How do I stop shrinking DH's clothes in dryer?

[Lefty99]

So I got a tumble dryer for the first time recently and still not figured it out yet. It's only DH's clothes that seem to be shrinking in there (t shirts mainly) What setting should I use for a general wash? I cant figure out which settings allign to which temperature and the manual isn't helping.
I usually wash a mixture in each wash so figure I need a low temperature for most things, would this be the "easy care" settings do you think? Also any tips on how to get his shrunken clothes back to normal appreciated! TIA for any advice!

Sorry, I know it's not helpful but I've always found that some things just shrink in the dryer - I tend to use it to my advantage by making things fit that were otherwise on the large side! Otherwise there are many things I would never, ever put in the dryer. They're great for soft, fluffy towels and bedsheets, for socks and plain cotton underwear and pyjamas but apart from that go carefully.

Can they actually be tumble dried? I find about a third to half of our stuff can't be. I'm not sure you can do anything once they're shrunk. Obviously try a rewash and a gentle stretch, I've found this can work, particularly for bamboo. But it depends on the fabric and how much they've shrunk.

Stretch them out when they come out of the wash, the fibres can contract with hot water. I don’t normally tumble my husbands t shirts for this reason, I hang them. If you need to tumble don’t go any higher than cupboard dry and maybe even use a cool tumble. Although just got a fancy new tumble drier and it’s so gentle and brilliant., it’s a heat pump like yours and I can’t imagine it ever shrinking anything, my old vented drier used to cook my clothes.

I find the worst culprite for shrinking are DH's socks.

For reasons unknown to me, because I always thought heavier cotton items should be fine, men’s T shirts seem to shrink in the tumble dryer. They also appear to twist out of shape easily on a fast spin. So the only option seems to be to hang them up on hangers to dry naturally, which is a pain. Or buy bigger sizes in the first place and accept inevitable shrinkage, ignore twist.

I never tumble t-shirts. But then again I haven't got a fancy drier like yours. Mine has a "cool" and a "hot" setting and is 25 years old.
Follow the labels in your clothes.

P.S. what is "cupboard dry"?

T shirts which are pure cotton will tightenin the dryer unless its on cool.

So the knack is to put it on a cool setting and remove them before 100% dry, I used to then smooth and fold and finish on an airer - saved any ironing nonsense. I don't have a drier at the moment but any of DH t shirts that may need a light press go on top of the aga for a bit.

To be honest though on a cool setting you can get away with till dry as its the heat that is tightening/shrinking them so much.

The other alternative is that it is Christmas and maybe the clothes shrinkage is not the issue - lol

Lots of things cant be tumble dried, even on low heat.
I only use mine for bedding and towels on high, cotton shirts and underwear on low. Tshirts never. Always hang them on hangers and allow them to dry naturally. Same with socks and anything with wool in it.

oh and cupboard dry means dry enough to put away rather than ironing which needs to still have some dampness in there for a smooth iron

I wouldn't put T-shirts in the dryer at all. Towels, sheets etc ok

Get him to wash and dry his own clothes, then he can't complain, problem solved!

I've never had t-shirts shrink in the dryer. I find it is woolly stuff and stuff with lots of elastic that is better not going in there, but everything else is OK.

I don't bother with all these different settings for dryness. I just set mine to the totally dry one (extra dry for me) and it is fine. I never iron a thing.

op Yours is similar to mine. I only dry sheets, towels and dcs clothes in mine. On the left side, the ‘fine adjust’ button, press it and see what number you get? Mine goes up to 3. 3 is the hottest it will be, then can go down to 2 or 1. If I’m drying something more delicate or don’t want to risk shrinking I keep it on normal setting to dry, normally cupboard dry, but turn down the ‘fine adjust’ button and then it won’t get too hot.

I would't dry any tshirts in a dryer to be honest. They always seem to shrink regardless of temperature.

Can you keep dry just for bedding, towels and jeans? and they most the other things I find dry quickly on a small rack indoors in winter or outdoors in summer

I've never had this happen with cotton t-shirts, but I don't dry anything to 'cupboard dry', just 20 or 30 minutes then shake and hang on rack to finish off. The only thing I've ever ruined is my thermal vest which was accidentally put in, came out toddler size!

What afterschoolworry said

a lot of stuff cant be tumble dried, so unfortunately i have wrecked a few things in it. I do now sometimes size up when buying clothes for this reason, and also second hand clothes are sometimes a good bet as theyve already been laundered and any shrinking is likely to have already been done.
I do think so many companies cut corners now with cheap fabrics - even companies that youd consider quality and sometimes you cant even wash something without it shrinking let alone tumble dry it

Some things just shrink
Don't dry them in the tumbler
Hang them up to dry instead

Most clothes can't actually be tumble dried (at least most of mine!) have you checked the labels?

I only use mine for sheets and towels etc

I do it the other way around to the people who take them out slightly damp and finish on a rack.

I put wet stuff from washer onto a rack, nicely shaken to remove creases as much as possible. Then stretch on the rack and reshape t-shirts. When nearly dry, finish off in tumble drier just to get the thick seams and collars dry.

Are his t-shirts definitely shrinking, or is he in denial about his Christmas food consumption? ;)

I’ve never had anything except wool shrink in the drier.

What model is it OP? A Bosch? If it is you need to select the ‘feather’ icon (if available on the touch screen) for low temperature. If the option is not available choose a different programme. But check his t-shirts are suitable for tumble drying, otherwise even at low temperature they may shrink.

T-shirts are terrible for it. I'm pretty sure it's not just me getting fat, unless I'm also growing in height too.
Socks shrink too

Don't want to sound rude but if it's your first tumble dryer are you giving everything a good shake between the washer and dryer? I give everything a thorough shake (individually iyswim) to reshape and put most things in my td and never have problems with shrinking. The easycare setting is not low temp tho as pp above said you'll need to specifically select low temp if required.

Hang on a horse!