Community Chat

[mormel20]

When you have clothes that say "lay flat to dry" do you ever try to put them in the dryer anyway?   I am washing something right now and I am toying with the idea of the dryer instead.  Do you ever do it? Does it harm the clothes? 

[skatting44]

   Learned a lesson 50 yrs ago- if it says lay flat to dry that's what's best unless you want one sleeve  longer than the other or  alot of shrinkage  or wrinkles

[santorini]

I never lay flat to dry. I put delicate things in the dryer on low for 3-5 minutes and then hang to dry the rest of the way.  I have a floor fan that I point toward the drying items so they don't get crunchy. 

[Biftu]

if it says "lay flat to dry" that's what I do.  I'm not a dryer fan to begin with.  When you see all the lint on the dryer screen you know it's not great for clothes.

[faeriemoon]

Often I do.  Sometimes you just have to use your judgement.  IMO laundering instructions are open to interpretation. 

I will admit however, sweaters pill less if you keep them out of the dryer.  As a general rule, I try to keep them out.

[Puppy Lips]

If it is a pair of pants and it reads lay flat to dry, or hang to dry, I always do that.  I have a lot of ponte knit pants that I don't dare put in the dryer because they will shrink - I think due to the rayon.  Been there, done that, won't do it again.

When it comes to sweaters, I do lay them over the bathtub to dry.  But, they take FOREVER to dry.  So I have been contemplating putting them in the dryer.  I tend to not even wear them, so that I don't have to see them "drying" over the tub for the next week.  So then what is the point of having them if I won't wear them?

I can't imagine what harm it would do to put sweaters in the dryer on low.  I hope someone else can enlighten me on that, because I would like to know.

[vermint]

@mormel20 If something says "lay flat to dry" I just put it on a hanger--I have some of the velvet ones. I've never had anything stretch out of shape doing that. I just don't have space to lay out wet clothes! 

I have, occasionally, put these clothes in the dryer--but only if I wanted to see if they would shrink a bit. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

[Mom2Dogs]

@mormel20 Unless it's cashmere or wool (which I don't wear much wool) I always throw in the dryer for a few minutes then lay flat to dry.  

If it is taking a long time to dry, I throw back in for a few minutes.

[Steffdoggy10]

I always put it in the dryer for a few minutes to get some shape back to it. If I lay it flat to dry straight out of the washer, then I feel like I have to reshape it perfectly.

[Kachina624]

@mormel20.  No, those items are usually knits, often sweaters, and expensive.  I won't risk pilling, shrinkage, snags or something that would make it unwearable.

Luckily in my desert climate, clothes dry super fast.