MF towels + dryer ball = ???

[JWilliams.RadiantDetail]

I put a load of my brand new Eagle Edgeless towels in my dryer and didn't pay attention to their being a dryer ball in. It's not one of the Downey ones you put the liquid in. It's some weird rubbery one with knobs all over it.

http://www.simplygoodstuff.com/assets/images/dryer_balls.jpg

Did I screw the pooch? I know MF+fabric softer is a no no, but I have no idea about these ball thingies.

[FUNX650]

Pooch is OK! :xyxthumbs:

-These balls are supposed to help eliminate static.

-But since they are not coated (like dryer sheets are)
with a bunch of postively charged quaternary ammonium compounds...I don't see how that's "chemically" possible.

-Maybe these balls just beat the (static) crap out of a laundry load...MF-towels, this time around. :dunno:

Bob

[Pats300zx]

No worries. I use dryer ball all the time when I put my MF towels in the dryer. It really helps in cutting down on the static cling.

[fly07sti]

I've used to use a tennis ball before I found these. I always use them and it really does help with keeping my MF's fluffy.

[Bunky]

I stopped using them after a short period. If I do not over dry (think that is not good for them anyway), I do not see any real issues with static cling. I dry on the lowest heat. They feel softer to me as well.

I am sure there are plenty of variables that may affect someone's experience.

[aim4squirrels]

I stopped using them after a short period. If I do not over dry (think that is not good for them anyway), I do not see any real issues with static cling. I dry on the lowest heat. They feel softer to me as well.

I am sure there are plenty of variables that may affect someone's experience.

I read this lowest heat setting often, but I'm surprised by the caution people use when drying their towels.

The lowest melting point of polyamide I can find is around 374℉. That's around where you cook meat in an oven for reference.

Polyester is much higher around 484℉. That's a searing temp for prime rib in an oven.

A dryer is regulated to around a maximum of 200℉ which is below the boiling point of water. Think about it, have you ever burned your hand grabbing clothes out of a dryer as bad as touching a pan from an oven? Has anyone ever been blasted in the face and scalded with steam when opening their dryers?

You cannot hurt your towels with dryer heat, at any temperature setting. It would seem that you can wear them out faster by drying them on a lower heat and tumbling them around longer than necessary to dry. Rubber dryer balls would only exacerbate this wear and tear.

[Bunky]

I read this lowest heat setting often, but I'm surprised by the caution people use when drying their towels.

The lowest melting point of polyamide I can find is around 374℉. That's around where you cook meat in an oven for reference.

Polyester is much higher around 484℉. That's a searing temp for prime rib in an oven.

A dryer is regulated to around a maximum of 200℉ which is below the boiling point of water. Think about it, have you ever burned your hand grabbing clothes out of a dryer as bad as touching a pan from an oven? Has anyone ever been blasted in the face and scalded with steam when opening their dryers?

You cannot hurt your towels with dryer heat, at any temperature setting. It would seem that you can wear them out faster by drying them on a lower heat and tumbling them around longer than necessary to dry. Rubber dryer balls would only exacerbate this wear and tear.

I have not done a scientific study but heat does affect plastics well before it melts. If there is any stress in the fiber it could change it shapes. The microfiber is a complex woven material.

I think they work best when not over dried. I am not sure of the process by which they absorb but if it is capillary like action having residual moisture (nothing significant but there) in the fiber could expedite the process. They feel softer to me when I take them out and less static cling.

[SameGuy]

Been using plastic dryer balls for years. They work really well to fluff up and de-lint fabrics. I mentioned them in one of the recent MF care threads.

I recently switched my natural fiber dryer loads to Merino wool dryer balls, and they work really well at speeding drying, fluffing and softening, but a bit less well (than the blue balls) at eliminating static cling.

[FUNX650]

I recently switched my natural fiber dryer loads to Merino wool dryer balls, and they work really well at speeding drying, fluffing and softening, but a bit less well (than the blue balls) at eliminating static cling.
Are these Merino wool dryer balls lanolin free?

Bob

[ScottB]

I like using them, seems to control the static inherit with MF towels.

[Blade]

I have 4 I use all the time! Don't worry about it.

[SameGuy]

@Bob - No idea. But I guess I wasn't clear, I don't use the wool balls for drying synthetics like my detailing towels; for synthetics I still use the blue balls. I have a little dollar store basket on top of the dryer and keep one set of balls up there and the other in the dryer, switching as necessary.

[PaVaSteeler]

I don't run my towels through the dryer; I use a collapsible rack from Walmart, and let them air dry outside or in garage.


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