What are the best tricks and tips for making the most of your dryer? It's a question everyone asks themselves, before and after purchasing this appliance, because in fact it's not enough to press a button to start the drying cycle and collect your clothes perfectly dry and intact.
In fact, this is the best way to ruin your laundry.
The dryer at home is no longer a necessity these days. More and more rare, more and more people, by choice or necessity, decide to buy one to solve the age-old problem of laundry hanging out to dry endlessly, perhaps in small spaces that aren't suited to the purpose.
Today, we're all in a rush, and we can no longer afford the luxury of doing laundry, hanging it out to dry, waiting for it to dry, ironing it, folding it, and putting it away in drawers and closets, especially when there are small children in the house who constantly get dirty.
No, we need to wash, dry, and wear a particular item of clothing within a couple of hours at most, a feat impossible without a dryer.
But be careful! The dryer must be used wisely, otherwise it will not achieve its intended purpose.
In a previous article, we listed the most useful tips for choosing a dryer in the best way. Let's now see the best tricks for getting the most out of this extraordinary device.
Dryer Tricks: How to Get the Most Out of Your Laundry
As already mentioned, using the dryer without paying proper attention to what you're doing can cause wear and tear on your laundry, especially your most delicate items.
So, if you really want to get the most out of your clean, fragrant laundry, here are 10 tricks and tips for you:
1. Read the manual
Almost all of us think we know how to use a dryer, that all we have to do is turn a dial and press a button to start the drying cycle.
Well, that's not the case at all, especially if you don't want to ruin your clothes. So, the first thing to do is sit back and carefully read the instruction manual, which lists the various functions and drying programs available, each suited to specific needs and types of laundry.
By knowing your dryer inside out, you'll be able to use it like a pro!
2. Vary the heat level depending on the fabrics
Not everything needs or can be dried at the highest temperatures that the dryer can reach.
Of course, this solution might seem like the most practical and quickest, because the cycle lasts less time, but an excessively high temperature contributes to shrinkage and damage to clothes.
Therefore, Follow the instruction manual and set the program appropriate for the type of fabric you intend to dry, also selecting an appropriate temperature.
3. Never overload your dryer
Clothes need space to dry properly and thus achieve efficient drying, as well as preventing creases (and ironing).
So, even if your dryer can handle a certain load volume, try not to overload it, so allow the laundry to move around the compartment and receive heat evenly.
The alternative is to complete the cycle and remove some perfectly dry clothes and others that are still damp.
4. Shake and separate your clothes before drying
After washing your clothes in the washing machine, avoid transferring them directly to the dryer as is.
Shake each item individually to untangle it so it can dry better during the cycle, and separate items of different weights, such as heavy cotton towels and light pajamas, so you can dry them in loads. Separate.
This way, you can set the most suitable program based on the type of fabric and optimize drying.
5. Reduce the spin speed on your washing machine
One of the great advantages of the dryer is that it reduces the amount of clothes you'll have to iron.
To get the most out of this, we recommend setting a lower spin speed when you do laundry, so the clothes will come out damper but less wrinkled.
Furthermore, if you take the clothes out of the dryer a little Before the end of the cycle, when they're still slightly damp, and you hang them up to dry completely, you'll most likely eliminate the hassle of ironing.
Before putting anything in the dryer, it is essential to check the instructions on the label.6. Check the labels on your garments
In other cases, it is possible to put them in the dryer, but with some precautions, such as a data-mce-fragment="1"> Laundry bag.
A small gesture that can save your clothes and your wallet.
7. Check your clothes for stains
It can happen, after doing laundry, that some stains haven't completely come out.
However, if you put a stained garment in the dryer, the heat will set the stain into the fabric, making it more difficult to remove with a second wash.
Therefore, check carefully for stains and, if there are any, put the items back in the dirty laundry basket to wash it again before drying.
8. Be careful with down jackets
Down jackets are very delicate garments that require special care, as they tend to get damaged when exposed to excessively high temperatures.
Most dryers today have special programs, but always check the labeland, in any case, check the drying level every 15-20 minutes to avoid leaving it on longer than necessary.
9. Add essential oils to scent your laundry
An additional tip, which isn't strictly related to drying, is using essential oils to add to the cycle.
There are specific essential oils and dryer fragrances available on the market, as well as fabrics and wool balls on which you can add a few drops of product and then place them in the drum before washing.
This way, your laundry will be dry and fragrant.
10. Clean the drum periodically
Frequent cycles inevitably cause water to stagnate in some areas of the dryer, which over time releases unpleasant odors.
For this reason, it is recommended to clean the drum periodically, once a month or as needed, using specific detergents or, alternatively, water and vinegar.
Dryer Tricks: How to Optimize Electricity Consumption
One of the main concerns when purchasing a dryer is electricity consumption, which can vary greatly depending on the model chosen and how often it is used.
However, what also makes a difference is how this appliance is used and how routine maintenance is performed.
So, let's look at some Tricks to optimize your dryer's energy consumption.
- When loading the dryer, separate light fabrics from heavy ones for faster and more even drying;
- Whenever possible, dry full loads, not just one or two items, to save on energy costs;
- Drying multiple loads consecutively saves energy because the dryer doesn't have to heat up every time. However, don't overdo it, because the appliance needs to “rest” to avoid damage.
- Don't add wet items to a partially dry load. This will confuse the dryer's moisture detector and overdry some of your clothes.
- Don't open the dryer door unnecessarily. You'll add time to the drying cycle by letting the hot air escape.
- Clean the humidity sensorinside the dryer drum at least once a month.
- Remove lint and fluff after each cycle, as their presence can lengthen drying time.
- If possible,install the dryer in a warm area of the home. Unheated spaces lengthen drying times;
- Clean the vents at least once a year to remove excess lint.
Conclusions
As you can see, to get the most out of your dryer, it's important to implement a series of data-mce-fragment="1">useful tricks and practices.
This way, you can get the most out of your appliance, avoid ruining your clothes, reduce electricity consumption and leave your iron and ironing board gathering dust in the laundry room or closet.
If you're thinking of buying a new dryer, take a look at our offers by visiting dedicated section on our e-commerce site. Click here.