Picture this: It's late at night. You're ready to go to sleep, but you first need to make your bed with the sheets that just got done drying. You open the dryer door with heavy eyes and pull out the sheets to reveal a tangled, still damp mess. Sound familiar?
It's no secret that balled-up sheets are a major annoyance (and in this case, inconvenience). Luckily, there are some expert-approved hacks you can try to keep your sheets from balling together and resulting in a damp, wrinkled mess.
Shake Them Out
Before you try another other tactic that requires purchasing other items, Shields recommends giving your sheets a nice shake. "My first tip is to shake them up before throwing in the dryer. The more spread out they are, the better they’ll tumble." She also recommends decreasing the amount of sheets you wash per cycle to create more room in the dryer. "When you overload the dryer, there’s not enough space for them to tumble around freely, resulting in unevenly dried sheets."
Toss In Dryer Balls Or Tennis Balls
But, if you try shaking them out or decreasing your load size and your sheets are still coming out damp, you can try the dryer ball or tennis ball hack. "Toss in a couple of dryer balls (or even tennis balls) to help break up the fabric. They’re reusable, so it’s a win-win!" This hack works by the dryer balls or tennis ball soaking up extra moisture that are leaving your sheets damp, which causes them to speed up drying.
Use A Lower Heat Setting
It might seem counterintuitive to set your cycle on a lower heat setting, but according to Shields, it can make all the difference in keeping your sheets from balling up. "A lower heat setting is preferred, too, to give sheets more time to dry evenly. Yes, it might take a little longer, but the payoff is smooth, untangled sheets. Low and slow is the way to go."
Spray A Wrinkle-Releaser
On top of balled up sheets resulting in uneven drying time, they also result in unwanted wrinkles. Good thing there are products on the market to cut out the wrinkles and keep your sheets from scrunching together as they tumble. "Get a wrinkle release spray! This helps relax the fabric and keeps it from bunching up as much. Plus, your sheets will come out looking smoother! Just spritz your sheets lightly before throwing them in the dryer," says Shields.
Upgrade To A Large Dryer
Your balled up sheets could be a result of a small dryer. If you have it in the budget to upgrade appliance, Shields says upgrading to a larger dryer could take care of the issue. "A standard-sized one can sometimes be too small for king-sized or even queen-sized sheets. If you have access or budget, upgrade to a larger dryer."
Choose “Quick-Dry” Sheets
If you're tired of dealing with balled up sheets, another tip Shields recommends is shopping for some new ones. Specifically, quick-dry sheets. "If you’re shopping for sheets, choose those labeled “quick-dry”. Since they dry faster, there’s less time for them to ball up. This is a great long-term fix if tangled sheets drive you nuts. And, they save time and energy!"
Join The Discussion!