Strengthen the effect of washing powder, prevent the appearance of pellets and lumps of fluff, preserve the structure of the fabric - all this can be done with laundry balls.
Every year the popularity of these small balls is growing, and all because with their use you can achieve high quality washing with minimal costs for electricity and detergents.
Having studied in detail the information about what types of laundry balls there are, what are their differences, which manufacturers are the most popular, you can choose the most suitable option for yourself.
Why do you use laundry balls?
Special laundry balls help to wash clothes better and extend their useful life.
Laundry balls can perform the following functions:
- Replacing detergent;
- Break down lint in outerwear, blankets, pillows;
- Promotes better rinsing of the detergent;
- Helps remove contaminants;
- Removing pellets;
- Fabric softening.
It is worth noting that this additional element for washing does not cause allergies and saves detergents.
Advantages and disadvantages
During use, many housewives noted that thanks to the balls:
- the down in jackets does not get lost;
- contaminants are removed better;
- pellets disappear;
- powder and conditioner are rinsed out better;
- Detergents, electricity and water are saved.
Despite this, such devices also have disadvantages, namely:
- make a loud sound during washing as they hit the drum;
- suitable for washing in water with a temperature not exceeding 60 degrees;
- cheap beads can fade and ruin your clothes.
Balls for automatic machine
Today we know that there are quite a few types of laundry balls that perform different functions and are made of different materials. Not all types are suitable for use in the washing machine.
If the balls will be used for automatic washing, then you should choose these types.
Tourmaline - in appearance, they resemble an ordinary plastic ball. These balls have a larger number of holes and small ceramic balls inside the body. They are designed for use for at least 3 years and contain more than 80 minerals.
The main advantages of this type of balls:
- No washing powders or gels required;
- Softening fabric fibers;
- Safe to use on baby items;
- Have an antibacterial effect;
- Leave no streaks;
- Durable to use;
- Do not require precise dosage;
- Can be used both for washing by hand and in a washing machine.
There are quite a lot of advantages of such balls, but the disadvantages include the fact that they do not always cope with severe dirt and are quite expensive.
It is worth remembering that tourmaline balls are used for washing in which the water temperature is no more than 50 degrees, otherwise they may become deformed.
The pellet balls have a plastic base and are covered with tapes with special loops that collect lint, wool, threads... Thanks to these loops, these balls rid clothes of pellets. It is worth noting that such balls rid the washing machine of various debris.
Magnetic - made in the form of a plastic ball, inside of which there is a small magnet. This ball has a long service life - 20 years. When using them, you need to add detergent, but in a minimal amount.
Main advantages:
- Softening fabric fibers;
- Long term of use;
- They soften the water and demagnetize it;
- They cope with their task even in insufficiently hot water.
Among the disadvantages, it is noted that they make too loud sounds during the washing process and for high-quality washing, 6 pieces of such balls are required.
Hedgehog balls can be plastic or rubberized with small pimples. It is recommended to use this type of ball for washing down items, as they prevent the filling from clumping.
When using balls, you should use detergent. For high-quality washing, you need to take 2 balls; you can use all modes except delicate washing.
Main advantages:
- Low cost;
- Do not deform at high water temperatures;
- Softens fabric fibers;
- Doesn't allow fluff to clump.
What things and materials are used for?
To understand which beads are right for you, consider the purpose of their use, as they come in different types, some of which, in turn, are suitable for processing certain products.
| Type of balls | What products are they suitable for? |
| Tourmaline | For clothing that comes into contact with the skin: underwear, T-shirts, T-shirts, blouses. Cannot be used for washing silk and wool. |
| Pimply | For down jackets, jackets, blankets and pillows. |
| Magnetic | For everyday clothes made of any materials. They do not cope with cleaning jackets, down jackets, and blankets. |
| Antikatyshki | For woolen, fleecy and knitted clothing. |
If you use the balls correctly and wash only with products that are suitable for their properties, they will last as long as possible.
Choosing laundry balls
The choice of balls directly depends on what things they will be used for. Below are recommendations for choosing laundry balls:
- Magnetic and tourmaline balls are considered universal and can be used for washing almost all types of fabrics.
- Silicone balls are designed for washing delicate fabrics.
- Balls with spikes perform well when washing outerwear and down products.
- Pill balls are used for washing woolen and knitted items.
- Standard balls with ceramic granules are designed for daily washing, without stains or heavy soiling.
Magnetic
They are made of rubber. Their main difference is the large holes. There is a magnet inside that softens the water. The balls, pushing in a rotating drum, contribute to the detachment of dirt. Traditional detergent is used, but the dosage can be reduced. Their advantages:
- service life - unlimited;
- water softening promotes washing;
- water and electricity are saved.
The number of balls to be placed depends on the load of laundry and the selected mode. Place 6–12 pieces. According to user reviews, this expensive pleasure really improves the washing of clothes. Less powder is used, making rinsing easier. Knocking causes dissatisfaction. Magnetic balls are an additional source of noise.
Calculation of laundry balls
The required number of laundry balls depends on the type of ball, the items that will be washed and their weight. The optimal number of balls for washing at maximum drum load:
- You need 12 magnetic balls, but if the items are woolen, then 4 pieces are enough.
- One copy of tourmaline balls will be enough.
- You need 2 pellet balls.
- Balls with pimples are required 2-3 pieces.
Tennis balls
Many housewives use regular tennis balls. They will come in handy if you have damaged your down jacket by washing it incorrectly and the filling has become matted into unsightly pieces. Tennis balls provide a kind of massage to the underwear and smooth out the seal. They also wash off dirt very well, but there are some nuances to using. So, large tennis balls are suitable for washing (3-4 pieces per 5 kg of weight), but first soak them in bleach (for 1-2 hours) so that they do not fade in the future. It is better to choose a liquid powder, since dry granules clog into the fleecy surface.
The best laundry balls
The following manufacturers of wash balls have proven themselves to be the most successful:
- Boggart - balls with pimples from a Chinese manufacturer. Made of PVC, 6.6 cm in diameter, supplied in 2 pieces.
- Paterra - balls with pimples, 12 cm in diameter, packed in 1 piece. Manufacturer: China.
- Eva - laundry balls from a Russian manufacturer. Packed in 2 pieces, made of soft plastic and covered with hard spikes, diameter 7cm.
- Bradex Magnet Laundry - magnetic balls from a Chinese manufacturer. Packed in 1 piece, diameter 5.5 cm.
- Supra Clean Ballz Washing Ball - plastic laundry balls with ceramic granules. Packed in 1 piece, made in Japan.
- Biotech ECO Laundry Ball - tourmaline laundry balls from a Chinese manufacturer. Packed in 1 piece, diameter 10 cm.
- Josko - pellet balls from a German manufacturer. These balls are intended for woolen products, packed in 12 pieces, each 3.5 cm in diameter.
From pellets
How do they work?
Frequent washing causes pilling to appear on clothes, giving them an unkempt and tired look. The main victim of pilling is woolen clothing. To prevent fibers from matting, special polypropylene balls are used. On their surface there are soft loops, which, while rotating in the drum, wind thin fibers, hairs, and hairs around themselves. At the same time, prevention of clogging is carried out. Drying time is reduced by 25%. Provide delicate care and quick drying.
How to use?
12 balls are placed into the drum at a time. Effect:
- things wash better;
- no pellets are formed;
- the attractiveness of things is maintained;
- protect the filter from clogging.
The cost, for example, of a kit from the German manufacturer JOSKO is 708 rubles.
Users respond positively to JOSKO products. They note the softness of the linen, especially terry towels and robes. For hard water, this is a godsend. Consumers claim that polypropylene balls fully replace air conditioner, and at the same time help improve washing efficiency. But about the pellets themselves, the reviews are not so clear.
How to replace laundry balls
In some situations, you can replace special laundry balls with more readily available items:
- Silicone balls from children's toys;
- A small ball of thread, you just need to place it in a sock;
- Walnuts in shell;
- Tennis balls;
- DIY foil balls.
It is recommended not to replace it with more readily available elements on an ongoing basis, since this is not always reliable and brings the expected effect.
How to dry a down jacket?
Even if all recommendations are followed, the product will still lose its external volume because the filler will get wet. To bring your jacket back to its original condition, you need to dry it properly:
- do not put it in a horizontal position, because in the absence of ventilation an unpleasant odor will appear and the down jacket will not dry for a long time;
- hang the product on hangers in a ventilated place;
- periodically shake the item and turn out the sleeves;
- speed up drying with a vacuum cleaner or hairdryer
Photo of laundry balls
Reviews
"Good afternoon! I washed my down jacket using tennis balls and detergent for knitwear and wool. Before this, I repeatedly used simple powder without balls, and ended up with a summer jacket instead of a winter one: the fluff all rolled into clumps and sank to the bottom. What's more important here: the balls or the product? I have to wash a few more down jackets, and I want the filling to be in its place, even if things become less bulky” (Marina);
“When I took the down jacket out of the machine, I was scared at first. But in the end everything turned out great. You just need to take out the jacket and immediately put it on the hanger. Let it dry completely, and then work with your hands. Every fluff ball needs to be straightened out. Then place the down jacket on your knees and tap each square. All that remains is to let things hang” (Igor);
“We must not forget that down feathers have a covering layer that protects from heat and water. Such things should be washed only with special liquids specifically for down, so that the protective layer does not wash off and the material does not stick together. Balls improve the quality of washing and prevent lumps from forming. But tennis balls do not completely replace washing devices” (Vitaly)
Price
The price of special washing balls is approximately 65 rubles per piece. A set of 4 devices costs from 260 rubles. It's not that expensive, but not available to every housewife. Those who want to save money take packs of tennis balls of 3 pieces at a price of 100-120 rubles.
A bigger savings is to buy tourmaline balls at a cost of 500-600 rubles and give up the powder.
Down jacket washing balls bring real benefits. With their help, you can not only remove dirt from your jacket, but also reduce time and money costs. But before washing, you must take a closer look at the labels on the product and understand whether the item can be washed and whether the feathers are coming out of it. If prohibited, machine washing using balls is not possible.
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