If the label is missing, here's a list of items that should always be tumble dried on low: Lightweight fabrics: lace, mesh or sheer fabrics, bamboo, rayon, microfiber, knitwear. Embellished items: beaded, embroidered, or sequined fabrics. Screen printed items: T-shirts, sports jerseys.
TUMBLE DRY LOW
Low heat is usually around 125 degrees Fahrenheit and is designed for delicate items like knitwear or sheer fabrics, as well as workout clothes made of high-performance fabric like spandex and lycra. Low heat helps protect heat-sensitive fabrics from fraying, fading, wrinkling, stretching and warping.
Use the medium heating setting on a tumble dryer for lightweight cottons, such as T-shirts. The permanent press setting works with a medium heat. Medium is around 130 to 133°F (55 to 56ºC) on a Samsung appliance, for example.
The answer is you'll reduce wear and tear, and be able to wear them for longer, if you dry them on a lower heat setting. An adult sweater can morph into a child's sweater in one high-heat cycle. In addition, high heat settings can cause colors to fade and can weaken fabric, especially spandex.
As a general rule, higher temperatures are best used for heavy items, like towels, jeans and jackets. Low to medium heat settings are ideal for sheets, blouses and undergarments, while no-heat settings are designed for heat-sensitive fabrics or garments containing rubber or plastic.
Dryers are a bit like romantic relationships: A lower temperature for a longer time is more efficient than a hotter temperature for a shorter time, according to a study done for the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy.
What does “do not tumble dry” mean? Certain garments shouldn't go in the dryer at all. Subjected to high temperatures, silk may shrink, wool and knitwear may pill and undergarments may shrink or lose their shape. Learn more about how to prevent pilling on your clothes.
It has been shown that bed bugs in all stages of life die at a minimum dryer temperature of 113 degrees Fahrenheit — as long as that temperature is consistent for at least 30 minutes.
Choosing the right drying cycle
Modern tumble dryers offer various cycles to suit different fabric types and drying needs. The cotton cycle uses high heat and is perfect for towels, bedding, and sturdy cotton items. For polyester and mixed fabrics, use the synthetics cycle, which operates at medium heat.
As a general rule, washing clothes in cold, gentle cycles with low-heat drying can help prevent your garments from shrinking.
Read the Tags
"First, check the tags. Anything that says 'line dry' or 'lay flat to dry' can't tolerate the heat or the tumbling action of the dryer—or both," she says.
One of the best ways to prevent shrinking is to use lower heat settings. More delicate fabrics are susceptible to shrinkage from heat, so applying lower temperatures can reduce this risk. If you check your user manual, there will be information on low heat or delicate dryer settings for sensitive fabrics.
What Can – and What Cannot – Be Tumble Dried? Any clothing that displays the tumble dry symbol can safely be dried in the tumble dryer, while it's best to dry clothing with a do not tumble dry symbol naturally, either outside on the washing line, indoors on a clothes horse, or laying flat on thick, absorbent towels.
The “permanent press” or “wrinkle-resistant” setting is a great choice for many of your everyday clothing items — from slacks and dresses to outerwear and jackets. This setting generates a medium heat. It will dry your clothes without inflicting the damage high heat can cause.
A dryer symbol with a dot inside the circle means that you should only dry your item at low temperatures up to 60°C. Two dots inside the circle indicate that you can dry your garment at regular temperatures of up to 80°C.
High: around 140°F
Use high heat when drying heavier items like towels or heavier work clothes.
Line drying or clothes rack drying will always be the more sustainable and cost-effective way of drying your clothes. Energy Saving Trust says that avoiding the use of your tumble dryer could potentially save you money each year.
Automatic Dry: It is more energy-efficient than a time dry because it causes your dryer to shut off when clothes are detected as dry automatically. Regular/Heavy: Fastest and hottest setting of your dryer. It's best to use this setting when you're drying white or light-colored clothing.
The average drying cycle is between 30 to 45 minutes, but it can extend to an hour (or longer) if you are drying a larger load, such as bedding or thicker fabrics, such as towels. On the other hand, more delicate fabrics will take as little as 15 minutes to dry, as any longer risks damaging them.
Recent research shows that new dryers use significantly less energy to dry most typical loads on low heat than on high heat, even though the dryer runs longer. If you aren't in a rush, let the clothes run longer on low heat. This will save energy and is gentler on clothes.
Delicate or Gentle
On the other hand, delicate settings use the lowest amount of heat and tumbling action, explains Pozniak. This cycle is best for fragile fabrics or laundry pieces that may start to melt, fray, stretch, or fade in high-heat conditions.