NEED a tumble drier BUT will it ruin our clothes?

[ZippityDoodahday]

Am looking to buy a tumble drier as we have two young dc who are constantly needing their clothes changed. My clothes also need to be cleaned frequently thanks to being covered in snot, poo, vomit, other random debris on a daily basis. DH sweats quite heavily and needs his clothes washed after the first wear.

I know a tumble drier will make life easier for us but am concerned our clothes will be shrunk, misshapen and rapidly aged by using one. Is there any way around this? I've heard of drier balls, are they any good?

nope! It's fine. don't tumble what says " don't" and no problems here!

Thanks Thea Could I ask, is your drier vented or a condenser?

We have just got a tumble drier and it has revolutionised my life! Have had three small babies without one, youngest is now two and I really wish we'd got one sooner. Ours is vented and if anything the clothes come out much softer and sweeter smelling than air dried clothes.

We are fine. I too have a sweaty husband, plus a DS 8 mo in cloth nappies! I'm just selective about what I put in- eg none of DH big cotton shirts (they shrink) or cot bedding (tight enough already!), but children's clothes on a lower temp are fine. It's really handy having it there. I find I need to use it about once a week for clothes and once for nappies now I'm back at work. The rest I can just about get dry on airers.

Ours is a zanussi 7kg condenser- we chose a condenser so it could go anywhere in the house IYSWIM rather than being tied to a wall vent or window.

Hth.

If it's next to an outside wall I'd choose vented. Cheaper, more reliable, and many condenser driers still let out a small amount of steam.

I put most things in ours with no problems. M&S stuff and Gap stuff usually pretty good for tumble drying, others less so - check the labels.

I'm the same as chinley. Socks, pants, towels etc

What about one of those electric airers people have talked about on here before? Lakeland I think.

Vented. Had condenser (washer dryer combi) once and it was sooo slow.

Yes it will in that every too you own will shrink upwards and outwards and your jeans will lose an inch in length. Great for towels etc. with school uniform I buy everything to big as it will all shrink in dryer.

*top

drier balls are a con, forget them.

still dry as much as you can outside, then minimal finishing off in the drier if needed. Electricity is not going to get cheaper.

It can shrink certain clothes but it depends on lots of things like the temperature you dry them, the material and the quality. I always buy knickers, pants and socks in a size larger as they always shrink. But clothes always come out soft, smelling gorgeous and no need to iron so you save on electricity by not ironing. I've never dried my towels on the line as it makes them hard, pop them in the tumbler (don't use fabric softener) and you have soft, fluffy yet absorbent towels.

Thank you for all the helpful replies. I'm now considering buying a heated airer from Lakeland. It costs 5p an hour to run though so may still go for a vented drier. Going to discuss the options tonight with dh.

I wouldn't be without my dryer simply because I can get towels/bedding dry quickly but I do hate the way it wrecks clothes no matter how low temp you tumble. If we had space (which we don't) I would opt for heater airier as it won't shrink your stuff.