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.

YABU, I've used a tumble dryer (well, 3 I think over the time) for 29 years.
None have ever made holes in things.
Nothing has ever shrunk in there - but obviously I don't put in the things that shouldn't be tumble dried, they would if you put woollen items in there for example.
I can't say it is expensive. It saves the need to iron. It saves getting damp in the room(s) you hang washing to dry on the vast majority of days you can't risk hanging it out for the hours you are out of the house). All that before you factor in my time.

Yes, tumble dryers do degrade clothing quality.

Tell your relative to fuck off and mind their own business. In these words or others.

Ugh that argument is so boring.

I’m not very environmentally friendly but even I can see people can make small differences without doing every environmentally sustainable thing.

Where do you think the electricity for electric cars comes from?

She should be using a horse and trap instead!

Exactly. Air drying your washing, especially in this weather is an easy win (obvious caveat about people who cannot due to disabilities, absolutely no outdoor space or inside space for an airer).

I'm assuming it can't be great for clothes, but probably no worse than washing. I use mine for pretty much everything for the convenience. The problem is clothes are also such poor quality now as well

I dry outside whenever possible but our tumble dryer has never ruined our clothes.

It’s AIBU, it’s robust enough to take debate!

And tissue (if one has been in a pocket) and it’s shredded into umpteen tiny pieces.

I use a dehumidifier with a clothes drying setting instead. It's absolutely amazing.

I agree with you about the tumble dryer, I think they are awful for clothes.

Not read all the thread but we have a heat pump dryer which uses very little energy and is very gentle on clothes. I chuck everything in there, even my more expensive stuff, and no issues.

You need to define 'unnecessary' there.

Presumably you use a trusty old washboard and tub o' suds for your absolutely necessary and very infrequent laundering?

No I don't need to define anything. Your passive aggressive sarcasm says it all really. Feeling guilty?

Living in a flat I tumble dry most stuff.
I used to dry eveything on an airer but I was sick of always having wet clothes around so got a small tumble dryer.
Airing clothes was OK when their was only 3 of us now there's 6 it's just not possible.

Maybe you have moths.

Wasteful!

We didn't have one for ages and then when we got one quickly switched to using it for everything. I don't feel it has significantly increased wear on clothes, maybe socks - they seem to shrink more quickly but I could be imagining that.

I reckon the fluff in the lint filter comes off anyway but ends up on your floor as dust. I would rather have it in the filter so I can chuck it away without the hoover as an interim step.

The only thing which has ever been a problem in it are hoodies/joggers with long cords because they can get trapped between the drum and the rest of the machine.

That’s not the same as “ITS SOOOOOOOO EXPENSIVE”.

I absolutely love my tumble dryer, wouldn't be without one. In fact, given a choice, I'd refer to hand wash clothes and give up the washing machine in order to keep the tumble dryer (fortunately I don't need to give up either).

I've never had any problems such as holes in clothes (??) and I tumble pretty well everything. Most things don't shrink except clothes which come with a bit of elastane in the fabric, so those types of things I always buy a size larger and they fit after the first wash/dry!

A tumble dryer makes bedding lovely, towels all soft and fluffy. Can't bear the harshness of line dried stuff, my sister always says how lively everything is off the washing line but her towels are so solid they could stand up!!

I live on a state pension but still manage to afford to tumble dry everything, they aren't that bad on energy if you have a machine that does a decent final spin first.