Tumble dryer

want2bmortgage3

Just bought the electrolux for £249 on john lewis and was going to give it a first go but was shocked to find nearly all my clothes have the 'dont tumble dry' symbol on them!!!

Now, either this is over cautious by the clothes manufacturer, and i can probably get away with it, or have i just wasted my money??

Has anyone else had this problem?

olias

Personally, unless they are obviously specialist fabrics, or expensive clothes, then I would just go on instinct.

We tumble dry almost everything (not very MSE I know, but we have nowhere to hang stuff outside, and I hate the place looking like a laundry!), and have had no real problems, other than one jumper which shrank a little.

Olias

TomsMom

You haven't wasted your money but it's best to only tumble dry the items that say you can. If the label says don't tumble dry then there is a reason you shouldn't do it. I tumble dried a mattress cover with a don't tumble dry label, only did it for quickness as I wanted it back on the bed ASAP and it wasn't a good drying day. It shrunk lengthwise.

I tumble dry pants (my Sloggi's and OH's M&S ones) and socks, OH's PJs and my nighties. I line dry any clothes that I would iron, i.e. shirts, T-shirts as the TD gets them too dry unless you constantly check. I also tumble dry sheets and towels if the weather isn't good enough to line dry them.

Basically, if it says don't then don't as you could spoil the item.

want2bmortgage3

Well the problem is nearly everything has the dont tumble dry picture! I'm talking basic jeans and t-shirts. No special materials at all. I just assumed it would be fine to tumble dry things like this. Could I get away with it on the low heat program? Also the dryer has a sensor and iron aid programme so I can set 3 different dryness levels.

zax47

Are you interpreting the symbols correctly? You haven't mixed it up with Do Not Bleach have you?

Cotton based stuff like jeans and t-shirts are usually fine to turmble dry, it's man-made fibres/synthetics that don't like the heat (they shrivel!!).

Here's the full list of symbols;

http://www.textileaffairs.com/lguide.htm

TomsMom

At the end of the day, you can tumble dry what you want. It might be OK, it might not. But if it spoils your clothes you can't take them back and complain if you've gone against the laundry instructions even if you use the lower heat setting.

want2bmortgage3

ok i will probably take the risk, are there any general rules as to what materials are usually ok to tumble dry? my dryer as with the washing machine has seperate cotton and synthetic programs.

sickparrot

We just leave ours on longer at the lowest heat setting, never had any problems.

looby75

go and get yourself some dryer balls. We tumble dry pretty much everything on the lowest heat setting and they are all fine. I did notice that over time (we are talking months here) some of my tshirts were getting out of shape but since my lovely neighbour gave me some dryer balls that does't happen, and the clothes come out pretty much crease free too...bonus

oystercatcher

I tumble dry loads of things as there's five of us and we don't have much indoor drying space. Knitted cotton, like T-shirts is the thing that often shrinks, if it's something new and special then I hang it up to dry seperately but mostly take a chance and things are fine.
I think a lot of it is the shop covering themselves so you can't take things back and complain. Of course our clothes will all look better if we individually hand wash and dry each item seperately but who has time for that?
I take the view that I don't have time to mess about too much so if everyday stuff is going to shrink then the bin is welcome. Obviously 'special' clothes can wait and have special treatment but the bulk has to be flung in machines and fit in with my life if it can't cope with that I don't want it !!
Never tumble dry wool or silk unless it's the specially treated stuff, we have got some nice M&S woollen things which can be tumbled but I still prefer not to unless desperate.
When you buy new things check the labels. Also after a while you'll get used to detemining the qulity of stuff and knowing if it will cope with the dryer.

want2bmortgage3

I would have to agree it seems like the shops are covering their backs. A basic long sleeve t-shirt, 100% cotton has a no tumble dry symbol on it. Now I dont see how such a basic item of clothing cant be tumbled. I will try it on the coolest cotton programme...