You probably know that you shouldn’t put clothes made of synthetic materials in the dryer, but what about those items that are labeled as “dry-clean only”? Can you put them in the dryer or not? And what about woolen items? Can they go in the dryer or should they be air-dried? Let’s talk about the top 10 things you shouldn’t put in the dryer!
Common Things You Shouldn’t Put In the Dryer
If you’re like most people, you probably don’t think twice about throwing your clothes in the dryer. After all, it’s a quick and easy way to get your clothes dry, right? Wrong. There are actually a lot of things you shouldn’t put in the dryer, and doing so can damage your clothes or even your dryer itself.
Why the dryer damages certain items
The dryer works by circulating hot air through your clothes, which helps to evaporate the moisture. However, this process can also damage certain materials with high heat and turbulence. For example, synthetic materials such as polyester and nylon can melt when exposed to high temperatures, which is why you shouldn’t put them in the dryer. Let’s go through the things you should never dry.
The top ten things you shouldn’t put in the dryer:
-Delicate clothing items such as lingerie and hosiery. These items are easy to damage and should be air-dried to keep them in good condition.
-Woolen items such as sweaters and scarves. Wool is a delicate fabric that can shrink when exposed to high temperatures, so it’s best to air-dry woolen items.
-Shoes. Should you put shoes in the dryer? Definitely not! Shoes can be damaged in the dryer, so it’s best to air-dry them to keep the rubber from melting and deforming.
-Clothes that are made of synthetic materials such as polyester and nylon. These materials can melt in the dryer, so it’s best to hang them up to dry.
-Jeans. Jeans can shrink in the dryer, especially the first time drying them. To avoid shrinkage, hang jeans up to air-dry, or if you’re in a hurry you can dry them on low heat which will minimize shrinkage.
-Beaded or sequined clothing. The beads and sequins can fall off in the dryer, so it’s best to hang these items up to dry.
-Bathing suits. Bathing suits can shrink and lose their shape in the dryer, so it’s best to air-dry them to keep them in pristine condition.
-Hats. Hats can lose their shape in the dryer, make sure to take extra care washing them, and only air-dry them.
-Towels. Towels can be dried, but they may lose softness faster. To avoid this, hang towels up to retain softness.
-Clothes with metal embellishments. If your clothes have large pieces of metal these can damage the dryer, so it’s best to hang these items up to dry. We would also caution washing these in the washer as well.
As you can see, there are quite a few things you shouldn’t put in the dryer. So, next time you’re doing laundry, take a moment to think about whether or not each item should go in the dryer. Your clothes will thank you! While you’re here, take a look at our other guides like how to fix a squeaky dryer, and how to clean a dryer vent. And if you need dryer repair, you can always give the experts at D&T Appliance a call!
