What is the best setting to dry whites?

Author: Dave Willms  |  Last update: Saturday, October 11, 2025

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. Delicates: Low heat, so drying time will be longer. It is best to use this setting to use for delicate fabrics.

Which drying setting is best?

- Use a low heat or delicate setting. - Opt for the delicate or gentle cycle. - Avoid over-drying by setting shorter drying times and checking the clothes. - Utilize sensor dry if available. - Follow care label instructions and consider air drying for extra caution.

Which mode is best for drying clothes?

Turning the heater on will dry them faster than an AC mode. Hot air has lower relative humidity, and will absorb moisture faster.

Is whites the highest dryer setting?

Top Tips - Dryers

When drying clothes, remember that "permanent press" or "delicates" is the cold setting, while "whites" is the hottest setting.

What setting do I dry whites on?

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. Delicates: Low heat, so drying time will be longer. It is best to use this setting to use for delicate fabrics.

Tumble Dryer Settings Explained

What is the hottest drying setting?

Hot/high heat

The dryer symbol with three dots in a circle indicates that you can and should dry your item at the highest temperature.

What setting is best for drying?

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.

What setting to dry comforter?

Step 1: Put your comforter in the dryer and spread it out as much as possible. Step 2: Add two to three tennis balls, or wool dryer balls, to help fluff the comforter while drying. Step 3: Set the dryer to a low-heat or no-heat setting.

What is the best dryer setting to not shrink clothes?

Avoiding heavy duty cycles, fast spins and high-heat drying can also prevent shrinkage. Use delicate cycles instead, and place delicate clothes in a mesh laundry bag for added protection. When drying, consider a low-heat or air dry setting. When in doubt, always follow the instructions on your garment's care tag.

What does whites mean on a dryer?

“Whites & Colors” means “High Heat” and is the best all around setting for drying large loads. “Sturdy Permanent Press” means “Moderate Heat” with cool down. “Delicate Permanent Press ” means “Low Heat” with cool down and is excellent for delicate fabrics and fine washables.

What is the best drying method for clothes?

Machine drying is the quickest and most intense method for drying wet items. It is important to note that most damage occurs in the dryer rather than in the washing machine. To best preserve fibers and to save energy, air dry whenever possible.

What temperature for whites?

Set your washing machine to a Hot water cycle (90°F to 140°F) for most white fabrics. You can pair this with a Normal cycle, or a dedicated Whites cycle if available. For delicate items, choose a Gentle cycle with warm or cold water.

What setting do you use for whites?

Wash whites by selecting the hot water setting on your washing machine. Add in your detergent (choose one with a bleach alternative and/or enzymes), using the maximum amount recommended.

What is the best cycle for whites?

Warm water washes are ideal for clothing such as towels, underwear, bed linen and any other harder everyday fabrics such as wool. Warm washes are also good for white clothing that isn't too soiled as it can help to brighten them up giving that extra bit of care.

Which mode is best for shirts in the washing machine?

The Delicates Cycle

A delicate wash or “hand wash” cycle is the machine equivalent to handwashing! This cycle uses warm or cold water with low or no spin. It's typically the shortest and most gentle cleaning cycle, and the low or no-spin allows for minimal fabric agitation.

What dryer setting is best for bedding?

Choose a dryer setting with low to medium heat, then quickly remove the sheets from the dryer to prevent wrinkles from forming.

What is the best cycle to dry a comforter?

If possible, dry your comforter on a cycle designed for bulky items and customize the cycle to dry with low or no heat, unless the label says otherwise. Add two or three dryer balls to the load so that the filling moves around as it dries.

What happens if you dry a comforter on high?

A: It's best to stick with low heat when drying your comforter to prevent any damage to the filling. High heat can also cause shrinkage or fading in some fabrics.

What setting to dry whites?

Regular/Heavy

This setting should be reserved for whites and household items like towels, as this setting can cause rough clothing or static. Often have a static issue? Consider shortening the dryer time!

Which dryer setting is best?

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.

What setting do you dry shirts on?

TUMBLE DRY MEDIUM

Light, thin cotton clothes like t-shirts can also benefit from moderate heat to help reduce shrinkage. Medium heat will dry fabrics slower and gentler than high heat, helping prevent wrinkles from setting while protecting synthetic fibers which can ripple under high heat.

What is the best setting to dry clothes without shrinking?

Not all dryers have a tumble or air dry option, but that doesn't mean you don't have options. Simply turn your dryer's temperature knob to “low heat.” If you can't find that setting, select “delicate” or “gentle” instead.

What dryer setting for blankets?

If you decide to dry your blanket with an electric dryer, be sure to choose a low heat setting. For a wool blanket, avoid the tumble dryer and opt for air-drying, being mindful to keep it out of direct sunlight. Now that you know how to wash a blanket, you're ready to add them into your regular laundry day rotation.

What is the cool to dry setting?

With Cool to Dry, Google Nest thermostats can use your air conditioner or heat pump to help reduce excessive humidity in very humid climates. This humidity control helps to prevent mold and maintain a healthier environment in your home.

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