This is the way we wash our clothes so early Monday morning

Did you know that your clothes dryer is most likely the second most expensive appliance you run in your home? Of course, the refrigerator takes the prize for the biggest energy user, but if you're using your dryer, it's vying for some attention here as well.

“Drying Clothes” by Helen Allingham

Do you remember this song:

Here we go 'round the mulberry bush,
the mulberry bush, 
the mulberry bush.
Here we go 'round the mulberry bush, 
so early Monday morning.
This is the way we wash our clothes,
wash our clothes so early Monday morning.




Monday has long been the traditional day to do laundry. Yes, laundry was done once a week. On Mondays. Never on the weekends. And certainly not on Sundays.

Today, I dried two loads of laundry in the dryer. It's not that it's not perfect weather for line drying. The problem is the little fuzzy things falling from our oak trees. The month of May is a mess around here. Just as I get used to hanging my laundry out on the clothesline again, the oaks make it impossible to do so for a few weeks. Between the long fuzzies and the layer of green dust that settles on everything, there's no way I can hang my laundry outside. During these weeks, much of my laundry will hang from indoor clotheslines in the basement. But today, there was just too much, so I tossed it in the dryer. 

In order to make sure my dryer is running efficiently, I cleaned the lint filter before running it. I also did a quick extra spin of the laundry in the washer. That way, it's just a bit less wet when I put it in the dryer. Then, I throw in 6 wool dryer balls to help separate the clothes and cut down on drying time.

Of course, I do not use any fabric softener, and I sure hope you're not using it either! Instead, I added 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar to the rinse cycle in the washer. Between the vinegar and the dryer balls, there really is no need to load up my laundry on toxins that can lead to cancer and a host of other ailments.

Okay, back to some aides in making line drying a bit easier. 

I recommend wooden clothespins with springs (versus the straight kind, which can snag your clothes).




Retractable lines (for indoors or out). I love my retractable clothesline. It only crosses my lawn when I need it and disappears when I don't. They are perfect for bathrooms and laundry rooms, too.

Note: For permanent clotheslines, make sure you walk up and down running a damp washcloth along the line to wipe away any dirt before hanging your clean laundry on it.

 
Another must-have for me, is my spinning carousel rack. I have two of these and use them to hang my underwear, bras, camisoles, hankies, etc. I use these year round for the items I never put in the dryer. By not heat drying your intimate apparel, you extend its life dramatically. 


An added bonus with the carousel racks is that you can grab them and bring them in quickly if it starts to rain. Plus, you can put your older, more worn out undies in the inside of the circle and 'hide' them behind your girlier, fancier panties. :-) Love it!

Choosing the right hangers is important, too. Metal hangers can rust with wet clothing. Plastic hangers are often a good choice, but be careful of the dreaded 'hanger marks' on the shoulders of shirts and sweaters. I prefer the slim velvet hangers, which are also great space savers in the closet.

All this talk of hanging stuff outside is making me long for June when the air will finally be free of flying fuzzies!

Happy Monday!

 

Dry the safe and natural way. A Burger's Wool Dryer Balls Review & Giveaway

I was strolling through Root's Market in Lancaster County in July when a certain booth caught my interest. There was a couple there marketing their wool dryer balls, so I stopped to chat with them. As we talked, I told them about other wool dryer balls I've tried and reviewed for my blog. This caught their interest and by the time I walked away, I was the happy recipient of a set of six premium wool dryer balls to review.

Now, keep in mind that I rarely dry things in the dryer, especially during the summer. However, my husband does use the dryer, so my opinions here are mostly his. And my daughter, Jessica's, who had to "borrow" my washer and dryer last week to wash diapers. While she hangs many of her diapers on the line, she does like to toss her pre-folds in the dryer because they get too stiff on the line. Both my husband and my daughter told me that the laundry dries considerably faster with the Burger's dryer balls than it does using the six other wool dryer balls we'd been using previously. 

While I was at Root's, the Burgers explained to me why their dryer balls were superior to the popular other wool dryer balls I was using. I must say that the Burger's dryer balls had a different feel to them. They come in two sizes -- regular, which are 9.5"-10" in diameter, and premium, which are 11"-12". Both are made from the wool of brown sheep and contain no dyes.

Using the wool from a supplier in Lancaster County, Burger's Wool Dryer Balls are handmade by the couple, who live in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. The dryer balls are 100% sheep's wool. After several months of experimenting with various methods to make them, they eventually settled on a process to create what they believe is the best wool dryer balls out there. After trying several different kinds myself, I just might have to agree.

The husband and wife team started selling the product in June 2013 at farmers markets to see if there would be enough of an interest in their product. Fortunately, they found there was. They are available for purchase on their website, as well as in their first retail location at the gift shop at Good Samaritan Hospital in Lebanon, PA.

Why do I love wool dryer balls? Because they are the most eco-friendly way of fluffing and softening your laundry while reducing static and cutting down on drying time when you use a clothes dryer. No one should ever, and I stress ever, use fabric softener. By adding one-half cup distilled white vinegar to your wash and using dryer balls in your dryer, you will eliminate some of the most volatile toxins in your home. Click here to read more about the dangers of fabric softeners.

If you truly desire scented laundry and it's one of the reasons you can't part with your dryer sheets, Burger's Wool Dryer Balls can be scented by adding a few drops of essential oil.

For families on a budget, dryer balls just make sense. Period. Rather than throwing money away on disposable dryer sheets or liquid fabric softener, you can buy a set of dryer balls and enjoy years of soft laundry. 

A set of dryer balls would be perfect as a bridal shower gift or a holiday gift for a family trying to make ends meet. The sets range in price from $35-$55. Plus, you'll feel good about your purchase knowing you are supporting a couple who is just getting started with a business of their own.

So, how would you like a chance to win a set of six premium wool dryer balls from the Burgers? Yeah, I thought you'd like that idea. Just enter below on the Rafflecopter.

Good luck.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I was not paid for this post. However, I did receive products to review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. The opinions expressed are honest opinions which were not influenced by the company sponsoring the review and giveaway.