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Original poster

Tumble drying bedding - where am I going wrong?

26 replies

TealOwl · 01/04/2023 19:23

A duvet cover, fitted sheet, 4 pillowcases. It’s been raining for days here so can’t line dry. My duvet cover and sheet are super king sized and too big for my airer. I have now tumble dried the load twice - used the “bath and bed” setting, firstly on medium heat then on high heat the second time. The blasted things are still damp - why??? I’m aware it must be something I’m doing wrong as I don’t tumble dry very often. The dryer is lint free and the condenser unit has been emptied too.

OP posts:
Justmuddlingalong · 01/04/2023 19:25

Did you put them both in together, because that would be too much?

goldenotter · 01/04/2023 19:29

do the duvet buttons up before putting in - less likely to crumple up inside which impedes drying.

Xjshdvf · 01/04/2023 19:36

I do mine on cotton setting and so up the duvet cover buttons so it doesn’t all end up inside. Is it too much? I often dry the sheet separately over my bannister

ODFOx · 01/04/2023 19:37

Do the sheet and pillow cases and then the duvet cover on a separate load.

TheCraicDealer · 01/04/2023 19:44

With ours we we need to put the sheet and duvet cover in separately or go check on it every 30mins and shake it out, otherwise it gets all bundled up into a giant ball.

Justlovedogs · 01/04/2023 19:46

I'd say too much for one load. I do duvet cover on its own and sheet with pillowcases as one load, standard king size.

wendywoopywoo222 · 01/04/2023 19:50

Also make sure the room is ventilated. If the rooms small and getting hot and steamy than they won't dry. Don't really know why.

Disneyblueeyes · 01/04/2023 20:40

I usually have to do mine twice to be fair.
In fact most loads I always do an extra 30 mins on top of the usual cycle.

I do shove loads in though.

AFlockOfTigers · 01/04/2023 20:53

Your tumble dryer might need its settings reset to make "dry" mean actually dry. My slightly paranoid theory is that manufacturers keep the factory settings a bit underpowered in order to game the energy efficiency ratings, but if you look in the darker corners of the back of the manual you can beef it up a bit.

TroubleOverBridgedWater · 01/04/2023 20:58

I normally do an additional spin cycle on my machine to get rid of excess water, before transferring to the tumble dryer. Does make a difference.

spotddog · 01/04/2023 20:58

Remember clothes etc need air to dry so don't overload. Do a sheet and pillow cases and then duvet cover with pillow cases.
Also, clothes feel damp when programmes finish so hang (throw over) something to allow to cool.
I find thing out of dryer are less creased than naturally dried.
Taking minimum time to fold pays off when ironing.

LadyEloise1 · 01/04/2023 20:59

Put a dry towel in with them. It absorbs some of the moisture.

AFlockOfTigers · 01/04/2023 20:59

TroubleOverBridgedWater · 01/04/2023 20:58

I normally do an additional spin cycle on my machine to get rid of excess water, before transferring to the tumble dryer. Does make a difference.

Good point. Vital for cotton bedding.

spotddog · 01/04/2023 20:59

Things dried in dryer take ...

Aquamarine1029 · 01/04/2023 21:00

Dry the duvet separately and put in a clean, dry towel at the same time. You are overloading your machine, that's the problem. The towel will help the duvet dry faster, thus saving energy.

SpacePotato · 01/04/2023 21:03

If you are putting it all on together it's too much.

I would dry bottom sheet and pillow cases then duvet cover separately.

I take mine out before completely dry and hang over the bannister to finish off.

Original poster
TealOwl · 01/04/2023 21:38

Thanks everyone for the tips, interesting that it’s too big of a load as there is plenty of room in the drum, that didn’t occur to me. Will try splitting them tomorrow. I don’t have a bannister unfortunately as I live in a bungalow Grin

OP posts:
GuyFawkesDay · 01/04/2023 21:55

Definitely do the poppers/buttons back up. When it all gets squished up all inside the sheet or duvet cover it doesn't dry properly.

If I remember to do it before washing it dries normally

shelbaba · 01/04/2023 23:04

You need to do them separate but when there is less in I find the sheets just roll up into a ball. They then feel dry until you take them out and parts are still damp. The trick I've found is to keep taking them out and readjusting them. Although to be honest your better to sometimes drape them over something when you've got most of the wetness out and it's maybe more a bit damp. You I just put them over a few dining chairs. In my old house was over bannister upstairs but we don't have a large bannister in current house.

Aquamarine1029 · 01/04/2023 23:07

shelbaba · 01/04/2023 23:04

You need to do them separate but when there is less in I find the sheets just roll up into a ball. They then feel dry until you take them out and parts are still damp. The trick I've found is to keep taking them out and readjusting them. Although to be honest your better to sometimes drape them over something when you've got most of the wetness out and it's maybe more a bit damp. You I just put them over a few dining chairs. In my old house was over bannister upstairs but we don't have a large bannister in current house.

This is correct. You definitely need to take large sheets out and readjust them during the drying cycle.

BigPussyEnergy · 02/04/2023 00:05

I just hang sheets over a door overnight and they’re generally pretty dry by the next day. My tumble drier is rubbish - so annoyed I swapped my amazing £50 Facebook marketplace find for a £400 heat pump one thinking it would mean no clothes shrinkage and better drying. Takes fucking ages and is all wrinkled to shit when it’s done. Saves me electric as I can’t be bothered to use it half the time!

parklimes · 02/04/2023 09:04

I have two drier stands so big items can span across the two like a tent if they need to.

GuyFawkesDay · 02/04/2023 09:04

Oh, and those wool dryer balls REALLY help. They are brilliant little things. Get 4.

Original poster
TealOwl · 02/04/2023 10:02

Update: the sheet and pillowcases have been successfully dried this morning! Cotton setting worked a dream. Watch this space for the results of the duvet cover!

OP posts:
MysteryBelle · 02/04/2023 18:24

I always have to dry my bedding twice. Nothing worse than damp bedding!

So doing two separate loads and on cotton setting does the trick. Prob have an equivalent to that. I’ll try the extra spin in the washing machine too.