Tell me how to tumble dry without shrinking everything

[dustiseverywhere]

Following on from a thread that said that drying clothes on airers in your house or on radiators causes mound, I don't know how to tumble dry stuff without shrinking it.

I know how to do sheets, towels, cotton shirts etc.

But it's the cotton blend stuff or - even worse - polyester stuff. And SOCKS. How do you tumble dry that stuff without shrinking it all?

I don’t tumble dry stuff that will shrink badly. Socks I don’t care too much about.

Air drying won’t cause mould if you’re ventilating the house regularly.

I put it in the dryer, set it to mixed fabrics and press start.

When it's dry it stops.

Nothing shrinks.

Joining in as I only tumble dry bedding, towels and my underwear (not bras!)

I struggle getting things long enough there's no way I would put anything else in!

I don't put in wool socks. Polyester seems fine though.

Never ever use the high setting and just don't tumble dry things that can't be tumble dried, e.g. football kit, t shirts with plasticised logos, polyester or many man made fabrics or wool/silk.

I only tumble dry bedding and towels. I use a heated airer for the rest and keep the velux in the utility room open all the time. No probs with mould.

For delicate items, or ones likely to shrink, tumble dry things in small batches so each item isn't in the dryer too long

For delicate items, or ones likely to shrink, tumble dry things in small batches so each item isn't in the dryer too long

On what setting? And how long for?

I only tumble dry bedding and towels. I use a heated airer for the rest

Which heated airer and is it any good?

You can't tumble dry everything.

There will always be items that can only be line dried.

*put it in the dryer, set it to mixed fabrics and press start.

When it's dry it stops.

Nothing shrinks.*

How?!

I don't have a mixed fabrics setting. Does this actually mean low temp?

*You can't tumble dry everything.

There will always be items that can only be line dried.*

But I would like to be able to tumble stuff like cotton blend blouses without shrinking them, how do I do this ?!

And what do you do when it's raining?

I rarely dry stuff outdoors. Tumble dryer or airer for shirts, woollens etc. Never had mould - just air your house well.

Having a big enough house, and airing. We had problems in our last house as it was really not designed for 4 people living in it. There is no way I could have had clothes drying in the house due to damp. The cooking, showing and people living in it was a challenge on it's own, without adding wet washing. Therefore everything went in the dryer in the winnter, only exception my bras DH expensive sports gear. Low heat, only socks seemed to shrink. I avoided buying cloths that couldn't be tumble dried as much as possible.

I don't tumblr cotton things. I put them on the radiators and open the window (large towel rad in bathroom). Or line dry them to about 90% then tumble for a v short time.

OP I have ceiling fans. I dont tumble dry anything except towels & bedding.

All clothes dried on airer in bedroom under ceiling fan on high speed & a couple of hours later they are dry & ready to be put away.

Never had any issues with mould & ive been doing this 3 years now.

Tumble on the gentlest setting and stop before they are quite dry if poss. Other than that, invest in a dehumidifier, they dry the clothes really quick and stop the air getting damp and feeding mould. Also save on your heating bills.

This looks good, I considered getting one until I tried the ceiling fans....

http://www.argos.co.uk/product/7219492?cmpid=GS001&$ja=tsid:59157%7Cacid:480-316-7430%7Ccid:199888833%7Cagid:17436843153%7Ctid:pla-341993512531%7Ccrid:74692318593%7Cnw:g%7Crnd:3924050973385733091%7Cdvc:m%7Cadp:1o9%7Cmt:%7Cloc:1006886&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7dWU54rR3QIV4b3tCh11rQOhEAQYCSABEgLbHPDD_BwE

TBH, I just buy socks in a larger size! Other clothes I tumble for 10 minutes to get rid of creases then hang them on a clothes horse.

I have an electric, HEPA filtered, dehumidifier. It helps enormously.

Wet clothes are dry enough to wear the following morning

Dehumidifier. I tumble dry smalls and towels. Everything else in front of radiator on clothes horse with the dehumidifier going.

I only tumble "bedding, towels, pants and knickers"
And only on low heat for a short time

I learned to decipher the laundry labels on garments and stick to it. I never ever use the hot setting. Seems to work ok.

Only use the hot setting for towels & bedding, use the low setting for everything else. Try not to over dry things and check the clothing labels.

I tumble dry about 50% of stuff in the winter, mostly underwear, socks, bedding, towels and school polo shirts. Everything else goes on the airer. I try to air the house everyday even if cold outside.