How to Keep Clothes From Balling Up in the Dryer

How to Keep Clothes From Balling Up in the Dryer
Published: Oct 28, 2010
Updated: Nov 20, 2021
1 minute read

This happens frequently with natural fabrics such as cottons, and can cost extra time and money--you’ll need to iron to get the wrinkles out and you will have to run the dryer longer to get the clothes fully dry. A simple solution exists to prevent your clothes from balling up in the dryer.

  1. Purchase dryer balls. These balls are often sold as natural, non-chemical clothes softeners, but they also prevent clothes from balling up in the dryer.

  2. Grasp clothing items, one item at a time, from your washing machine when the wash cycle has finished and shake them out. According to laundry tips found on the LG website, shaking clothes out before placing them in the dryer will help prevent them from balling up.

  3. Place the laundry in your dryer. Put the dryer balls in with the clothes and run the dryer as normal.

The Drip Cap

  • Due to a clothes dryer’s tumbling action, wet clothes sometimes ball up, which means they will take longer to dry and will come out wrinkled.
  • According to laundry tips found on the LG website, shaking clothes out before placing them in the dryer will help prevent them from balling up.

Photo Credits

Ryan McVay/Photodisc/Getty Images

Ryan McVay/Photodisc/Getty Images

Corey M. Mackenzie

Corey M. Mackenzie has been a professional freelance writer for more than two decades. She received a B.A. with honors from Wichita State University. Corey specializes in writing about pets, interior decorating, health care, gardening,…

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