Talk to me about tumble driers

[addictedtosugar]

OK. I've never owned a tumble drier.
DH has just secured a house for us by his new work. I've seen it on Skype. He says no one drys washing outside round there, so I'm going to have to use the drier.
What can go in? What can't? Do I tumble to dryness? Or near dryness?
Nothing is too basic to tell me.

[Daffydil]

Never tumble dry a bra.

[addictedtosugar]

OK. Any other cost savers? I should add, replacing anything is going to be hard? Need to not destroy or sharing anything tho that would ensure I had to loose some weight

[Nicknamegrief]

Miele, if you can. Some come with 10year guarantees. The heat pump models are more energy efficient.

[hedwig2001]

I have a wooden clothes airer, which sits on top of our tumble dryer. Things that might shrink go on the airer, using the warm air from the tumble dryer. Everything else is tumbled. Very rarely iron, as dry shirts to nearly dry then hang up.

[Doublebubblebubble]

I have a fairly cool tumble dryer as I live in a flat (zanussi - dual temperature 7kg) and its fairly robust. It is also a condenser dryer which means that you don't have to stick an ugly tube out the window (for the steam) I does mean that you have to change the water tank though (but you don't have to do that too often. I try to use mine every other day. As for what you can put in - pretty much everything! (With the exception of woolens)

[addictedtosugar]

House comes with white goods. So were not buying one it also comes with a top loading washing machine so poss old. OK, so no bras, no wollens, and airer on top to dry my bras.

[PigletJohn]

top loading washing machine? Is it in the US?

[addictedtosugar]

No, but its not the UK

[Clobbered]

Check the washing labels in your clothes - they will tell you what can and can't tumble dry. Circle inside a square = tumble dry, crossed out = not. If there's a dot or two inside the circle it means tumble dry on a gentle cycle - most have lower temperature settings as well as the standard.
Cotton is really hard to iron if you tumble to complete dryness, so I usually iron when still slightly damp. I don't use fabric conditioner any more as I find the clothes and towels etc are fine without if using the tumble dryer.

[ChippyMinton]

Anything cotton, and socks, buy one size up and expect it to shrink.
Don't tumble zippered hoodies, as the fabric shrinks but the zip doesn't, and makes the front goes all wibbly.
Use a lower setting for synthetics, higher for cotton.
Remove clothes immediately, shake, smooth and fold, or hang. Otherwise they will crease. If you do this, you won't need to iron.

[Doublebubblebubble]

Oh and use the "bounce" tumble dryer sheets. I think they keep everything smelling nice. I don't know how but I've never managed to shrink anything obviously not trying hard enough lol

[Fairylea]

I love my dryer :) it's my favourite gadget! I have a Samsung heat pump one which is super quiet and cost efficient and I tumble just about everything. ....! As others have said though things do shrink a bit so size up and if you have something really special hang it on a hanger over a door or whatever instead!