Here is a simple trick for anyone with a pile of ironing at home: throw a tennis ball into your tumble dryer.
According to laundry expert Gwil Snook, this small addition to your dryer can reduce wrinkles and creases. He also believes it can lower your energy bills.
"Adding a tennis ball or two to your tumble-drying cycle will help clothes dry faster by moving air around the machine, which in turn helps prevent wrinkling," Gwil said.
So how does it work? As the dryer turns, the balls bounce around and separate the clothes, which stops them from clumping together. This lets hot air move around more easily, so everything dries more quickly. Gwil says your clothes will also come out with fewer creases, so you may not need to iron them at all.
It's also easy to do. You don't need a fancy machine with complicated settings. According to Gwil, the trick works in all types of tumble dryers and is especially useful for bulky items like duvets or towels. And because your clothes dry faster, you'll use less energy, "which is great for your wallet and the planet."
Tennis balls work in the same way as woollen dryer balls, he adds, but they can be cheaper and last longer.
Some people who have tried it call it a game-changer. "It works so well," said one. Another said it "helps keep your comforters fluffy."
Not keen on a noisy tennis ball banging around in your dryer? Others say you can use balled-up socks instead.