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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think that my tumble drier might actually dry my clothes?

23 replies

sweetkitty · 05/02/2008 17:37

Washed the DDs little quilts today and ideally wanted them back on the beds tonight so put hem in tumble drier with a load of other things (not a big load an average machine load) put it on for 160 minutes then another 30 minutes, then they were still damp so have just put it on for another 60 minutes and they are STILL damp.

Usually I hang clothes on a clothes horse overnight and then tumble dry them in the morning for about 50 minutes which is fine as I hate using the tumble drier as it is.

The TD is only about a year old but it is rubbish, probably cost about £5 in electricity for 4 hours drying and the bloody clothes are still damp.

BTW clean out drier regularly and everything.

OP posts:

Chloe55 · 05/02/2008 17:39

It could be your heating element - are the clothes even getting warm at all?

Ineedacleaner · 05/02/2008 17:44

Are you putting in a full machine loads worth because you are supposed to split the load in half to dry.
It sound like a load of faff but is actually more economical as well because there is more space for the clothes to move around than a full load.

CaptainCod · 05/02/2008 17:45

you haev fluff

Kimi · 05/02/2008 17:47

Is the heater set right? DP brought a A rating dryer so it has a really low heat setting button and it will run over night and everything still be wet in the morning and damp smelling so I have to re wash it all and dry it again (on a quick /high setting) thus costing more and not saving the planet at all.

CaptainCod · 05/02/2008 17:47

take yer fluff out

Original poster

sweetkitty · 05/02/2008 17:48

thank you cod my body hair is fine

Wasn't even a full machine load either probably 2/3rds at best

Clothes were a bit warm when they came out, as I said usually it dries half dry clothes IYSWIM very rarely do I dry from totally wet.

Will defluff it again I suppose, it's always been pretty crap at drying though from wet, it's only a cheap Indesit one oh roll on rain free days.

OP posts:

Chloe55 · 05/02/2008 17:53

Sometimes mine doesn't work very effectively when the bottom filter is a bit fluffy (not the main door filter) - Try running some hot water through the bottom filter (if it has one)

FillyjonkisCALM · 05/02/2008 17:55

what about your washing mahcine, are you running it on the maximum spin?

Took me bloody AGES to work that one out

colditz · 05/02/2008 17:57

I don't mean to patronise but have you definately switched the heat on? Most dryers haver a 'cool' setting.

littlepinkpixie · 05/02/2008 17:57

Sounds just like my tumble dryer
I have to do the same as you, let it dry on radiators or clothes horse till nearly dry and then 30 min in the tumble dryer to finish the job, otherwise it takes forever.

VictorianSqualor · 05/02/2008 18:05

You may ahve a button on the back like my old one, if you overfill it or leave too much fluff in it at some point then it switches off, like trip switch with the electric, check the back for a little button, like a pen top, and press if there is one, it will make it work again.

Original poster

sweetkitty · 05/02/2008 18:23

thanks for suggestions

colditz - have been caught out by the low setting before, it was definitely on high this time.

Have taken door filter out and will clean it not too much fluff but there was a load of paper hankie (DP) and a cuff link!

It's always been useless but today was more than useless.

OP posts:

crokky · 05/02/2008 18:57

If I was washing little quilts, I would have put one quilt in the tumble dryer with nothing else. Once that was dry, I would put the second quilt in alone. Then I would have put the rest of the clothes in the dryer. I try not to put too much in the tumble dryer at once as it works out false economy - the air can't circulate. It does sound bizarre that it half dries clothes - mine is cheap, but dries things totally.

I have never washed my DS's quilt anyway

beckystaffs · 05/02/2008 19:07

Try checking the pipe that goes to outside- my mum's got a sock stuck in it and that really affected the drying time.

P.s my neighbour puts her washing out even on really wet days, and I just think why bother- i re-wash mine if it gets caught in the rain- sorry planet

Original poster

sweetkitty · 05/02/2008 19:15

They are cot bed quilts so not v thick and don't have a quilt cover so need to be washed. The two of them wouldn't even make up half a wash. Oh it's a condenser drier so no air vent to outside.

But I think in the future if I need to dry from wet I will only do half a load.

My neighbour is the same washing out in all weathers - why bother this is Scotland theres hardly a day goes past right now when it's not raining.

OP posts:

flipflopper · 05/02/2008 20:39

Are you sure it was spinning round? I put mine on for 90 mins the other day and then another 90 mins when it wasn't dry and it wasnt spinning round, the belt had snapped.

I would have dryed the quilts seperatly too to make sure they are dry properly in the middle

harman · 05/02/2008 20:43

Message withdrawn

NiftyNanny · 05/02/2008 20:50

it took me a whole year of living in one flat before i realised we had to empty the resevoir of condensed moisture

i was young and foolish!

benfmsmum · 05/02/2008 20:58

Don't get me started about TD's!!! My FIL kindly bought me a TD about a year ago to replace mine that had stopped working. I used to have a small version but the one he bought was bigger than my washing machine - it doesn't fit in the room very well and I have to heave it about just to get the air vent anywhere near the outside of the house. Then to top it all as it is soooooo big I have to do 2 loads of washing just to make it worth putting on and then it takes forever to heat up the drum and so unless its on for about 2 hours everything is still damp, when I have a great washing machine that spins everything within an inch of its life and so it isn't even that damp coming out of the w/machine!! Sorry about that, I feel better now getting it off my chest!!

Original poster

sweetkitty · 05/02/2008 21:04

Right have cleaned out all the fluff, read the instruction manual (OK hands up I cleaned the bit at the bottom maybe every 3-4 months sometimes 6 when it said EVERY month). Now I just need some wet washing to put in it, will have to wait 2 days now.

Am actually wanting to see a washing flapping on the line on a nice sunny day now (sad emoticon)

OP posts:

Ineedacleaner · 05/02/2008 22:34

Aaaah it's a condenser???? That says it all I have had 2 of them one in a rented flat and one I owned and I have never got a totally dry item out of them yet. I really never got on with them at all like you have said so uneconomical and never gets things totally dry.

BigBadMouse · 05/02/2008 22:45

The only way I could get my condenser drier to dry anything properly was to open the door every 15-20 mins or so and shake the drying clothes to get the steam off them, then put them back in for 20 mins and repeat. Hardly convenient (esp as we were using economy seven so needed to do this between the hours of 1am and 7am .

Staceym21AtLast · 05/02/2008 22:54

my condenser is fine, clothes dry, with dryer balls in a full load in about 80 minutes, but it is relitively new, probably only 18mo if that.

although wish i had a washing line, need to hang my clothes on the airer really but i havnt got the energy today¬

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