Laundry day is stressful enough with all of the steps it takes to get from mountains of stinky clothes to closets neatly restocked. When it comes to the dryer, we’ve seen lots of questions floating around in the atmosphere. Put away your fears of shrinking, fraying, or otherwise harming your favorite items in your wardrobe. We’ve got a quick guide for you on what you should and shouldn’t put certain items in the dryer. Let’s go!
DON’T throw bras in the dryer.
DO wash them in a garment bag, and air dry afterwards.
DON'T put rayon or rubber in the dryer, it can fray, melt, or shrink.
DO put cotton and acrylic in the dryer. If you're worried about shrinking, take these items out right before the end of the cycle.
DON’T put lace or other delicate items in the dryer without a garment bag.
DO put nylon, polyester, and linen in the dryer.
DON’T put leather, suede, or faux fur in the dryer. Even after it rains!
DO hang wet leather goods to air-dry away from direct heat or sunlight.
DON’T put active wear in the dry.
DO let it air dry (after washing with an Active Wash pod!) to retain shaping and elasticity.
DON’T overload your washer with towels! They can be heavy, and too many packed in at a time can prevent proper rinsing, with detergent lingering in each article.
DO dry on low heat. Overheating leads to stiffer towels!
DON’T put tennis shoes and sneakers in the dryer.
DO wash them in the washing machine, then air dry for at least 24 hours. Bonus tip: Stuff the shoes with crumpled up newspaper to soak up the moisture and speed up the drying process!
DON’T put oily or chemically stained fabrics in the dryer, even if they’ve been through the wash! The high heat can cause residual oils in the fabric to combust and start a fire (yikes!), and oily materials can easily transfer to dryer surfaces.
DO use this guide to fully remove oil stains and preserve garments.
DON’T put clothing items with pockets in the dryer without checking for treasures! As we all know, nothing ruins a load of laundry like hidden gum, markers, chapstick, and other culprits.
DO keep a jar in the laundry room for spare change, or for anything you find that might need to be returned to its rightful place.