Why You Should Put a Ball of Foil in Your Washing Machine: This Life Hack Will Save You Thousands

18.02.2025 21:10

The foil ball is the dark horse of life hacks.

LG engineer Jason Park told Tech Insider :

"Aluminum creates ion exchange, softening the water. This reduces powder consumption by 20% and protects the heating element from scale."

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Photo: © TUT NEWS

But how does it work?

Crumple the foil into a ball 5–7 cm in diameter and throw it into the drum.

“After this, the laundry became softer than with conditioner!” writes user @EcoMom on social media.

To enhance the effect, add 1 teaspoon of citric acid inside the ball - it fights mold.

“This is how I washed towels that smelled damp,” boasts Lydia from Sochi.

Blogger Katya tested 10 washing cycles with foil:

  • The scale on the heating element has decreased by 50%.
  • The static electricity is gone.
  • White items retained their brightness.

Danger! Do not use foil with holes - sharp edges will damage the drum. A case from Serpukhov: a woman put a ball with uneven edges in, and the machine started knocking. "The repair cost 8,000 rubles," she sighs.

Valeria Kisternaya Author: Valeria Kisternaya Editor of Internet resources