Can someone tell me more about dryers and dishwashers

[Fieryflips]

Hi lovely MN.

I never grew up with a dishwasher nor a dryer function with the washing machine but I'm fortunate enough to have these additions to my new home recently. I'm very excited to use them as I think it'll make life a little easier. We're hoping to move in this week properly and I have a couple of questions.

Do dryers fully dry wet washed clothes or leave them a tiny bit damp so you air them and they'll dry a lot quicker than if you hadn't used the dryer function?

I hear lots of moaning about not loading a dishwasher correctly. I've never used the dishwasher at work because I'm scared I'll do it wrong so I just hand wash and dry the things I use. What exactly is the correct way of loading a dishwasher? Is it the correct way because things are cleaned better in that configuration or it's just tidier?

Many thanks in advance and any advice is gratefully received 😁

My (very old) tumble dryer is very basic you just select either low or high heat and then the time and they come out dry. Newer machines seem to offer more advanced settings/ levels of dryness!

Your dishwasher may come with a guide regarding stacking but typically it's plates, pots, pans at the bottom and mugs, glasses, smaller items at the top. If you don't put things in correctly they either don't clean fully or you risk breakage...

If you can pack a boot with a variety of bags/boxes/loose items and have it all fit you'll be fine with the dishwasher. If however you put 2 suitcases in a boot and declare it full you might struggle - or is that just my DH?

Our dryer is a sensor dryer and has different settings, various levels dry and stops when dry. At this time of year I try to use the washing line instead but will sometimes bring things in off the line damp and throw in the dryer to finish. Good for towels if you don't like them crispy off the line as it makes them fluffy and for getting creases out.
Dishwasher, plates and pans on the bottom and cups and glasses on the top as per pp. Also, use salt and rinse aid as well as all in one tablets, especially if you live in a hard water area, it makes a huge difference. Also, find out where the filters are and clean them regularly

Lots of things shrink in a tumble drier so I would dry until nearly dry to avoid over drying, and also make sure you are only putting items of similar fabric/thickness in there. Mostly I just dry towels, tea towels and cleaning cloths in winter, anything else either shrinks or gets worn very quickly if it tumbled. Getting a good dehumidifier is a better option for anything that isn't really hard wearing. Also be very careful of tumble driers in general - a lot of driers were recalled about 5 years ago for causing house fires. I wouldn't ever run it when I'm not nearby and I don't use it at night, in my view it's more dangerous than other appliances. If it has filters make sure you are cleaning them regularly.

Dishwashers - some dishwashers don't work well with different types of tablets etc - current one likes tablets but not the pod things that are more squishy. About loading etc - read the instructions. I have a cutlery rack on top, just stayed in a holiday cottage without one and had no idea where to put sharp knives. Probably should have read the instructions!

Dryer: it depends on how posh your model
is. I usually take the clothes out of the dryer, hang them over chairs for 5 min to stram off then they’re done.

Dryer tip: anything elasticated will shrink. Do not tumble dry your underwear. Do not tumble dry anything thetnis stretchy even if the label says you can - labels lie!!

Dishwasher basically remember: Look at where the water is sprayed from. If you have stuff that is stacked so close that the water spray won’t reach it then it ain’t gonna get clean. If the cups are stacked upright then they’ll be full of water at the end of the wash. Just experiment it is easy.

Also: never out washing up liquid into the dishwasher unless you want a kitchen that looks like a foam party.

Wow, thank you everyone - I appreciate the wisdom very much!!

It's very important to not overload your dryer, and it is actually very helpful to split loads from the washer. Your items will also dry faster if you put in a clean, dry towel with each load. Experiment with the heat setting, and only use as much heat as you need. Towels may be the only item you need to use the highest heat setting for. Don't use dryer sheets, they're gross and unnecessary. Get some wool dryer balls and they will give you the same results without coating your clothes in wax and chemicals.

Haha, yes to this. Never fully appreciated the advice until I put just a teeny tiny bit of fairy liquid in it once.