How to Fluff Pillows in the Dryer with Tennis Balls

It’s no secret that fluffing your pillows can make them feel a lot more comfortable, but what if you don’t have time to do it the old-fashioned way? 

Here’s a quick and easy trick for fluffing your pillows in the dryer using nothing but tennis balls. 

Not only can tennis balls fluff up pillows but they have other uses in your dryer too. Let’s find out more!

How to Fluff Pillows in the Dryer with Tennis Balls

All you need is a couple of tennis balls, preferably old ones that haven’t been used for a while so they’re not too slick and more likely to grip the fabric. 

While used ones are preferable, it’s better to ensure they are clean and won’t transfer any dirt to your pillow. 

Just put them into the dryer like you would with any other load of laundry. Set the dryer on a low or delicate setting and let it run for about 15 minutes. 

A high setting would likely damage the tennis balls and it’s important to note that temperature isn’t important here, the motion is. 

Once the cycle is finished, remove the pillows and give them a quick fluffing by hand. 

You’ll notice that they’re much fuller and softer than before. If they are not quite to your satisfaction, then simply repeat the process. 

 

Why It Works

The reason this trick works so well is that tennis balls create a lot of repetitive and random contact with the pillow. This contact helps to break up the clumps inside the pillow and separate the fibres.

You can obviously do this by hand, but it’s like the difference between using a manual drill or an electric one. 

Tennis balls in the dryer will get them fluffed up much more quickly and efficiently. The tennis balls will continuously bounce off the walls and strike the pillows for great results.

 

Why Use a Dryer with Tennis Balls?

There are several benefits to using tennis balls instead of your hands when fluffing your pillows. For starters, it’s a lot faster and easier than using your hands. You can achieve the same results in just a fraction of the time.

It’s not just about time either, fluffing the pillows to your desired level takes a lot of effort and therefore the tennis ball method will stop you get getting a sweat on. 

Another benefit is that it’s a lot less messy. When you use your hands, you can end up with feathers or down all over your clothes. This is not a problem when you use tennis balls because the dryer will capture any loose material. It also prevents you from inhaling any dust from the pillow, which may trigger allergies. 

 

Alternatives to Tennis Balls

You don’t have any tennis balls but are wondering what else you can use? The answer is anything that has a similar density that won’t get damaged in a dryer. 

One of the most obvious alternatives is dryer balls. While these are a decent replacement, they don’t quite have the density or bounce which makes tennis balls so effective. 

You can use lacrosse balls or other types of rubber balls but these can be very loud. 

Other alternatives include a clean pair of trainers, a tied-up shirt or a dog ball. Given how cheap and readily available tennis balls are, we’d recommend sticking with them.

 

Other Uses for Tennis Balls in the Dryer

While they are great at getting rid of clumps, tennis balls can also act like dryer balls when you are drying clothes in a standard setting. This means they can:

Speed up drying times

Tennis balls in the dryer will help separate clothes and create gaps. This allows more air to pass through and speeds up the drying process.

Reduce static

That separation means there will be less friction between the clothes and therefore less static which can cling the material together. Another side benefit to this is the clothes will also be less wrinkled.

Save time and money

More than ever, time equals money when it comes to energy. Reducing drying times will reduce your energy use and therefore save you money.

While adding tennis balls can give you these benefits, we’d recommend buying dryer balls for the task. 

Both dryer balls and tennis balls are inexpensive and therefore it’s best to buy them both for these separate tasks. That is tennis balls for fluffing, and dryer balls for drying.

 

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to fluff your pillows, try putting them in with tennis balls. 

They’ll save you time and make the process less messy because there won’t be any feathers or down spilling out of the pillowcase. Try this trick next time you need to fluff up your pillows in a hurry.