Five dryer questions answered
June 13th, 2014
Whenever the weather gets rainy, we often find ourselves making far more frequent use of our clothes dryer.
To help you enjoy more perfectly-dried clothes on rainy days, here are five answers to five frequently asked dryer questions, along with a few drying tips:
What fabrics can’t go in the dryer?
As most tumble dryers do their job by blasting your wet clothes with hot air, not all clothing materials will survive an intense drying session unscathed – they could end up damaged or even shrunk.
The simplest way to find out a garment’s dryer survivability is to check its label. If there’s a stylised picture of a dryer (a circle within a square), you can dry it. If this dryer icon is crossed out, the manufacturer is telling you that you should probably stick with the washing line.
The third icon from the left tells us that you should not put this individual in the dryer. Good advice.
Generally speaking, fabrics that should NOT go in the dryer include (but aren’t limited to):
- Silk, cashmere and other similarly sensitive/delicate/expensive fabric – these don’t always react well to heat, especially when wet, and are too valuable to risk.
- Wool – while normally a fairly sturdy material, wool can shrink in the dryer. Even pre-shrunk dryer-safe woolens should probably be dried on a cool and getle “woolens” or “delicates” setting if possible.
- Rubber/PVC/plastic-backed clothes – keep the skintight pleather pants out of the dryer, folks – they’re liable to melt, which might not be the look you want when going out clubbing.
Of course, if you have something that really needs drying but really shouldn’t go in a hot dryer, you can sometimes risk running a cycle on your dryer’s cool setting, minimising the risk of damage.
Do you need to vent your dryer?
If you have a condenser dryer or heat pump dryer, no. The moisture from your clothes is condensed into water, which must either be emptied from a special tank at the end of the drying cycle, or set up to automatically empty the water down a nearby drain.
8kg Fisher & Paykel Condenser Dryer DE8060P1
For a vented dryer, the answer is a resounding “maybe”. It depends on your dryer’s location, and how you’re setting it up.
If you’re lucky enough to enjoy a spacious laundry with ample ventilation (windows, fans etc), your vented dryer should be able to run without any special venting attachments – the moisture it expels should end up outside without accumulating in the laundry.
Fisher & Paykel’s Universal Dryer Vent Kit
If your home has a more compact laundry space that’s lacking in easy ventilation, you may need to add a venting kit to your dryer to direct its exhaust out a window or wall, so that the moisture and condensation doesn’t fill the laundry and encourage the growth of mould and mildew.
How often should you clean the lint filter?
Before every load, every time.
Our man Colin shows off the easy to access lint filter from the 4kg Fisher & Paykel Dryer DE40F56A2
If you don’t clean your lint filter, not only might your clothes come out of the dryer covered in fluff, but a build-up of lint in the filter can be a fire risk, considering the high-temperature air that blows through your dryer. So don’t risk it!
How long does it take to dry a load of laundry?
That depends. How long is a piece of string?
Calculating the right drying time can tricky – setting too short a drying time means you’ll have to keep restarting the dryer until the cycle’s properly completed, and setting too long a drying time can prematurely age and damage the fibres of your clothes.
You can get a general idea of how long a drying time you’ll need based on how wet your clothes are when they go into the dryer. If they’re completely drenched, they’ll take longer to dry than if they were merely damp.
To help your clothes dry faster, use a washing machine with a fast spin cycle to remove as much water as possible from your clothes at the end of their wash, and (gently!) wring out any excess water before the clothes go in the dryer.
Your ideal drying time will also depend on your dryer’s size and efficiency, along with the amount of laundry being cleaned. Don’t overfill your dryer – the more empty space you leave in your dryer, the more hot air can be circulated around your clothes, and the faster they will dry.
So while it may take a long time for a small dryer to dry a big load of wet laundry, it shouldn’t take as long for a big dryer to get a small load of damp clothes ready for wear again.
To help remove the guesswork from your drying, your best bet is to choose a dryer with a Sensor Drying mode that monitors the level of moisture in your clothes and automatically extends the cycle time until they’re dry, such as the 7kg Bosch Heat Pump Dryer WTY88700AU.
How can I stack a clothes dryer on a washing machine?
Firstly, check the measurements of your dryer and your front loader to ensure they’re of a similar size. Don’t try to balance a larger dryer atop a smaller washer!
Electrolux Slide Out Stacking Kit
If your washer and dryer are the same size and manufactured by the same brand, check to see if their manufacturer also produces a stacking kit that’s compatible with both models. This is usually the safest and simplest way to combine the two appliances, and many stacking kits also incorporate handy laundry features such as slide-out shelves.
Appliance Washer/Dryer Mat APL600
If you can’t use a stacking kit, in some cases you can still stack a washer and dryer by placing a non-slip mat in between the two appliances. It is important for this mat to be present, as this will absorb any vibrations generated by the appliances when operating, which helps reduce the risk of dangerous and expensive accidents!
Need more help?
If you have any addtional questions regarding clothes dryers, laundry appliances or any other home appliances, contact the expert Appliances Online team on 1300 000 500 – we’re here to help, 24/7.
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