Have you ever noticed a problem with your clothes dryer taking a long to dry clothing properly? The goal is to always make your clothes smell good every time, but sometimes your clothing doesn’t seem to come out crisp and dry. Here are the best laundry tips for how to use a clothes dryer the right way.
Laundry machine basics go a long way to enhancing overall clothing care. It’s not about finding the best dryer sheets, or running the longest drying cycle. A dryer’s dry time is related to the flow of the air through the laundry machine, and also the condition of the vent duct hose.
How does a dryer machine work?
In order to understand how to use a clothes dryer the right way, first you need to know how the laundry machine works.
An electrically powered heater, heats the air and pushed it through the clothes as they tumble. As a result, the air heats up the clothing and the water within the fabrics and materials. Furthermore, the water moisture vaporizes and exits the dryer in the form of steam through the exhaust vent.
What clothes can you put in a dryer?
Not all clothes should be dried using a clothes dryer machine. Always check the care label inside of your garments before throwing them into a clothes dryer.
Here are clothing fabrics that are safe to put in a clothes dryer:
- Cotton
- Acrylic
- Spandex
- Polyester
- Nylon
- Microfiber
- Linen
- Denim
Great news is the majority of basic capsule wardrobe essentials are made with dryer safe fabrics. These fabrications and materials go through a clothes dryer without any problems.
What clothes should not be put in the dryer?
Having garments that are dryer safe really makes the laundry chore a lot easier when you are extremely busy. But for these special fabrics, it is not recommended to put them into the clothes dryer.
Instead of using the clothes dryer, there are a few quick fixes for these special fabrics. Good news, easily dry clothing at home without a dryer to reduce harm or damage to delicate fabrics.
A few capsule wardrobe essentials are made with high-quality fabrics and materials, which make them last much longer. These are timeless fabrics that you are able to wear year round on a variety of occasions.
How To Use A Dryer
A clothes dryer is a convenient appliance when it comes to doing the final touch while washing your capsule wardrobe essentials.
In order to prevent any damages to your basic essentials, it is necessary to know how to use a clothes dryer the right way.
Due to extreme heat, it is not the best treatment for many fabrics and materials. A clothes dryer wears out fibers and easily damages clothing before you really get the full use from all of your outfits.
How To Dry Clothes In A Dryer
Whether you are using a washing machine or hand washing clothing items, make sure to shake out the clothing before you dry clothes in a dryer. Shaking out clothing helps to prevent any deep wrinkles and is also the best way to reduce the overall dry time.
A fabric softener helps to improve the smell, and also removes static from clothes. If you didn’t use a liquid softener during the wash cycle, add a dryer sheet to the dryer instead.
Next, choose the right setting for the particular laundry load.
There are generally 4 settings on a clothes dryer:
- Cotton: Cotton is for heavy fabrics, such as towels, jeans and sweatshirts that requires high heat to dry.
- Permanent press: The Permanent press is perfect for synthetic fabrics such as polyester or nylon, which requires medium heat
- Gentle: Gentle is the lowest heat that is perfect for delicate garments such as lingerie and leggings.
- Air Dry: Air dry setting is perfect for pillows or to refresh clothes. This setting doesn’t use any heat at all.
As soon as the dry cycle is completed, remove your clothes from the dryer to prevent any wrinkles.
How Long To Dry Clothes In Dryer
Not all garments take the same time to dry clothes in the dryer. An average load should take between 45 to 75 minutes in the clothes dryer. Depending on the type of fabric, size of the load, heat cycle, and also the type of vent pipe. As a result, the dry time for clothes in a dryer varies.
Here is how long it takes to dry each garment in the dryer:
- Towels: Any bath size towels in a full load takes about 60 minutes to dry on the hot heat cycle.
- Underwear: Underwear takes about 20-30 minutes to dry on the low heat cycle.
- Cotton: Cotton t-shirts and socks take about 10-20 minutes to fully dry on the low heat setting.
If your dryer takes longer than 75 minutes, then you will want to evaluate the drying methods used. Make sure to not overload the clothes dryer, and also clean the lint screen before starting a new drying cycle.
The best way to reduce the drying time in the dryer is to wring out excess water from the washing machine. Simply use a high-spin wash cycle at the end of the wash to efficiently expel as much water as possible.
In addition, put your garments in the clothes dryer with towels or cotton t-shirts. They help to absorb extra moisture during the dry cycle, which speeds up the clothes drying process.
Dryer Sheets vs. Fabric Softener
Dryer sheets and fabric softener both do relatively the same thing. Their intended purpose is to make fabrics feel soft, and also leave a fragrant scent that is long lasting. In addition, they both help to remove static from clothes and also reduce wrinkles without using an iron.
The difference between dryer sheets and fabric softener is the way they work.
Fabric softeners actually penetrate through the fibers during the rinse cycle in the washing machine. On the other hand, dryer sheets only coat the surface of the garment using the heat from the dryer.
The advantage of using dryer sheets instead of fabric softeners is that they are better at eliminating static than liquid softeners.
But if you are using liquid fabric softeners, you will get a softer feel on clothing articles. The advantage of using fabric softener is that it reduces pilling, stretching, and pulling of clothing.
Even though you get softer feeling results when using a fabric softener, here are 3 articles that you do not want to use either dryer sheets or fabric softener:
- Workout clothing: Fabric softeners block the fibers that release sweat and moisture from workout clothing.
- Microfiber cloth: Fabric softener and dryer sheets merge the fibers together, which will destroy the surface of microfiber clothes.
- Towels: Fabric softeners and dryer sheet coat the fibers, which reduces absorbency. This renders a towel less effective to absorb moisture.
When using a clothes dryer to dry capsule wardrobe essentials, it is important to know how to use a clothes dryer the right way.
How To Use Dryer Sheets
Depending on the size of the laundry load, that will determine how many dryer sheets you need to use. For an average to extra large load, use 2-3 dryer sheets. For small and medium loads use 1 dryer sheet.
Many commercial dryer sheets help to prevent static, reduce wrinkles, and soften clothing. But in the end, a dryer sheet leaves a residue on all clothing and also inside your dryer. As a result, this may affect the operating efficiency of your laundry machine.
Dryer Sheet Alternative
The best way to avoid dryer sheets for every cycle is to find the perfect dryer sheet alternative. Similar to homemade laundry detergents, you will simply make your own dryer sheets at home.
All you need is vinegar, essential oil, fabric scraps, and a glass container.
First, prepare square cloth dryer sheets by cutting fabric scraps into 5”x 5” square.
Mix 1/2 cup of vinegar with 8-10 drops of essential oil in a glass container.
Next, add the fabric squares into the glass container and let them soak.
Simply throw one of these homemade dryer sheets into the dryer. Reuse by placing it back into a glass container in order to soak in the vinegar mixture again.
What Is Tumble Dry Low
You might have seen tumble dry symbols on your clothes’ care labels.
There are 3 cycles when it comes to tumble dry:
- 125°F for tumble dry at low heat setting
- 135°F for tumble dry at medium heat setting
- 145°F for tumble dry at high heat setting
With the tumble dry setting you may encounter a shrinkage problem. Unless you intend to shrink a sweater for a better fit, prevent shrinkage by drying your clothes on the lowest heat setting.
Pro tip: in general, garments that are made with 100% cotton have a high tendency to shrink in the clothes dryer.
How To Clean Dryer
In order to maintain the quality of your capsule wardrobe essentials, it is recommended to regularly clean the dryer. As a result, this will extend the lifespan of your dryer machine and also your clothing articles.
According to the market survey, a professional dryer vent cleaning cost is between $90 to $160, depend on the clog situation.
If you observe long dry times, a burning smell, or debris outside the vent opening, you should examine the dryer vent duct and clean the clothes dryer.
How To Clean Dryer Vent Duct
Do you know the major cause of house fires? It is the dusty, lint-filled dryer vent duct.
In order to clean dryer vent duct, you need to find where your ventilation is. Most dryer units have the exhaust located in the back of the laundry machine.
Start by unplugging the power cord. Move the dryer away from the wall and remove any duct tape that is connected to dryer vent pipe and exhaust .
Next, insert a pipe cleaner or brush into each duct section to sweep clean using a rotation motion. In addition, check the vent cap at the exterior end of the duct to make sure it is fully clean.
How To Clean Dryer Lint Trap
You should always clean the lint trap, which is the screen at the front of the dryer, at the beginning of every load.
Simply pull the lint off of the screen and throw it into the trash. The reason why is because lint makes the dryer less efficient.
For deep cleaning, remove any lint from the screen and gently scrub the lint trap with dish soap and a brush. Rinse thoroughly and let it air dry. This step is recommended to follow at least twice a year
How To Clean Dryer Drum
This process is similar to cleaning a washing machine drum. In order to clean the dryer drum, first you need to unplug the laundry machine.
Use a mild dish soap mixed with a warm water to clean the dryer drum with a soft cloth. Then, rinse well with a wet sponge or towel.
Finally, tumble a load of clean clothes or towels to quickly dry the drum.
Or else use a microfiber cloth and hot water in a spray bottle. Wipe the drum clean and dry with another microfiber towel.
How To Sanitize A Dryer
If you have been noticing a funky unpleasant smell inside the clothes dryer, then it means it’s time to sanitize the laundry machine. Not only does this process remove any odors, but also prevents any disease, mold, or bacteria from spreading.
Always unplug the dryer before doing anything to the dryer. Its important to try and avoid any unnecessary accidents.
Use an all-purpose cleaner to wipe down the outside of the dryer and remove any dirt or grime.
Next, fill a bucket with 1 gallon of cold water and 1/2 cup of chlorine bleach. In addition, ready another bucket filled with clean warm water.
Soak a clean cloth in the bleach mixture and wipe down the inside of the dryer drum. Then, rinse the inside of the dryer with a clean cloth dipped in plain water.
Leave the door of the dryer open overnight to air dry completely.
Dryer sheets and dry cycles are not the only way to keep your capsule wardrobe essentials fresh and clean. Its important to know how to use a clothes dryer the right way.
Follow these laundry machine care tips to help improve the lifespan of your favorite garments and clothes dryer for a long time. As a result, enjoy clean clothing for each and every occasion.
Do you use a clothes dryer the right way?
Share your laundry tips and tricks for success with us!