Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Original poster

Tumble-drier. Help, where am I going wrong

23 replies

CarmelitaMiggs · 01/04/2010 18:54

For a few months we are renting a small flat with no space for a clothes line or drying rack. For the first time ever, I'm having to tumble-dry everything. And I'm rubbish at it. If I let the washing get bonedry, everything comes out of the machine with sort of ironed-in creases. And if it's slightly damp -- well, it just has to go in again until it's bonedry (with ironed-in... you get the picture).

Is there a perfect moment in which stuff steams itself dry while you fold it? Do you have to time the end of the tumble cycle with absolute precision so you can be standing there waiting for it?

Feel a bit moronic posting this, but I really could do with some tips.

OP posts:
solo · 01/04/2010 18:58

I have a small separate tumble and sometimes I take out the hot dried washing and shake it out then rather than let it get cold in the machine iyswim? IMO, it still looks a bit 'un-ironed' though, which I hate!

CarGirl · 01/04/2010 19:04

Hmmmm I'm not sure.

If you have a small drum are you putting too much in at once?

I also shake my washing individually and uncrease it before putting it in the dryer. I also use those tumble dryer balls.

Ponders · 01/04/2010 19:08

Try to match weights - ie don't put towels or jeans in with lightweight things like shirts & T-shirts - that might make a difference.

Some dryers are just worse for creasing though so you might have one of those.

Absolutely no space for a rack? I stand mine in the bath (except when someone's in it, obv ) & things semi-dried on the rack do come out of the dryer a bit smoother.

FlyMeToDunoon · 01/04/2010 19:09

Hmm is it an old machine? Mine has a cold bit at the end of the cycle which is supposed to stop creasing.
I sometimes put it in semi-dry with a wet facecloth or similar which makes it nice and soft or take it out damp, shake out and hang on racks for a little while.
Check machine is clear in filters.

solo · 01/04/2010 19:13

I have the 10 minute cold bit at the end and find it comes out worse when I use that bit. I do though(top tip coming up)put a dry towel in with the wet(damp)stuff and it dries quicker, therefore saving energy and money!

Original poster
CarmelitaMiggs · 01/04/2010 19:33

I was really scared I'd get hooked on the convenience. But it sounds like the best technique is to tumble-dry til almost done, and then to finish with a bit of hanging out. Which seems like quite a lot of work (even if I had the space, which I really don't at present).

And if you tumbledry til it's totally dry, do you just have to iron like a mad thing?

OP posts:
Ponders · 01/04/2010 19:37

I generally hang out till almost done, & then finish with a bit of tumbling

CarGirl · 01/04/2010 19:42

Hmmm to you wait to be there until it's dry? Mine has a reverse tumble thing so it keeps occasionally tumbling until you open it so not particularly creased. However, rarely do I tumble anything that I can be hung up on a coat hanger to dry so really only socks, pants, vests, towels when the weather is very cold or very wet.

Ponders · 01/04/2010 20:14

If I'm not there when it's stopped, I give it another 5-10 mins when I am there & then whip it out (in small batches) during the cold tumble.

(I will do almost anything to avoid ironing!)

Fizzylemonade · 01/04/2010 20:57

It is a sensor drier or are you guessing how long to put it in for by setting a timer?

Mine is a sensor drier so it knows when everything is dry so I take it out when it finishes and fold some stuff to go straight into drawers etc but t shirts I have to iron because I like them crisp.

Otherwise if you are setting a timer it is guesswork I'm afraid, so you need to put it on a bit longer to make it dry but not over-dry. Sorry that isn't much help is it?

Original poster
CarmelitaMiggs · 01/04/2010 21:57

It has a sensor. I seem to be able to select one of three settings. Laundry ends up
a/ bonedry
b/ dampish
c/ damp

there is no cold final tumble at the end, AFAIAA

I really can't believe people with t/d have to do all this doublethink in order to get flattish uncrumpled laundry. Sigh for the simple bygone days of my enormous airer

If I t/d in very small batches, will it be less crumply?

OP posts:
CarGirl · 01/04/2010 22:04

I wonder if you are spinning them on a high spin in the washing machine and then plonking straight in the tumble dryer?

Try a lower spin and shake them before putting in the tumble dryer as they will surely only dry as crumpled as they are when you start them off IYSWIM.

Original poster
CarmelitaMiggs · 01/04/2010 22:13

it is a washer drier, maybe I should have said that before.

So I should wait for the wash cycle to finish, then empty drum, shake out contents a bit, then replace in drum for t/drying?

OP posts:
CarGirl · 01/04/2010 22:15

Ah washer driers are not as good as they effectively steam dry the clothes!

Yes I would do that and from memory you can only tumble dry a half load in them rather than the full load that you can wash IYSWIM.

Ponders · 01/04/2010 22:16

Well a washer-dryer washes twice the capacity of the dryer, so you should dry in min 2 batches anyway!

So: empty washer into basket, divide contents into lighter & heavier, then give a good shake before returning to drum for drying

CarGirl · 01/04/2010 22:17

In the winter we hang our clothes on coathangers and hand them on the curtain rail in our dining area - is there somewhere you could do that so just have your "smalls" to dry?

What RPM does your washing manchine spin at?

Ponders · 01/04/2010 22:19

(this is why washer/dryers are a v bad idea unless there is literally nowhere in the entire house to put a separate tumble dryer)

ilovepiccolina · 01/04/2010 22:21

Don't dry everything until it's bone dry - take it out while it's still a bit damp & hang it overnight. Our livingroom in the morning often looks like one of those 'unused' rooms in mansions, with sheets spread all over the chairs
The rack over the bath is a good idea for smaller stuff.

boogeek · 01/04/2010 22:23

I dislike washer dryers and like tumbledryers so I reckon that is where you are going wrong . Second the suggestions to dry half-loads, and if I am there when the dryer finishes and hoik it all out to be folded while it is still hot, there is no ironing required whatsoever (even for work shirts). If things are left to go cold they need a press.

Original poster
CarmelitaMiggs · 01/04/2010 22:25

Gosh you're all v kind to take such an interest, thanks .

Don't know the RPM but it's quite whizzy -- why?

DH is already quite caged-animal about the dinkiness of the flat. Know for a fact he would go bananas if I draped the laundry everywhere.

But something over the bath is a possibility.

OP posts:
CarGirl · 01/04/2010 22:27

Well anything over 900 is going to crease stuff to death and then if it goes straight to drying mode it will look dreadful!

Ponders · 01/04/2010 22:31

I have this one but our bath is 800mm wide, normal is 700mm so maybe too wide for yours? (plus it has scratched the sides of ours )

But try one of these

CarGirl · 03/04/2010 16:23

Please come back and let us know how you get on

New posts on this thread. Refresh page