Is It Dangerous To Put Aluminum Foil Balls In Your Laundry?

Not only are some people allergic to the perfumes used in scented dryer sheets (and detergent), but many have started to move away from the many commercial products that are infused with chemicals. There's less of a need to use them since there are so many household staples free of artificial scents we can use as a substitute. This is exactly why many choose aluminum balls in the dryer instead of dryer sheets. They're an unscented, chemical-free way to speed up drying time while reducing wrinkles and static cling.

Household hacks end up costing less or simply offer more peace of mind — they're less polluting to the earth and often recyclable, which are two of the benefits of putting aluminum foil balls in your laundry. However, not everyone is completely sold on using them. So is it safe to use aluminum foil in the dryer? The answer is probably. But while aluminum itself is not flammable, it can get extremely hot, and you should use caution.

Aluminum is considered fire-resistant and not flammable. Technically, unalloyed aluminum melts at around 1,220 degrees Fahrenheit and weakens at 300 degrees. Most dryers in the U.S. reach an interior temperature of between 125 and 135 degrees Fahrenheit, so it's clear from a comparison of those numbers that safety is on your side. As an extra safety measure, we suggest placing your balls on top of the laundry rather than at the bottom of the drum. Pro tip: jagged foil edges may not play nicely with your clothes. Instead of quickly wadding up the foil, smooth sheets over each other into a more even ball shape.

What you do need to watch out for is not cleaning your lint tray. While the tin foil itself won't catch on fire, it gets hot and could potentially spark the lint to set alight. Make sure you empty out your lint tray every time you use the dryer. This is important if it's one of those days when you're doing mega loads of laundry — still empty the lint tray frequently instead of letting it stack up. If there's no room for a garbage can in your laundry area, this petite tissue box hack can help you discard unwanted dryer lint.