# Dry with tennis balls. eh?? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 7, 2004, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-with-tennis-balls-eh/278512 "2004-12-07T06:56:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Badge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@Badge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badge)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-with-tennis-balls-eh/278512/1 "2004-12-07T06:56:34Z")
I just bought a new jacket, specifically for taking long walks with my Lab/Great Dane/Bison mix dog, Padraic. The jacket is insulated and waterproof, perfect for the liquid atmosphere of a Pacific Northwest winter. So, I read the washing instructions on the tag: [ul] [li]Machine wash cold. Check.[/li][li]Do not bleach. Even I know that one.[/li][li]Tumble dry low in large capacity dryer with tennis balls. uh, what? šŸ˜• [/li][/ul] What am I supposed to do with tennis balls? Stuff the pockets? Fill the sleeves? How many do I need? ---
**Author:** ![Hedda\_Rosa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hedda_rosa/32/1204_2.png) [@Hedda\_Rosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hedda_Rosa)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-with-tennis-balls-eh/278512/2 "2004-12-07T06:59:02Z")
Just use a few. The point is to keep the fabric tumbling freely instead of getting stuck to one side of the dryer and going _thumpa thumpa thumpa_ or ending up a sodden mess even after a good long drying session. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-with-tennis-balls-eh/278512/3 "2004-12-07T12:48:03Z")
Lab/Great Dane/Bison mix, eh? That sounds big. Shame - if it was one of [these little fellas](http://www.puppydogweb.com/kennels/images/yorkshire_schaaf.jpg), you might not need the tennis balls šŸ˜‰ Seriously though (animal cruelty not condoned), you just need to toss one or two tennis balls into the drier. I have some clothes that say ā€œTumble Dry, including a tennis ballā€, so one might do the trick. ---
**Author:** ![SavageNarce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@SavageNarce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SavageNarce)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-with-tennis-balls-eh/278512/4 "2004-12-07T12:54:09Z")
I have seen similar instructions that say (for a sleeping bag) to tumble dry with an old sneaker in the dryer. Since none of my old sneakers are suitable for tumbling with clean clothes, I safety-pin one inside a pillowslip. It seems to work, but makes one heckuva racket. I suspect tennis balls would be too light and insubstantial to work with something like a sleeping bag. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-with-tennis-balls-eh/278512/5 "2004-12-07T13:29:05Z")
Oddly enough, it also works well to just dry the jacket with other clothes in a full load. The point of the balls or shoes is that a single object in a dryer will wrap itself into a knot & then not dry in the middle. As long as you donā€™t have a single object, youā€™re fine. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-with-tennis-balls-eh/278512/6 "2004-12-07T13:33:00Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Oddly enough, it also works well to just dry the jacket with other clothes in a full load. > > The point of the balls or shoes is that a single object in a dryer will wrap itself into a knot & then not dry in the middle. As long as you donā€™t have a single object, youā€™re fine. I agree, but if you happen to have some spare tennis ballsā€¦ Do some bath towels and toss them is too. ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-with-tennis-balls-eh/278512/7 "2004-12-07T14:04:57Z")
I donā€™t understand how this works. How do the tennis balls keep the jacket from staying lumped up against the outside? It seems like they would only help if they got ā€œunderneathā€ the coat, otherwise they might randomly beat against it. šŸ˜• ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-with-tennis-balls-eh/278512/8 "2004-12-07T14:09:30Z")
> [@Bruce\_Daddy](#): > > I donā€™t understand how this works. How do the tennis balls keep the jacket from staying lumped up against the outside? It seems like they would only help if they got ā€œunderneathā€ the coat, otherwise they might randomly beat against it. šŸ˜• After each game the ball boys roll them to the other end of the clothes drier. On the way they snag the jacket. ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-with-tennis-balls-eh/278512/9 "2004-12-07T14:53:23Z")
You also might consider taping your dryer door closed if you end up going with tennis shoes. (Ours always wanted to fall open). ---
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-with-tennis-balls-eh/278512/10 "2004-12-07T15:46:30Z")
> [@SavageNarce](#): > > I suspect tennis balls would be too light and insubstantial to work with something like a sleeping bag. Solution: Bowling balls. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-with-tennis-balls-eh/278512/11 "2004-12-07T16:08:41Z")
Iā€™m not sure where you guys got your explanation of the necessity of tennis balls while drying, but it the ones Iā€™ve heard (since the 70s) have nothing to do with keeping it untwisted (or similar). The only time Iā€™ve heard tennis balls suggested is when drying down or feather filled jackets. The light impact of the balls keeps the feathers from matting together inside the jacket while it tumble dries. ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-with-tennis-balls-eh/278512/12 "2004-12-07T16:10:15Z")
> [@Badge](#): > > I just bought a new jacket, specifically for taking long walks with my Lab/Great Dane/Bison mix dog, Padraic. The jacket is insulated and waterproof, perfect for the liquid atmosphere of a Pacific Northwest winter. > > So, I read the washing instructions on the tag: [ul] > [li]Machine wash cold. Check.[/li][li]Do not bleach. Even I know that one.[/li][li]Tumble dry low in large capacity dryer with tennis balls. uh, what? šŸ˜• [/li][/ul] > > What am I supposed to do with tennis balls? Stuff the pockets? Fill the sleeves? How many do I need? Iā€™ve seen this instruction with our down comforter and both down coats. I thought that maybe the wet clumps of feathers benefitted from being occassionally and random banged into by a relatively hard object. However, at a laundromat recently I saw the attendant giving out socks with tennis balls tied into them, so perhaps they serve a wider purpose for other types of drying needs, too. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-with-tennis-balls-eh/278512/13 "2004-12-07T16:12:29Z")
> [@Carnac the Magnificent!](#): > > Solution: Bowling balls. Or frozen chickens? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-with-tennis-balls-eh/278512/14 "2004-12-07T16:17:21Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Or frozen chickens? Wouldnā€™t live chickens work better? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-with-tennis-balls-eh/278512/15 "2004-12-07T16:19:49Z")
Assuming they have had enemas. ---
**Author:** ![siberia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/siberia/32/9129_2.png) [@siberia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/siberia)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-with-tennis-balls-eh/278512/16 "2004-12-07T16:49:14Z")
I was washing/drying my newish down comforter last week when I remembered that it was recommended to add a tennis ball or two to the dryer to help fluff the down. My husband had just purchased a new can of balls for the dogs so I grabbed a couple and tossed them in. I checked the comforter after about fifteen minutes and was overwhelmed with the smell of hot rubbery tennis balls. Yuck! I will not be doing that again. ---
**Author:** ![aahala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@aahala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aahala)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-with-tennis-balls-eh/278512/17 "2004-12-07T17:08:13Z")
> [@siberia](#): > > My husband had just purchased a new can of balls for the dogs so I grabbed a couple and tossed them in. Keep them dogs out of the dryer.šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-with-tennis-balls-eh/278512/18 "2004-12-08T03:54:48Z")
ā€¦ unless theyā€™ve had enemas. ---
**Author:** ![Survivor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/51bf81/32.png) [@Survivor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Survivor)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-with-tennis-balls-eh/278512/19 "2004-12-08T05:07:28Z")
Iā€™m almost afraid to ask after the dogs with enemas comment, butā€¦ Will tennis balls help with drying sheets in the dryer? I throw in two or three sheets of bedding into the dryer, and come back virtually every time and find a HUGE knotted ball of sheetsā€¦ Not exactly fun to try to take apart, and I end up having to dry them two or three times after unknotting themā€¦ What the heck can I do? (Other than putting dogs or chickens in with the sheets?) šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-with-tennis-balls-eh/278512/20 "2004-12-08T13:36:41Z")
Try ducks. I here their feathers repel water, which ought to speed the drying process. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-with-tennis-balls-eh/278512.md?page=2)