What can you put in the tumble dryer?

[notnowImreading]

I've just got a tumble dryer (condenser style) and have enjoyed myself greatly with sheets and towels. However, I've checked the labels on my clothes and all of them say 'do not tumbledry'. I'm assuming that the manufacturers are just covering themselves and that some things would be fine.

What do you tumbledry? I mainly wear jeans and jumpers or stretchy t-shirt tops at home, and black work trousers and dresses for work. I know not to put wool things in, but I'm not sure about the other stuff - obviously won't be risking my best things. I remember shrinking pretty much everything in the super-hot dryers at uni so don't want to go back down that road.

What would be pretty safe?

As long as you turn it down to the lowest setting, most things without lycra in them should be fine. I certainly tumble dry all my jeans and cotton t-shirts, socks, pants etc.

I also like to periodically tumble dry my feather pillows. It fluffs them up like nothing else and it's like sleeping on a cloud :)

If it's not wool, and it doesn't have anything melty on it, it goes in.

I have a bit of a devil may care attitude to laundry in general though.

Thanks!

some things, like mattress covers, have polypropylene on them, which melts.

Fleeces may go bobbly.

I don't know what temperature fusible interlining melt at (think Wundaweb, but used for linings and paddings in constructed jackets)

The ONLY thing I don't tumble dry is a flannel sheet with a plasticated underside (kids sheets) as they MELT. Everything else is game, depending on setting.
I accidentally tumbled my lovely hiking socks (wool) on HIGH and they came out absolutely fine.

Oh yes, don't tumble dry waterproof sheets.

Mine have never melted as they're apparently tumble dryer 'safe' but they have wedged themselves between the baffles on the drum and the body of the machine and because they're relatively sticky have stopped the drum spinning and snapped the drive belt - twice! It's cost be £50-odd to get it fixed both times!

I don't tumble dry tights mine an dds as they shrink a little each time and all three of us end up unattractively hoiking. Blacks fade quicker, so be careful.

I wouldn't put in those soft touch blouses/shirts.

They're fine in terms of shrinkage etc, but you spend the next time you wear them getting static shocks have tried tumbledrier sheets with them, but doesn't help.

I bung everything in except high wool content and bras.

Everything except wool, fleece, bras and tights. Oh and those plastic backed bibs, they melt like the waterproof sheets. Everything else is fair game though

I too have recently bought a brand new tumble dryer (first time I have ever used one).

I noticed that some brands systematically put the do not tumble dry symbol on, where as others (H&M for example) are almost all ok to dry. I shall try on a low heat and see what happens!

I have two pairs of tights in there at the moment though whoops. I'm more than impressed with how towels come out though, really soft and fluffy, makes me want to buy naice towels now!

Easier to say the things I don't put it. Bras, tights (can go bobbly) son's expensive t-shirts (high price, poor quality) that I've shrank before tumble drying, def nothing that contains wool.
Wash jeans and towels and either dry outside or on radiators and then give them a blast in the dryer to soften them up.

Pretty much everything goes in mine, including a dry-clean only dress!

It's a condenser, and has quite a few settings so I can cool dry things, and sensor dries so things don't over dry.

Sorry, must go against the grain! I don't tumble dry any clothes except socks and pants - and those only because I don't mind replacing quite often. I expect my clothes to last, and find they last much better being line/airer-dried. I tumble sheets, towels, and bamboo/hemp nappies.

I'm with Gemma on this. I do sheets, towels, occasionally cotton pants. I've had a couple of things shrink - a towelling dressing gown, ( not 100% cotton) and some jeans.

As long as the materials are not wool, silk, lace, leather/suede, cashmere, rayon, anything that’s plastic lined for waterproofing or has embellishments/iron on prints. If you have clothing that fits none of those categories but are still unsure then don’t put your cycle on a setting higher than low temperature and do a check 5-10mins into the cycle to make sure the item is fine to continue the cycle.