There is joy in clean laundry. All is forgiven in water, sun, and air – Ruth Moose (Poem “Laundry”)
Indeed, there is something extraordinary about fresh clothing and the process of washing away all imperfections of the day. As we enjoy the cleanliness of our garments, let’s not forget the importance of giving them proper fabric care and drying them with utmost care.
Using effective drying methods is crucial to preserving the look and feel of your clothing including preventing pilling, reducing wrinkles, preserving the fabric quality and handfeel.
In this blog, we will share how you can dry your fabrics and textiles in the best way possible, using the resources and space that you have at your own home.
Basic Tips to dry clothes effectively
Ditch tumble drying as often as possible
While tumble-drying is surely convenient and saves a lot of time, it’s not always the best choice for your clothing care. According to the National Council of Textile Organisations of the U.S, even the highest-quality fabrics can only take up to 50 cycles in the washer and dryer.
It means that if you are machine washing and drying your favourite shirt once every week, it will be completely worn-out in less than a year. Moreover, the high heat of machine dryers combined with excessive abrasion leads to pilling and bobbling in clothing, making them look dull and lifeless.
By ditching tumble drying every once in a while, you can extend the lifecycle of your clothing significantly and keep them away from fabric pilling for longer.
BONUS TIP: Even after doing effective fabric care for your clothing, you can get lint and pilling on your clothing, especially the ones made of natural fabrics such as cotton. Consider using a lint remover powder as part of your washing routine such as BIORESTORE cotton to address this challenge and revive your worn-out clothing made of at least 70% cotton in only one home laundry wash.
There is no need to lay your knitwear flat to dry
Back in the time when I didn’t know any better, I used to cover my bedroom floor and my bed with sweaters drying on top of clean towels. But, thankfully, no more!
If you are using the fast spin cycle on your washing machine, then the knits should come out slightly damp from the dryer. Just shake them, pat out any visible wrinkles, and carefully drape them over your drying rack. They’ll be dry in no time.
PRO TIP: Lay the knits on a clean towel, roll the towel and walk over it several times to squeeze out the moisture. Then dry on the drying rack. There dry in no time, and you get a great foot workout – great for de-stressing!
Care for items in the dryer
Truth be told, it’s not possible (at least for me or anyone is my circle) to completely ditch tumble-drying. While you can do it occasionally or for delicate fabrics, everyday clothing such as tees, socks, underwear, or sheets, still belong to the dryer (even though line-drying would be an ideal option for someone who is not restricted by space or time).
That being said, you can still take care of your clothing in the dryer by following some easy tips. For example, I toss a minimum of three wool balls in the dryer before hitting the “on” button which reduces the time spent on drying my clothes by up to 40%. Plus, it makes the fabrics feel super soft without adding any chemical packed laundry softener.
For someone who wants to fluff up their down clothing, consider using tennis balls in the dryer but it’s best to refer to the care label pre-hand to avoid any damage or unforeseen consequences later on.
If you are feeling extra fancy and want to take your laundry day to the next level, add some drops of essential oil to the wool balls. This will add a beautiful and natural scent to your laundry.
How to dry clothes without a dryer?
You can use line-drying method to dry clothes without a dryer. It is a much gentler alternative that keeps your clothing fresh and protects it from the rough and tumble of a machine drier.
Using laundry pins, or pegs, simply hang the clothing on the clothesline to dry. After some hours, take it all down, starting from the larger items and then moving onto the smallest items like socks, and underwear. For heavier fabrics like jeans, it’s best to peg from the ankles to enable faster drying.
How to use dryer without damaging clothes?
For starters, always check the care label attached to your clothing. If you see the words “no tumble-drying” mentioned on the label, skip this step and let the garment dry naturally.
Next, sort the fabrics by type, colour, weight, and pilling susceptibility to avoid damage and tangling within the dryer. For example, towels are generally known as pilling shedders as they pill a lot. So, it’s best to dry them all in one cycle without adding any other garment.
Remove the clothes as soon as the cycle ends to prevent over-drying and wrinkles. If you are using specialised cotton fabric care products such as BIORESTORE Re-Tergent, only give your garments a quick spin in the dryer instead of using longer and aggressive cycles.
Finally, make a habit of cleaning the lint filter regularly to maintain optimal performance levels in your machine dryers and avoid fires.
How to air dry clothes inside?
Air drying clothes inside can be a great way to save energy and prolong the life of your clothing. Choose a well-ventilated area such as a room with good airflow or near a window. Then, using a drying rack or a retractable clothesline, hang your clothes upside down to prevent them from stretching. Once dry, remove clothes from the rack of the clothesline and store them in a clean place.
P.S. If there is not enough wind or sunlight in the room to dry your clothing, you can also use a fan to speed up the process.
