I’ve had a love-hate relationship with doing the laundry ever since I became a homeowner, and that’s because I inherited a washing machine with a yucky smell. After spending hours trialing different laundry detergents (and screaming into a pillow when it still stunk), my desperation finally led to LaundryTok—aka the corner of TikTok that’s dedicated to laundry hacks. I finally solved the mystery of the moldy laundry smell (friends with front-load washers, check every fold of that pesky rubber gasket!), and also discovered my new favorite laundry essential.

After watching video after video of other people doing their wash, the one laundry hack that single-handedly changed my laundry routine isn’t a cleaning product or even a specific laundry detergent. It’s actually a $20 plastic gadget from Amazon.

The Wad-Free Bed Sheet Detangler might be best known for being featured on Shark Tank, but it was never something I thought I needed prior to my venture into LaundryTok. In fact, I thought it might take too long to attach and wouldn’t be user-friendly. Now, several washes later, I can say that not only does it take five seconds to attach the detanglers to sheets, but having sheets that are dry and wrinkle-free is definitely worth the hype.

Wad-Free Bed Sheet Detangler 

Available in a two-pack, this detangling gadget attaches to your sheets (fitted or flat) through a rubber tab that locks each corner in place and is easy to secure the detangler properly. So although it takes an extra step before washing, it isn’t time-consuming or difficult at all. Once all four corners of the sheet are tucked into the tabs, I throw it in the wash on the delicate cycle.

Before discovering Wad-Free, I was manually removing trapped wet items from my sheets, constantly de-tangling, and running the dryer at least twice (sometimes three times!) to ensure everything was fully dry. The detanglers now keep sheets from tangling, twisting, and balling up by better balancing out the contents of your washing machine—this means less drying time and more energy saved.

And when it comes to drying, I was having to run the dryer on double cycles. Though eventually my sheets would finally dry, they were wrinkled to no end. While I’m not someone who really cares about wrinkles, especially since I was sleeping on them, the sheets definitely looked ugly when adhered to the bed—nothing like the soft, crisp bed sheets that you see in hotels. I briefly considered ironing them but quickly resigned myself to the fact that I would have wrinkled sheets for the rest of my life. Then came Wad-Free. Not only does it dry sheets more quickly by preventing wadding and twisting, but it also prevents creases and crinkles, too.

And while I haven’t gotten the chance to use it yet, Wad-Free also makes a laundry gadget specifically for blankets. Instead of four, the Wad-Free for Blankets and Duvets has eight tabs to better secure covers as they tumble around in the washing machine. I’ll definitely have to try it out next time I wash my Organic Airy Gauze Duvet Cover from Quince.

Wad-Free for Blankets and Duvets

The Wad-Free Bed Sheet Detangler has completely changed my laundry routine—I highly recommend it. I get drier, wrinkle-free sheets in significantly less time, and I no longer have to untwist and detangle sheets from the other items in the wash. Grab it on Amazon for just $20, and keep scrolling for more of my favorite laundry must-haves.

Dirty Labs Scent-Free Bio-Enzyme Liquid Laundry Detergent

Affresh Washing Machine Cleaner

The Laundress Signature Fabric Conditioner 

Smart Sheep Wool Dryer Balls

Pinalen Original Fresh Pine Multipurpose Cleaner

Ultra Beauty Essentials Lavender Sachets