Doing laundry is not exactly one of many people’s favorite activities. Sorting, washing, drying, folding, and then putting everything back in the closet: before you know it, half a day has passed.
Fortunately, there are all sorts of simple tricks that can make washing just a little easier. One of them looks quite strange: putting a ball of aluminum foil in with your wet laundry in the dryer.
Why on earth would you do that? The reason is surprisingly handy.
Aluminum foil in the dryer
For this trick, you actually only need one thing: a piece of aluminum foil.
Tear a large sheet from the roll and crumple it tightly until you have a compact ball. Make sure there are no sharp protruding edges. Then put the ball in the dryer along with your wet clothes.
The idea behind this has mainly to do with something that many people suffer from: static clothing .
Get rid of static laundry
Do you know that crackling sound when you take a sweater out of the dryer? Or clothes that seem to almost stick together after drying?
Constantly moving clothes against each other in a dryer can cause static electricity to build up. A metal ball of aluminum foil can help dissipate this electrical charge and thus reduce the static effect on the laundry.
That can be especially useful with synthetic clothing. You don’t have to make a new ball every time.
The nice thing is that you can use the aluminum ball for multiple drying sessions. So you don’t have to pull half a roll of foil out of the cupboard every time.
Be sure to check the ball before using it again. Has it fallen apart or have sharp pieces formed? Then make a new one.
And what about dryer sheets?
Many people use special dryer sheets to make their laundry feel softer, smell nice, and prevent static electricity.
If you mainly want to do something about static laundry, an aluminum ball can be a cheap alternative. However, keep in mind that aluminum foil naturally contains no fragrances. So, your clothes won’t get any extra perfume scent from it.
Never lose socks again
And then there’s another familiar annoyance: where do those socks always go?
You put six pairs of socks in the washing machine, and when folding them, there suddenly seem to be only eleven socks left.
A simple solution is to put small items of clothing, such as socks, together in a laundry bag. The bag then simply goes into the washing machine along with the laundry. Afterwards, you no longer have to search for loose socks among trousers, shirts, and towels.
Ideal when you have a large family and wash dozens of socks every week.
Make sorting easier
Another handy trick is to sort clothes before washing. For example, use separate laundry baskets for light, dark, and delicates.
This way, you don’t have to sort through a huge pile of clothes on laundry day. Is one basket full? Then you know immediately that you can run a load.
It sounds incredibly simple, but it can save quite a bit of time.
Always check the washing label
And before you enthusiastically throw everything straight from the washing machine into the dryer: check the washing label first.
Not every garment can withstand the high temperatures and movements of a tumble dryer. Some fabrics may shrink, be damaged, or lose their shape.
In doubt? Then it is better to let the garment air dry.
A strange trick that can be surprisingly handy
A ball of aluminum foil between your clothes might look strange, but the idea behind it is actually very simple. The metal ball can help reduce the amount of static electricity in the dryer.
And the best part? You probably already have everything you need for it in your kitchen drawer.
