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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to not understand how to tumble dry clothes nicely?

28 replies

GoldenCagedBird · 25/04/2023 09:15

I don’t understand it. Please someone tell me what I’m doing wrong.

All I can read is how tumble drying is great, leaves clothes without creases, makes towels fluffy….all of that.

I use nice tablets and fabric conditioner- my tumble dried washing is always crumpled, as if creases were ironed in and feels absolutely rough.

Am I overfilling it?

do I need to take it out immediately?

OP posts:
BertieBotts · 25/04/2023 12:05

My tumble dryer does seem to magically de-crease clothes, it gets them basically as smooth as they come from a shop and smoother than they ever do from me ironing, but actually I put something (dry, clean, creased) in it on a "refresh" cycle which is supposed to uncrease and it did nothing. I had to put it through a wash cycle first.

I have also found that if I leave stuff in the washing machine too long and then tumble it, it still looks creased, although nothing NOTHING like what it used to look like when I left stuff in the WM for 3 days and then tried to hang it up.

So actually, I think it's less "magically de-creasing" and more "encourages behaviour that is less likely to form creases"

I think the secrets are:

I have a vv modern dryer and I specifically selected it for non creasing. Apparently the shape of the drum and a spin which changes direction can reduce creasing.

It's a heat pump dryer. Again apparently v good for non creasing.

It's separate from my washing machine, and has a higher capacity. I can dump the whole wash load in without halving it and there is plenty of space.

It's much easier to pull a load out of the TD than it is to empty an airer, and put a new load into the TD than fill the airer. So I very rarely leave my washing sat in the machine for days any more. It's typically max 12 hours. Occasionally up to 48. Washing sitting around wet causes creases, so moving it over ASAP is key.

Again removing from TD and folding/hanging ASAP also helps prevent creases. If I just pull the stuff out of the TD and leave it in a basket, it will be a bit creased (but not as bad as what I used to get from the airer) If I leave it in the TD for 12-24 hours or longer it will be a bit creased, again not as bad as airer creasing.

My TD also has an anti-crease protection thing where it pointlessly tumbles things every 15 minutes until you empty it. I sometimes turn this off without emptying it, it doesn't seem to make any difference and is just a pointless waste of energy.

Lovesacake · 25/04/2023 12:44

Op I read this on here and it’s kept my towels fluffy for years! Use white vinegar instead of softener for towels, wash and tumble dry on a wool cycle (I use tumble dryer balls too) they come out slightly damp so line dry at the end. Best advice I ever read on mumsnet and now I won’t deviate from that routine.

no idea about getting clothes to come out the dryer crease free though, I’ve never mastered that!

HarpendenHarpendenHarpenden · 25/04/2023 12:49

I think the only way to get clothes looking good is to pay attention to the material. Like silk you want to hang up pretty much dripping, but other stuff you can blast and it'll never crease.

I wash, take a few bits out, give it a few extra spins, take a few bits out, then tumble dry whatever can handle it/can't avoid it.

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