip-1.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.411.85.suffix/1550249333583.webp)
Sarah Busby
![Start making the ball by wrapping strips around two fingers. Continue to roll the strips. When you come to the end of one strip, tuck it in and start the next strip until complete.](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2019/2/15/01/HGTV_Internal-Productions-diy-dryer-balls-roll-first-strip-2.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.411.85.suffix/1550249333587.webp)
Sarah Busby
![Start making the ball by wrapping strips around two fingers. Continue to roll the strips. When you come to the end of one strip, tuck it in and start the next strip until complete.](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2019/2/15/01/HGTV_Internal-Productions-diy-dryer-balls-roll-strips-1.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.411.85.suffix/1550249333591.webp)
Emily Cullum
![Start making the ball by wrapping strips around two fingers. Continue to roll the strips. When you come to the end of one strip, tuck it in and start the next strip until complete.](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2019/2/15/01/HGTV_Internal-Productions-diy-dryer-balls-tuck-strip-1.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.411.85.suffix/1550249329511.webp)
Emily Cullum
Take an old pair of stockings, and cut the legs off. Place each ball in the stockings, and tie knots between each ball.
![Take an old pair of stockings and cut the legs off.](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2019/2/15/01/HGTV_Internal-Productions-diy-dryer-balls-cut-stocking-legs.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.411.85.suffix/1550249336675.webp)
Emily Cullum
![Take an old pair of stockings and cut the legs off. Place each ball in the stocking and tie knots in between them.](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2019/2/15/01/HGTV_Internal-Productions-diy-dryer-balls-wrap-1.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.411.85.suffix/1550249329524.webp)
Emily Cullum
![Take an old pair of stockings and cut the legs off. Place each ball in the stocking and tie knots in between them.](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2019/2/15/01/HGTV_Internal-Productions-diy-dryer-balls-tie-knot-1.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.411.85.suffix/1550249329301.webp)
Emily Cullum
![Place each ball in the stocking and tie knots in between them.](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2019/2/15/01/HGTV_Internal-Productions-diy-dryer-balls-tie-knot-2.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.411.85.suffix/1550249329295.webp)
Emily Cullum
Wash the balls in the stockings, just like the yarn balls. Cut and remove the stockings, and it's ready to use. Tip: Add a few drops of essential oils to naturally freshen your clothes.
![DIY Sweater Dryer Balls To add essential oils to freshen up your clothes, you can simply add a few drops to your dryer ball before placing it into the stocking.](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/hgtv/fullset/2019/2/15/01/HGTV_Internal-Productions-diy-dryer-balls-add-essential-oils.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.411.85.suffix/1550249336676.webp)
Sarah Busby