100% cotton sheets - non tumble dry?

Pollycat

Hi
I recently bought some 100% Egyptian cotton 300 thread count bedding (sheets, pillow cases and duvets covers) from Dunelm Mill.

They are really lovely (probably not very MSE but I'm fed up with polycotton stuff) but I've noticed that the care label states that they shouldn't be tumble dried.
I've rechecked the label and it's definitely the 'square with a circle in it' and it's crossed out.

There's no embellishment or embroidery on the bedding at all to explain this instruction.
The pillow cases and duvet cover have a self-pattern in the top fabric,
http://www.dunelm-mill.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/MCategory3_11100_14438_-1_1_10551
The sheet is totally plain.

I've got some 100% Egyptian cotton percale pillowcases that don't even mention the tumble-dry sign on the care label (I've only just checked this as I never even considered that this would be a problem), I've always tumble-dried these whenever the weather is too bad to hang out and they're fine.

What does anyone think?
I don't want to damage this expensive bedding but then again I don't want wet sheets etc hanging about the house when it's chucking it down.

Thanks

Angelfeathers

Hi, we've got something similar, I think, and it does say not to tumble but I've had to on a couple of occasions due to only having one set and needing to go to bed and they've been fine.

I assume they're just protecting their backs or something. :-)

Woofles

How odd, there may be a possibility that they may shrink a little. I tumble dry 100 percent egyptian cotton towels with no problems, but always use the lower setting and take them out slightly damp to finish off on the airer. Not quite as easy with sheets admittedly.

Pollycat

Thanks for the replies, guys.

I've sent an email to Dunelm Mill to query the label, I'll let you know what they say.

Angelfeathers
glad to hear that you've not had a problem.

Woofles
I'd be really annoyed if they did shrink as they are so nice.

mummysaver

All I can think is that they may shrink a tiny bit as well?

Saying that I have two cotton duvets, one with a woven check design and the other with pleats, and if the weather is pants then I always tumble them. Both were quite expensive, even though they were heavily reduced from their original prices at T J Hughes, so I'd have been very peeved if they'd shrunk! I do tend to take them out of the tumbler when they're still a little damp, as otherwise they crease terribly, and I like my bedding ironed, and being damp makes it easier!

greenbee

I think it's probably because they might shrink. I've always assumed that 100% cotton would shrink a little in the first couple of washes/TD session, whereas polycotton doesn't tend to (so I have polycotton fitted sheets & 100% cotton everything else). It doesn't shrink much - if you've got a fitted sheet it might make it a tight fit, but with the rest it probably won't be noticeable. And my pillowcases/duvet covers/flat sheets have been washed at 60, TD'd hot and come out almost crunchy before now!:o

BitterAndTwisted

All cotton has the potential to shrink, it's usually a drastic change in temperature which causes it, either the cold rinse after a hot wash or the hot tumble-drier after a cold rinse. I'd definitely do what Woofles suggested and tumble-dry on a lower setting and just to be on the safe-side choose a setting on the washing-machine which allows for a gradual reduction in temperature during the rinse-cycle if you have one.

zzzLazyDaisy

I have 100% egyptian cotton bedding, I leave it overnight on a clothes airer, then finish it off in the morning in the tumble dryer on a low setting. I take it out before the cold cycle and fold (I don't iron them). The fitted sheet is a bit tight, so I guess it did shrink a little, but otherwise everything is fine. I've been treating them this way for four years.

One tip though - IKEA do fitted 100% cotton sheets that are continental sizes. So when you first buy them they are a bit big, but one wash and a whizz through the dryer and they fit perfectly :-)

Na1play

Hi, I don't tumble dry any sheets, I just hang sheets and towels over doors and the bannisters to dry and they get soft after I put them in the airing cupboard.
I have tumble dried egyption cotton before though and it did shrink.

culpepper

I tumbled one of OH's all cotton thick uniform shirts a long while ago and that shrunk.
He has shrunk his own Karate Gee that way too and they are all cotton.
Our dryer only had hot or medium so I think it just was too hot for the material.
They used to tell you to pre-wash material if you bought it for making clothing to preshrink it before commiting it to the scissors.
My tumbly went to the scrap yard in the sky about a year back and we haven't missed its passing.

nanokitten

it may be the thread it's hemmed with is synthetic -I tumbled a 100% cotton skirt once and all the hems shriveled:(