to think tumble dryers are a waste of time - towels and bedding aside?

[principalitygirl]

I recently bought one, hoping it'd be life changing. But turns out that loads of what I wash can't be tumbled...?? Most of my
little ones tops, vests and babygros are 100% and are labelled do not tumble dry?! I've ignored it, dried them on low and now they've shrunk. Jeans shrink too. Feel totally misled!

[WooWooOwl]

YABU, I love my tumble drier, even if just for school uniform alone.

And I don't think you can put towels and bedding to the side, those things are a nightmare without a tumble drier and they are done frequently.

[BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack]

I love my tumble dryer, couldn't be without it. I tend to not buy stuff I can't tumbe - it cuts down on my ironing so to me worth it's weight in gold.

[purplebaubles]

No, they are life changing!

Depends where you buy clothes from tbh. Although generally, if the clothes are new, and haven't been washed/tumbled before, yes they will shrink (if the instructions say Do Not Tumble Dry)

If however your stuff is older, and has been washed/dried plenty of times, it will be fine in the dryer.

Primark is awful. None of their stuff tumble drys at all. M&S is fab, Next is pretty good. For baby stuff, I just buy one size up, anticipate the shrinkage and then tumble away Problem solved

[guishagirly]

I agree. I only use mine for towels and sheets. Everyone comments on how nice my clothes smell im sure its because I dry the clothes inside on a rack.

[Mumof3xx]

Yabu

If I didn't have a tumble dryer I don't know how I would ever get so much washing dry!

[Badmumof3]

I couldn't be without mine at this time of year. I put socks, pants, t-shirts (some) towels and bedding in mine, which I'd never be able to dry indoors, without making the house ok like a laundry! I also used to use clothnappies, which i often dried in the dryer in the winter. However as soon as the weather improves and the temperature gets into the teens, my washing will be hung in the garden. In the summer I only use the dryer for towels.

[gordyslovesheep]

you are buying the wrong clothes I love my tumble drier - I have very few things I can't sling into it - I do at least one wash a day and would have not room to air dry it all

[Songofsixpence]

YABU, I also love my tumble dryer, especially this time of year.

I don't have anywhere to air dry loads of washing

I sling everything in there and only ever had one mishap -a t shirt of DD's that had one of those plasticky stuck on pictures on the front melted and peeled off

[wonkylegs]

YABU - I love mine and couldn't be without it. I hate clothes draped over radiators and in this house with don't really have suitable rads anyway.
I dry mainly at night and although I use the line in summer, I'm not that disciplined at using it so it must be guaranteed fine weather.
I tumble dry 99% of DSs clothes - mostly George, Next, M&S, Sainsburys TU, school uniform.
DHs work shirts if taken out the minute it stops don't need ironing which it genius.
Bedding, towels etc would be a nightmare.
The main things that don't get tumble dried are my nice tops, adult jumpers & adult jeans (get a bit snug otherwise)
I've never really had a problem with shrinkage.

[WarmFuzzyFuture]

YABU. I have three adult sized children (teenagers) so without a tumble dryer and the amount of rain/cold weather they'd have nothing to wear.

[principalitygirl]

DS's John Lewis babygros have shrunk...!!

[streakybacon]

Tumble driers are God's own white goods. I can't imagine life without one.

[ouryve]

I couldn't be without mine.

[Bookaholic]

We don't have a dryer of any type. We did have a combined washer/dryer but when it died last year (after about 10 years of use) we decided not to bother with the dryer part again - other half, who does a lot of the laundry, hadn't even realised there was a dryer at all.

Airer or hanging out, depending on weather/season works for us. There are only two of us in the house though which I suspect influences decisions in this area.

[curiousuze]

God how strange everything is shrinking - I shove everything in mine, just about, and it's all been fine. Baby-gros, jeans, the lot. Well, a plastic-backed bib died, but other than that.

[KayHarker1]

Another YABU here. I know it's not environmentally responsible, which is shocking, but we have no room to air dry, and no outside line. The Tumlby dryer is a lifesaver. And yes, I make sure the vast majority of what we wear is safe.

[ouryve]

John Lewis stiff is crap for tumble drying. M&S is better and Next stuff is virtually indestructible.

[Pascha]

If I didn't tumble dry all my childrens clothes at this time of year they would never have enough clean clothes. Its not a waste of my time. Its a gain of my time.

[lottieandmia]

I would find it hard to manage without one with 3 children but there was a discussion on here a while back where people said you can do without one if you have a large, heated airer.

[PatriciaHolm]

Well, don't tumble dry things that explicitly tell you not to!

All bedding, school wear, shirts, towels etc go in ours in winter. Other stuff goes on airers. Everything outside when weather not arctic!

[TallGiraffe]

What setting are you tumbling on? All my toddler's clothes get tumbled including his JL vests, never shrunk anything so far.

I love mine more than I can express.

[IndigoTea]

I love my tumble drier but it has shrunk babygrows and trousers, but I still use it. It is just so handy and quick. Also I've noticed that it was the washing machine on 60 degrees that was shrinking the babygrows.

[chaosmonkey]

I have 3 kids, in a tiny flat with no outdoor space, and no tumble dryer. Just use door tops and radiators and wash clothes less frequently

[IndigoTea]

Next babygrows don't shrink btw.

[TallGiraffe]

Are you sure your baby hasn't grown?