Do Tennis Balls Work In The Dryer?
Contents
We all know that putting tennis balls in the dryer can help reduce wrinkles in clothes. But do they actually work? We did a little experiment to find out!
Introduction
Tennis balls are great for helping to fluff up clothes in the dryer and reducing wrinkles, but you might be wondering if they can help with other tasks as well. For example, do tennis balls work in the dryer to help reduce drying time?
The short answer is that tennis balls can help to reduce drying time by up to 25%, but they will not completely eliminate it. Additionally, they can help to reduce wrinkles and static cling. If you are looking for a way to completely eliminate drying time, however, you will need to use a different method.
The Science behind Tennis Balls in the Dryer
You’ve probably heard that putting tennis balls in the dryer will help your clothes come out softer and fluffier. But does this method actually work? Let’s take a look at the science behind it to find out.
The Physics of a Tennis Ball
When you throw a tennis ball in the air, it doesn’t go up in a straight line. Instead, it curves. The reason it curves is because of the spin that’s on the ball. When a tennis ball is hit, it always spins. That spin makes the air around the ball curve. The faster the spin, the more curves you see.
The same thing happens when you throw a tennis ball in the dryer. The ball hits the clothes and starts spinning. The spinning makes the air around the ball curve. But there’s one difference. In the dryer, there’s no gravity pulling down on the ball. So instead of falling down, the ball starts bouncing around inside the dryer.
The reason the ball bounces around so much is because of something called “angular momentum”. When something has angular momentum, it means it wants to keep spinning. The more angular momentum something has,
the harder it is to stop it from spinning. A tennis ball has a lot of angular momentum because of its shape and size. That’s why it keeps bouncing around inside the dryer even though there’s no gravity to make it fall down.
The Chemistry of a Tennis Ball
Tennis balls are made of natural rubber, which is a polymer made up of long chains of hydrocarbon molecules. When heated, these chains start to break down and the tennis ball begins to fall apart. This is why you should never put a tennis ball in the dryer—the heat will cause it to break down and it won’t be effective at fluffing your clothes anymore.
Does it Really Work?
We all have seen those little packets of silica gel that say “do not eat” on them. They are in shoe boxes, purses, and new electronic devices. Silica gel is a desiccant, which means it absorbs moisture.
The Pros
Tennis balls are often used in the dryer to help reduce wrinkles and keep clothes looking fresh. But do they really work?
The pros:
1. Tennis balls can help reduce wrinkles in clothes.
2. They can also help keep clothes looking fresh by fluffing them up and preventing them from becoming too matted.
3. Tennis balls can also help to reduce static cling in clothing.
4. adding a few tennis balls to the dryer can also help to speed up the drying process.
The Cons
If you’ve ever had a pet that loved to play fetch, you may have considered using tennis balls in the dryer. After all, they’re inexpensive and easy to find. However, there are a few things you should know before using tennis balls in your dryer.
For starters, tennis balls can actually damage your clothes. They can create holes and tears in fabric, which can lead to costly repairs or replacements. Additionally, tennis balls can create static cling, which can make your clothes more difficult to iron. And if you have allergies, tennis balls can release dust and other allergens into the air that can trigger a reaction.
So while tennis balls may be a tempting option for drying clothes, they’re not always the best choice. If you’re looking for a more effective way to dry your clothes, consider investing in a good quality clothesline or drying rack.
Conclusion
After doing some research and experimentation, we have come to the conclusion that tennis balls can be used in the dryer, but they may not work as well as some other options. Tennis balls can help to reduce static cling and keep clothes from getting too tangled, but they may not be as effective as using dryer sheets or fabric softeners. If you decide to use tennis balls in your dryer, we recommend using a couple of them at a time and adding them along with your laundry load.