Can you tumble dry baby clothes?

[YellowSun567]

I was told you shouldn't tumble dry baby clothes. Is this true? Does it just cause shrinkage? Or is there some other reason?

I’ve tumble dried plenty of baby clothes. Never heard that I shouldn’t! Guess I might learn something new today though...

In a ideal world I'd put everything on the line to dry but in reality the dryer will get used. I've always tumbled dried baby clothes if it's wet out or have too much for the clothes airer.

Just check the label for care instructions as I'm sure somethings will not be suitable for the dryer and I wouldn't put any knitted items in there.

I have 4 kids and have always tumble dried the clothes on low

It can make them shrink like all clothes but I’ve always tumbled dried them.

Of course you can. Especially considering they grow out of their clothes in 2 seconds flat anyway, so not like you need to worry about keeping them pristine for 10 years.

I usually put baby clothes on the maiden because I did have a few thing shrink in the dryer. I only use the dryer if the clothes are slightly damp when I take them off the maiden.

Yes you can, but I dont because they tend to shrink. I find the sun better for getting stains out too.

yes.
I probably would've had a nervous breakdown without a tumble dryer.

the only thing you need to watch is velcro fastenings - they can snag other clothes especially terry textiles, ribbons, crocheted & knitted items

I tumble dried everything pretty much. There was some shrinkage probably but like PP have said, they're in them for such a short time it doesn't matter all that much. The clothes definitely felt softer than line drying too.

I tumble dry everything!

I'd have gone mad without my tumble dryer when ds2 was newborn, he was going through around 30 changes a day and was wearing upto 5lb, newborn and 0-3 months because I couldn't keep up with him despite washing daily. I had to dry baby clothes on the line before and they were so rough so I prefere to tumble dry them anyway.

I always tumble dried baby clothes and all clothes ever since. Never heard of being told not to with baby clothes for any reason 🤷

Is it to do with metal poppers on things??

I tumble dry every baby cloth item we own lol don't think anything has shrunk.
It makes clothes softer. My boy doesn't like stuff clothes

@Mammyofasuperbaby omg why were there so many changes? That's crazy and it must've been such hard work. Well done for getting through that!

@Horehound, thank you. It was very hard. Ds2 was born with pyloric stenosis and projectile vomited every feed from birth and he fed every hour as he was literally starving to death. Normally they require surgery at 6 months old but he had it at 3 weeks as he went critical. It took about another week for the vomiting to stop and now he can wear clothes several times before washing as he's a very clean baby.
I had the hospital on at me for not having enough clean clothes for him, but who has that many?
The hospital also complained that my eldests clothes weren't soft enough for his preemie skin so my dryer is a godsend in my house

Yes you absolutely can. My tumble dryer broke when DS Was potty training, it nearly broke me!!!

Baby clothes is pretty much the only thing that can go in there other than towels as they are all tumble dryer safe

Yes you can. I do buy one brand that advise not to (claybear). So do check the care instructions. But the point of baby clothes is to be super easy to use and convenient. Certainly all supermarket stuff can be tumble dried.

@Mammyofasuperbaby oh my goodness, that mustve been terrible and so worrying. You obviously have a very strong and brave wee boy to go through that so young.
Yeh that's a bit overenthusiastic of the hospital, that's a hell of a lot of clothes. I think we all would've struggled to keep up with that.

My boy has just always worn soft clothes and can't stand any stiffer style material and I have to be extra thorough to make sure all his clothes are tumble dried. To be fair I like tumble dried clothes too :)

some things do shrink.
But the advantage is that they are softer when tumble dried.

Environmentally it isn't great. I rarely dry any clothes in the tumble drier now, as I have space to hang them in my utility room, but if you are having to hang them round the house it is awful for damp/condensation. So whatever works really.

Oh definitely. Life is hectic enough with a newborn without pegging out individual little vests every day or trying to dry stuff in the rain!

I did vests, sleep suits, muslins, socks and bibs in tumble dryer. Proper outfits, cardies etc I did on line or airer in case they shrank.