Can you put metal in the dryer? It's not recommended. Garments with metal decorations or rhinestones can melt, discolor, or break, ruining the clothing and potentially damaging other items or your dryer. Always hang dry these items or, if the material is especially delicate, lay them flat on a towel to air dry.
Silk, Lingerie, and Delicate Fabrics
Delicate fabrics such as silk, lace, and sheer net should never go into the dryer. The high heat can set in wrinkles that are almost impossible to remove. But, the biggest danger is something such as a zipper snagging the fabric and leaving a hole or pull.
While we all know better than to wash pens and lighters, we do tend to forget about the danger of buttons. Decoration and hardware on clothing can be just as dangerous to your dryer as lost loose items. Metal is a particularly dangerous and common clothing decoration that might scrape or spark in the dryer.
Instead, try aluminum foil. Roll up a sheet of aluminum foil into a ball and throw it in the dryer. This helps to reduce static electricity and keep clothes crisp. Plus, it will not leave any grime on your clothing, and it can be reused for 1-2 months, which can save a lot of money on your laundry!
The most common cause of dryer fires is the result of lint build-up in the dryer and exhaust duct. When dryers are not cleaned on a regular basis the lint build-up restricts airflow, and when the airflow is restricted, clothes take longer to dry. This is the first indication that there is a problem.
The theory is that the balls will help create gaps in between your clothes as the dryer spins, preventing them from bunching up and allowing more hot air to circulate for faster drying.
Yes, that's right. One of the most creative hacks for laundry doers everywhere is to throw tennis balls in dryer machines. What does this do? It can prevent clumping of the filling of bulky items (like those mentioned above) AND create more fluff1.
The dryer itself is metal and not flammable, but the building materials certainly are. Generally speaking, mismanaged heat is the leading cause of an appliance fire, and lint accumulation causes mismanaged heat. Mechanical and electrical failure account for a significant portion of dryer fires.
A dryer should never run when you are not home or while you are sleeping in case of a fire. More than 15,000 dryer fires break out each year. For more dryer tips consult our blog on how failure to clean your dryer could cause a house fire.
Some types of magnet do lose their strength over time, but not the ones we use. At very high temperatures (over 80 celsius), they may lose some strength, but this returns once the magnets have cooled down. Are they washing machine and tumble drier safe? Yes, absolutely.
Yes, clothes can catch on fire in the dryer.
This happens when the lint builds up inside the dryer and ignites. The best way to avoid this problem is to check the lint trap regularly for build up. If you find any lint buildup, remove it immediately.
Drying rack: You can finish up your jacket in the dryer, but air-drying at least part of the way helps your jacket last longer. You can pop it onto a clothes-drying rack if you have one. If you don't, setting your coat over the back of a chair will also suffice.
The physical presence of a tennis ball causes more movement and space between items, which lets in more air, leading to drier clothing. Some of the best items tennis balls can soften and speed up the drying process for are bulkier things like freshly washed pillows and clean comforters.
Adding a dry towel to wet clothes in the dryer can help to absorb excess moisture and speed up the drying time. This is because the dry towel acts as a wick, pulling moisture out of the wet clothes and into the dry towel. Furthermore, adding a dry towel can also help to fluff up and soften clothes!
Generally, 2-6 balls should do the job depending on whether your laundry load is small, medium, or large. There have to be enough balls bouncing around in the dryer for their benefit to be significant and the more you have, the more effective they'll be.
If the static problem persist when using wool dryer balls, there is an easy fix. Just spray each ball with water until they are slightly wet or damp. Then throw them in the dryer with your clothes. This will help to create steam in the dryer, which in turn helps to reduce static on clothes.
For sanitary reasons, you should always wash bath towels separately from clothing items. Putting towels in their own load also makes it easier to adjust the setting based on color. It's also easier to dry towels in the same load since damp towels dry slower than most clothes.
In Canada, we rely on these helpful appliances to help us stay well-kept when our busy lifestyle prohibits the time required to hang and bring in clothes from a laundry line. According to cbc.ca, every year approximately 15,000 fires* are caused by lint buildup in dryers.
Clothes dryer fires are more common than you might think. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that dryers and washing machines cause an average of 15,970 fires each year, with dryers causing 92% of them and an average of $200 million in property damage.
Lint is the leading cause of dryer fires. It's highly flammable, and it's everywhere. Lint naturally accumulates in your dryer and dryer exhaust system. This buildup makes the dryer work harder for each load and the lint can work its way into the heating element, which is bad news.