Why do they put tennis balls in the washing machine: the effect in practice

You've probably heard that for washing down jackets and other winter clothes, it is recommended to put tennis balls in the machine drum. How is this technique useful, which balls are safe for the device, and is it possible to do without them? The range of modern balls for washing is huge, everything is not limited to ordinary sports equipment.

Do tennis balls help?

Typically, tennis balls are used for washing jackets and down jackets, rarely for other types of clothing and textiles. The technique originates from old washing methods with “beaters” to quickly remove dirt.

Why do housewives put tennis balls in the washing machine?

The accessory helps to knock out dirt from the deepest layers of the filler.
The balls prevent the filler from clumping: when the drum rotates, they bounce off the walls and “beat” the material. During normal washing, fluff or synthetic fluff clumps together and is very difficult to straighten with your hands. As a result, winter clothing loses its heat-protective properties.
Special laundry balls, rather than ordinary tennis balls, can fight fungus and help get rid of unpleasant odors.
During rinsing, the additional mechanical action of the accessory helps to wash out all the detergent.

Tennis balls do not harm the car, they are quite light. But if you are afraid, then use special washing supplies purchased at a hardware store.

Advice
If you have washed your winter down jacket and noticed that the down has bunched up in large clumps, first wait until it is completely dry, and then start straightening out the filling with your fingers. When wet, it is impossible to separate and distribute evenly. Help yourself with a stick: place the dry jacket in a transparent bag and beat it off.

What balls to wash with?

A tennis ball is a cheap option for washing down jackets, but housewives should know that special balls with extended functionality are sold.

What types of washing balls exist:

Tourmaline — special balls with cleaning granules inside. Manufacturers recommend washing things with these balls without adding washing powder. One such ball is enough to wash a down jacket. The shelf life of the item is quite long - up to 3 years. Periodically you need to expose it to the sun.
Magnetic balls - record holders for shelf life. Such an item does not deteriorate for 20 years. These balls are quite heavy, although small. For one wash cycle, use 5-6 balls. Advantages: parallel water softening and protection of the device from scale.
Embossed rubber - light balls with “pimples”, beat the filler well. They are used for washing any laundry. Constant drying is required after water procedures, shelf life is 1 year, or until the first signs of deformation. Rubber varieties are the cheapest, but short-lived.
Sold in relief plastic balls.

Preparing the Tennis Ball

A special ball can be replaced with a tennis ball, but in this case the item will need preparation before the very first cycle. Typically, sports equipment is bright yellow. To prevent the ball from accidentally staining the light-colored fabric of the jacket, the yellowness must be removed.

What should be done:

Boil water in a saucepan and put the balls in it for a couple of minutes.
Then carefully remove them and soak them in bleach.
When the color fades, rinse the balls thoroughly in warm water. Any remaining bleach must be washed off.
Bleaching tennis balls only before the first wash; this procedure is not necessary in the future.
Another way is to dilute “Belizna” with water and soak the balls in the solution for a couple of hours.

Use only new tennis balls for washing. Keep them dry in the bathroom and do not use them for other purposes. Tennis balls work most effectively: they are quite heavy and require less of them.

How many tennis balls do you need?

To wash a down jacket, 4-5 balls are enough. Some put 2-3, some - up to 8 pieces. It all depends on the volume of the drum and the weight of the down jacket itself. After a couple of experiments, you will understand how many balls your machine needs.

For reference
The magazine purity-en.htgetrid.com warns that when washing with more balls, the noise will be higher.

How to replace tennis balls

Instead of tennis balls, you can wash your jacket with homemade foil balls. They are tightly rolled from a sheet, the optimal size is about the size of a walnut in shell or a little larger.

Children's rubber balls for swimming and playing are suitable as a replacement.

A little about washing jackets and down jackets

Don't forget that regardless of whether you use additives or not, your down jacket needs to be machine washed. Empty the contents of your pockets, fasten all zippers and buttons, and remove the fur collar or decorative part of the hood.

Use a gentle washing gel. Conditioner may be used to soften.

Wash down jackets separately, do not mix with other items. One wash cycle per jacket. Don’t forget to set the appropriate mode - preferably delicate, at low temperatures and low speeds. Hot water is harmful to both jackets and tennis balls. It won't hurt to rinse again. Spinning is also carried out at the lowest speed.

Advice
Frequent washing of a down jacket is not necessary. Only put clothes in the machine if there is obvious dirt on the collar, cuffs or other places. Due to constant mechanical stress, the fluff can come out, and the synthetic filler can lose its qualities.

Massage with tennis balls has a positive effect on the quality of washing and the condition of down jackets and down jackets. Try this simple method and caring for filled clothes will become much easier and faster.