I've got a new tumble dryer - tell me how to use it...

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I've never had one before. I am religiously checking labels to see what's allowed in and what's not. I can't belive how much is not supposed to go in. Does anyone really pay attention to the label or can i just bung everything in?

Being completely honest with you, I check nothing. I bung it all in and if it doesn't survive, I don't have time for it in my life. Nothing we own is particularly expensive so were not talking cashmere jumpers or anything. I don't think I've chucked anything for a very long time.

I kind of have the same attitude to the dishwasher. If it says not to dishwash, I still give it a go. If it lives to tell the tale, great. If not, I'll buy a new one that will survive.

It's survival of the fittest here.

I imagine you might do the same with the washing instructions? As there is all manner of stuff that should be dry cleaned only/hand washed/never ironed etc that most people don't pay attention to and just throw everything in at 30, 40 or on quick wash.

Anyway, most of our stuff goes into the dryer regardless of the label. The only things that don't are shirts, underwear, and silk dresses/skirts, as I find that the dryer does not treat them kindly. These items air dry very quickly anyway and they don't take up a lot of space as they only make up a small proportion of the wash load. I usually just put them on hangers on the door and they're done within a couple of hours, sometimes quicker.

I generally only lob in things like socks/pants/T-shirts straight out of the machine

everything else gets air dried first (outside on line in summer, on a rack or banisters in winter) & then finished off in dryer for 10-15 mins to minimise creases, soften things like towels, & make sure eg jeans seams are properly dry

then whip out & fold/hang asap

there are a few things that must be dried on low heat. Mattress covers and some synthetic winter jackets with padded linings will melt. I have an idea it is polypropylene. On the mattress covers and similar items you can often see and recognise the fabric they use on the backing.

If your machine has sensor drying, let it work things out for itself. You will get to know whether you need the "iron dry" or the "cupboard dry" setting. A load of cottons, or a load of synthetics, will all dry at about the same rate. Mixed loads, the thicker cotton things will be damp while thinner synthetics are dry.

I believe they work better with a mix of large and small items.

Duvet covers like to gobble smaller things up.

You're not really supposed to tumble woollens as they are liable to shrink. But here, socks go in.

Heavy items such as towels and jeans I try to get at least half dry,on the line or airier before tumble drying- to keep costs down. I don't tumble dry woollens or bras. My current tumble drier tends to tangle up duvets into a large ball which is annoying. The previous one didn't. I don't bother with low heat.

Sound advice as always from PigletJohn, I operate the same policy as Lookslikerain

I also try to get it a bit dry before I throw it on the tumble, to try and save money and also as ours is a condenser drier if the washing is really wet (like towels straight out of the machine) it creates a lot of condensation and my utility room is wet.
But I don't really check labels I just chuck it all in and it's fine nothing has shrunk or been ruined (that I can remember). And I don't bother with different heat settings either.

Thanks everyone I sort of thought that but just needed reassurance before it all got chucked in the machine!

You put jeans in? I always thought they shrink so I've never been brave enough to try.

do anyone know of some ball/egg things that work in sensor dryers? I want some but our new dryer is a sensor one and they all seem to say "not suitable for sensor" on the packets.

sensor ones dont work IMO
just bung it on for an hour
careful with cotton/lycra trousers

use fab cond

Thanks, I'll abandon the search then. I never use fabric conditioner due to ezcema and not liking the smell but it doesn't seem to be a problem.

I don't use fabric conditioner on anything, mostly because I'm sensitive to all sorts of things, but also because I don't like the smell - and towels that have been fabric conditioned don't dry you properly.

I don't tumble dry some synthetics, notably dtds school jumpers, which would stretch irretrievably and go orange if you did. All new families are warned, but each year a few Year 7 parents come huffing into the school office holding up a trashed navy blue jumper with dangling strands of orangey-white bits and are forced to cough another £18 as the instructions do say 'Do Not Tumble Dry'.

What do you mean by smell, timeforahaircut?

I don't use conditioner or bio powder either, due to allergies, and I wash everything at minimum 40 deg, towels at min 50deg.

If your washing smell when being dried, it's not clean! Conditioners cover this up as they have a strong perfume... Non bio powders do not kill bacteria in a low temp wash (bio powder is better but a lot of people can't use them). There is a difference between something looking clean, and actually being clean .

Lol, I think you meant the smell of the conditioner... Agree 100%!

I operate a similar policy to Pp on this thread, if it doesn't survive in the tumble dryer it doesn't belong in my house. Although I do sort everything into "hot" and "cool" dry.

RawCoconut - I meant I don't like the smell of fabric conditioner on clothes, not that my washing smells without it. I actually dislike the layers of different smells that many people seem to love - fragranced shampoo, fragranced body wash, fabric conditioner, room sprays. I hate the jumble of synthetic smells.

I use Fairy non-bio and if the DC poo or vomit on things, I use Napisan.

Raw - x-post!

I've noticed supermarket clothes are usually tumble drier proof, we use vinegar for softener.

Mil VERY kindly did a load for me it smelt of fab softener but is smells mouldy to us now.

My thermals aren't tumble dryer proof but they dry really quickly on the line anyway.