Tag Archives: dryer

The number 1 cause of house fires: it’s not what you think

Posted on by Posted in General Announcement .

I’ve lived in my house for seven years and had no idea about this easy step I can take to protect my house.

 

We’ve all heard that the dryer is the number one cause of house fires. But, this isn’t what you think. Did you know the most common reason for the heating element going out is because of your dryer’s filter? Yep, that little mesh area that we all clean out after each load. It’s actually a fire starter, waiting to happen. Try this simple trick.

 

Take out your dryer filter and run it under hot water. Does the water to through your filter or does it bead up and sit on top?

dryer-tune-up-2

As we all know, you should clean out the lint from your filter after every load. But, did you know that dryer sheets produce a film over your filter that can cause your heating element to burn out? This is one of the most common causes of house fires.

 

Dryer sheets make your laundry smell good and helps prevent static cling, but it is doing more harm than good to your dryer’s filter. You can’t see the film, but think about it. A brand-new, fresh out the box dryer sheet feels a bit waxy, right? After the load is finished, the dryer sheet has a totally different feel to it. The wax is what ends up covering the filter. You can’t see it.

 

Try the water test on your filter today.

 

There is a simple solution. A few simple solutions, actually.

 

First, if you notice the water is not running through the filter, take an old toothbrush and soapy hot water and wash the filter. It takes minutes and will save you money on your electric bill and make your dryer last twice as long!

scrub+dryer+lint+trap

 

Second, try switching to a more natural way of drying clothes. You can use wadded up pieces of aluminum foil (that foil attracts the static cling, so your clothes won’t stick when you’re ready to fold them).

aluminum foil attracts static cling from the dryer

 

Third, make your own wool dryer balls and scent them with your favorite essential oils for that long-lasting, fresh, clean smell. Check out my blog post on how to make these guys. They are cute, easy to do, and last for years!

multiple wool dryer balls

 

Double check your dryer filter and save yourself time and money!

 

Did you know about washing your dryer filter to prevent fires? Tell us at www.facebook.com/Miraclean

Quick and easy way to make your own dryer sheets and save money!

Posted on by Posted in Cleaning Tips .

I wash a lot of laundry.

 

A  lot.

 

My clothes, the dog’s stuff, towels that I use while cleaning homes, everything. The towels are probably the toughest because I have some that can’t go in the dryer and others that require certain attention. Terry cloth towels are tough, but they can get crazy static cling!

 

Once I decided to take the green plunge in my own house, dryer sheets were a big no-no. I started using balls of aluminum foil.

 

The problem was that they require a lot of aluminum foil to get the right size and they shrink in the dryer. (The girls would make fun of me as they started finding little aluminum balls in the clean towel piles.)

aluminum foil attracts static cling from the dryer

 

I needed something that would last, something I wouldn’t have to buy a ton of throughout the year, and something that would eliminate the static cling. And of course, the wonderful folks at Pinterest were ahead of me.

 

This is my easy-to-make, easy-to-use tip to saving you money in the laundry room!

 

Today we are going to show you how to make and use wool dryer balls.

multiple wool dryer balls

 

These little guys are easy to make, they last for years, and they take static cling out of your clothes just as good as a dryer sheet. (of course they are natural and most dryer sheets are not). All you need is some Fishermen’s Wool.

fishermen wool

 

Once you’ve got your felting Fishermen’s Wool, wind the wool around your fingers, and then pull off and wind around itself. Keep going in circles, winding and flipping the ball every now again. This should take about an hour, but you’ll never have to do it again.

 

Plus, here is your result, a 4 oz. wool dryer ball. Isn’t that rewarding?!

dryer ball

 

Almost finished! Tie the loose end of your wool dryer ball to another piece of yarn to prevent it from untangling because now comes the washing part.

 

The more dryer balls you have, the better it works. Six to eight is a good number. Put three balls in one nylon stocking, tying them off each individually. Then, put both sets of nylons in a pillowcase and tie the pillowcase shut.

wool dryer balls in nylon

 

 

Place in washing machine on HOT water. Wash whatever else you can with the pillowcase. Note: it may take more than one washing, but you really want to get the dryer balls felting.

 

LAST STEP! Gently remove the pillowcase and nylon from the wool dryer balls. Be careful because the wool fibers will work their way out of the nylon.

 

At this point, you can use a few drops of your favorite essential oil on the wool. The more dryer balls you have, the less static cling and they bounce around separating clothes which dries clothes faster.

EssentialOils

 

How cute are these guys?!

multiple wool dryer balls

 

I’ve only started using them, but they seem to work pretty well. Of course I’ll update you with my results after using them for a few weeks. Have you ever tried this trick? What are your laundry tips? Tell us at www.facebook.com/Miraclean.