Saturday, July 30, 2016

100% New Zealand Wool Dryer Balls from Buttons Diapers (Review)




I love wool. I think that is an understatement as my collection of wool is rapidly growing now that I have 2 in diapers. Pictured is about HALF my collection of wool longies, shorties, and wool diaper covers. The other half is air drying as I recently hand washed some.  I purchase my wool diapers from etsy sellers who make these out of gently used cashmere and merino wool sweaters.  Please excuse the poor excuse for a storage rack. I rescued an unloved (or maybe it was just REALLLLLY loved and that is why it is so pitiful) towel rack that goes over the door. It was missing the end caps that hold the bars in place (hence the hair ties) and also was missing the middle bar (I really need that extra storage bar...if only i had it). Wool is magical, it can absorb up to 30 % its own weight in liquid and when urine is in contact with it, it does some sort of scientific chemistry and converts the urine to salt water. Odors are gone and the wool is magically sanitized and ready for the next use. I only need to hand wash my wool diaper covers if they get soiled with yucky or if it has been a long while (like once a month). I hand wash with a lanolin and natural soap. 

Side note: I love to pin our diapers! I use actual vintage diaper pins (because vintage items are fun and often made much better).  I store my pins in a bar of natural soap inside a muslin bag.  :) It makes them glide into the cotton fabric better.  




















Buttons wool dryer balls added to my collection (notice they are brighter as they are newer, but they do have spots on some)




Anyway, today I am going to tell you about my dryer ball collection. Yep, I have a collection of those too. I had 15 or so last time I counted and today I will tell you about my newest 6! :)

Buttons Diapers has their own branded wool dryer balls and sent me a pack of 6 to try out this past month. We have not used dryer sheets for 3-4 years and do not miss them at all. I cannot stand the fake, overly perfume scent of dryer sheets. It gives me a headache as they are super strong and the scents are not natural. Wool dryer balls (felted) work so much better and the laundry comes out smelling like clean laundry and not like a cheap smelling room deodorizer. (like those cone shaped jelly type ones from the store that have the plastic sliding cover that you can control the scent, but they stink no mater what kind you get, or at least I think they do). :)

Buttons dryer balls come in a nice cotton (muslin) draw string storage bag. They are a set of 6 handmade 100% New Zealand wool dryer balls and contain no fillers. They work wonderfully to soften laundry. It is recommended to use 3 balls for small/med load and 5-6 for large loads. I think I use all 15 most days and had added the new ones in my testing period. :) It does not cause any issues and the clothing is always soft and very fluffy.  My cotton prefold diapers are so soft!


These dryer balls are 9 in. circumference, according to Buttons (I have not verified this with my measuring tape, but they look similar in size to my other balls.)  I do notice that these have brown spots on them, but as wool is natural, I am not worried.  These buttons wool balls are also a more misshapen ball than my others.  This has no effect on how soft or dry my clothes get, it is again only cosmetic.  

Wool dryer balls are a much healthier option than fabric softener and dryer sheets. They work wonderfully as they shorten drying time, soften and fluff fabric, and can reduce static. They are great for softening cloth diapers (we use mainly cotton prefolds and Green mountain Diapers workhorse fitted diapers) and all laundry! Since I do not use bleach or oxy powders, I sun all stains outside on my laundry drying rack. When our diapers get stained, I put the freshly washed, still damp diapers outside and let the sun work its wonders for a few hours, and lift out the stains. I then put the diapers in the dryer on low for about 20 minutes to fluff them back up (wet diapers outside get a bit stiff and rough to the touch). We use the organic cotton workhorses (shown above) and so these dryer balls make the already soft organic cotton even better!

These will pill (as you can see with my older dryer balls from other companies, but the pilling does not harm the clothes or dryer, it just does not look as nice.

I have no complaints with this set and find it compares to my other brands. Now please note, I DO NOT put my wool sweaters or diaper covers or any other wool items in the dryer. ONLY THESE DRYER BALLS. Wool will felt and shrink and become stiff. These are meant to be in the dryer and have been felted for heat. When I wash my woolen items, I use room temperature water, hand wash and air dry.

These were sent to me complimentary for my honest evaluation and review. I was not compensated for this post and did not promise a certain rating.

For more information about Buttons and their products you can visit them on Facebook.


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DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation for a product review and/or link to any products or services from this blog. I am always honest in my opinions and never promise a positive review. I only recommend products or services that I feel are beneficial to my family and my lovely readers. I enjoy testing out items and giving my readers an honest and descriptive account of how a product functions. My personal experience or view of an item may differ than yours.

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