Why you should always put a tennis ball in your tumble dryer

It saves time and money (Picture: Getty Images) We’ve previously sung the praises of packing a tennis ball in your carry-on luggage — but now it’s time to throw one into your tumble dryer too. While a tennis ball can do wonders for your joints on a long flight, it can also help with your pile of ironing at home. According to laundry expert, Gwil Snook, this simple addition to your drum can reduce wrinkles and creases. He also reckons it can lower your energy bills, too. Gwil, from AO.com, said: ‘Adding a tennis ball or two to your tumble-drying cycle will help clothes dry faster by moving air around the machine, which in turn helps prevent wrinkling,’ the expert explains. There’s no catch either. You don’t need a fancy machine with complicated settings. No more ironing? Sign us up (Picture: Getty Images) ‘This trick works in all types of tumble dryers and is especially handy for bulky items like duvets or towels,’ Gwil continues. ‘Plus, the quicker drying time means you’ll use less energy, which is great for your wallet and the planet.’ How does the tennis ball hack work for your laundry? ‘Tennis balls work in the same way as woolen ‘dryer balls’ but can be a cheaper and more durable option,’ says Gwil. Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. ‘The bouncing action of the balls helps to separate clothes, preventing them from clumping together.’ ‘This allows hot air to circulate better, resulting in a quicker drying time. Not only that, but your clothes will come out less creased, eliminating the need for ironing,’ Gwil says. Those who have tried it, agree that it’s a game-change. ‘It works so well,’ said one user, and another exclaimed, ‘It works really well and helps keep your comforters fluffy.’ Not keen on a noisy tennis ball banging around in your tumble dryer? Others noted you can use balled-up socks instead. Why your washing machine cycle takes longer than you think If a tennis ball means you can shorten the time it takes to dry your clothes, you might be looking for some time-saving hacks on your washing machine too. A recent study which analysed the length of laundry cycles across six different washing machines to understand how long they actually run for, found that the average washing machine cycle runs over by 11 minutes. One particularly unruly load (each machine was run three times on the same setting) went over by a lengthy 23 minutes. But it’s not that your machine is lying to you, it’s actually on you. As Ian Palmer-Smith, appliance repair expert at Domestic & General, notes, the most common reason behind this annoyance is down to how much detergent you add. Have you tried the tennis ball tumble dryer hack? Yes, and it was noisy and pointlessCheck No, I don't mind ironingCheck I don't own an iron, my clothes are always creased anywayCheck And if you overdo it, your machine will likely be playing catch-up. ‘If you add too much into the appliance, it will often require additional time to spin and drain away any excess water and detergent residue,’ Ian explains. ‘Adding excessive amounts of laundry detergent not just increases the cycle time, but can also lead to a clogged machine which may result in the need for a washing machine repair, so make sure you’re sticking to the advised amount if using a liquid.’ More hacks from Metro Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@metro.co.uk Arrow MORE: Hackers sell scans of 153,000,000 US driving licences – and drivers here could be next Arrow MORE: Gillian Anderson wants you to have good sex – and her horny new slasher film could help