what can I use the dryer water for?

Weymouth_Man

ladygrey wrote:

I had a condenser dryer given me last month and I've been using it quite a bit,
but I feel it is such a waste to throw away the water it collects,
I'm not sure what I could use it for thougfh, how much washing detergent would still be present in the water?

What about the Car washer bottle, saving water and all that !

Ps/ I hope you have a car ? :beer:

morganlefay

My OH does all the ironing in our house (yes I know how lucky I am) and he has just had a bright idea but I am wondering if really is OK. When he empties the tank from the tumble dryer (only works if you have a condenser) he uses that water in the steam iron. He says it's just the same as distilled (V hard tap water round here - distilled water essential). Is he right ? If so this is a FREE source of distilled water (tho if not, he's probably ruining the iron at even greater eventual cost.) Any ideas about how good/bad this is for the iron ?

Gingernutmeg

The water from the tumble drier is condensation, which is simply steam that has collected and pooled. It is not clean or particularly pure, and has not had the minerals removed in the same way that distilled water has. Using the tumble drier water is no different from using tap water really, although you do have the added detergent/fabric softener residue, so it's possibly not that good for the iron.

1sttimer_2

I used to keep the melted ice from when defrosting my freezer to use as distilled water. I'm fortunate as I live in a soft water area so had no real use for it, but it seemed such a waste of water:rolleyes:

I've given a bottle of this to my DD1 who lives in a hard water area and she's not had any problem (I hope) but then as a student/new homemaker she doesn't do much ironing

tr3mor

Gingernutmeg wrote: »

The water from the tumble drier is condensation, which is simply steam that has collected and pooled. It is not clean or particularly pure, and has not had the minerals removed in the same way that distilled water has. Using the tumble drier water is no different from using tap water really, although you do have the added detergent/fabric softener residue, so it's possibly not that good for the iron.

Distilled water is simply steam that has been condensed. Hence the tumble drier is distilling the water!

So it is very different to tap water, it will have less impurities in it, and it will be fine to use in the OP's iron!

Gingernutmeg

tr3mor wrote: »

Distilled water is simply steam that has been condensed.

That's true, but to be properly distilled, the water must be evaporated in fairly 'clean' circumstances, so that the minerals can be extracted from the water and kept away from the 'pure' distilled water. The water that collects in condenser dryers is nowhere near as clean or pure as this properly distilled water. From knowing how yucky washing machines and tumble dryers get, there's no way I'd want to pour this water back into my iron and steam my clothes with it!

Lillys_mum

Just wondered if there was anything I could use the water from my condenser dryer for, it seems a shame to just pour it down the drain.

I know it would be more mse not to use the dryer but I have no drying space inside and in wet weather I have no choice

Thanks x

aliadds

I use mine to flush the toilet, or water plants!:)

naomijj

I have thought this too, I did remember to use it to flush the loo a couple of times but wondered if there was anything else, especially when you empty it as soon as its finished and its nice warm water - I've paid to heat it so I want to use it lol!

Valli

Total guess here but (as an ex lab technician hope you can see where I'm coming from) IF this water were used in a steam iron it would be softer than normal tap water. Not distilled water as such, but not far off, surely.
So less likely to leave a residue in your iron!