To think that tumble driers ruin your clothes?

[Loveheart13101]

It’s a bit pathetic really, but a relative tried to get into an argument with me over a flipping tumble drier.

We have a tumble drier but we only use it for a few things. Bedding in the winter/bad weather, towels in the winter and for emergencies.

It’s too expensive to run all the time, and when we were using it regularly we noticed that clothes were getting holes in and sometimes shrinking/fading.

Relative picked a fight over why we have got washing hanging around and argued that the tumble drier isn’t expensive and doesn’t ruin clothes.

I can't say I've got any evidence one way or another, but they are brilliant at getting pet hair off things

Holes in clothes occur mostly during washing ,so I would check that first and then the inside of the dryer.You’re definitely not using the correct program if it shrinks them as well. I can’t live without mine, I have a Bosch

Never lived without a tumble dryer. Use the line during the summer and only save at the most £10 a month on electricity. Nothing shrinks or has holes in. I use the eco cycle and do around 4-5 loads a week.

Our tumble dryer costs very little to run and has never ruined any of our clothes. I don't think you need to use it if you don't want to though.

Been using tumble driers for decades, clothes are fine so no.

You do have to do things like pull up zips. Possible user error if you're getting holes and shrinking stuff.

Older models definitely used to stretch and shrink clothes. My new one doesn’t at all, however I’ve used it for clothes once due to needing the items in a hurry. The only stuff I tend to put in it are towels and bedding as I prefer clothes hung to dry - inside or outside. Why does your relative even care how you choose to dry your clothes? None of their business.

I tend to agree with you - just looking at the lint on the filter I feel it cannot be ideal for clothes. I use it for bedding and towels, but not clothes as a rule.

I don’t have a tumble dryer because why waste energy when the wind, sun and air can do it for you. That’s my choice and I enjoy the challenge in winter.

You don’t need to justify yourself to anyone OP. Stay strong 💪🏻

I don't think tumble dryers ruin clothes. We hardly ever use ours these days - mainly for bedding and towels in winter - but ran it quite often when we had small DC. I've never had anything ruined.

We are very lucky to have outside space to dry our clothes, and a spare bedroom (plus dehumidifier) if we need to dry stuff inside.

I use my dryer all the time for anything that is able to go in it and it’s never ruined anything , must be something you are doing or it’s temp gauge has gone haywire and it’s boiling things .

I agree, I won't use the tumble dryer for clothing. It shrinks cotton, even denim, and causes the fibres to shed. They dry clothes totally of moisture which makes fabric more likely to rip.

Mmmm we don’t have a fancy tumble drier, just a combi. I’m definitely cautious about shrinking and that “too tight” feeling from tumbled clothes. I tend to use the tumble for sheets, towels, and giving cottons a “head start” on drying in winter. Eg., put it on for 45 mins low for shirts and t shirts, then hang on the horse and it’ll dry nice and quick.

Ours is relatively new and I couldn’t be without it. Clothes come out so nicely and we get so much dried so fast. Haven’t noticed a huge uptick in the bills either, at all. I hate using the line as I have horrendous hayfever.

Loving the weather this week, I have done so much washing to hang on the line.

Winter though, can’t stand it. Have taken to using a dehumidifier last winter as tumble dryer broke

I think that’s an old way of thinking personally. It really depends on the quality of your dryer. And also if it’s a washer/dryer or just a dryer dryer.

Mine costs 30p for a load. I do everything on low and it has never ruined anything. I have a few things I don’t put in but not much tbh.

My old one used to shrink stuff but the new heat pump doesn’t. It takes longer but is much gentler on the clothes.

I use it for towels year round as I love them soft. Also jeans as they are too hard tried on the line and shirts so I can take them out and hang without ironing.

Everything else depends on the weather.

Or it depends on how much you pay for your clothes . . . I'm not putting my £250 jeans in there, or my £50 t shirts. They deserve better . . .

We only recently inherited a tumble drier and use it only really when there's no other option. We do live in an area where we cannot always hang outside (rain, gales, slurry days) but we do run a dehumidifier in the house anyway, and that helps dry clothes (along with the heaters in winter). It's mostly towels that end up in the drier tbh. It's up to you how you dry clothes but if you are drying lots inside it might be worth investing in a dehumidifier to keep damp at bay.

We tumble dry pretty much everything. No ruined clothes here. Ours has all manner of sensors and settings. I rather preferred our old one which was on or off. That didn’t ruin clothes either.

I only use mine for bedding and towels in bad weather, everything else either goes out on the line, or on a clotheshorse in the hallway or living room where it will dry overnight.

30p a load doesn't sound much, but for someone on a tight budget it's potentially unreasonable if that's several times a week, over a month. We do use ours if there's no other sensible option.

I find it shrinks everything. I use mine in winter for towels and bedding but I won’t even put pyjamas in becasue they come out too short. I’ve got a Bosch one - it’s good quality.