What Dryer Settings Should I Use?

Dryers are extremely convenient, but their various settings can be confusing. You may be wondering what temperature to dry clothes at, or if you can customize the drying time and temperature. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to explain dryer settings and help you determine which settings to use for different types of clothes.

Common Dryer Settings

Most dryers have several settings to choose from. While some state-of-the-art dryers might include uncommon settings, most dryers have the settings listed below. Make sure you understand what they do before giving them a try, as some settings can cause harm to certain types of garments.

1. Air Dry or Air Fluff

This setting may appear under the name “air dry” or “air fluff” on your dryer’s setting list. The main thing to remember with this setting is that it uses no heat. The dryer will draw room temperature air from the surrounding area as the drum tosses your clothes.

Air drying or air fluffing helps to remove dust and fluff up your garments when they’ve lost their volume from hanging in the closet or lying folded in a drawer. Since the dryer doesn’t produce any heat for this setting, you should use it for items that are already dry. The air fluff on dyrer setting is perfect for blankes to restore new life if they have been flattened from constant use around your house or apartment.

2. Delicate or Gentle Cycle

Your dryer’s “delicate cycle” or “gentle cycle” behaves as the name describes. It generates mild heat appropriate for more delicate garments. Activewear, loosely woven garments, silk, and items embellished with beads or embroidery are best dried on the delicate or gentle cycle.

The low heat helps keep your clothes safe during the drying process, as these garments are prone to melting or stretching under high heat. Keep in mind that you may have to wait a little longer for your clothes to become dry when using this setting. Protecting your delicate garments is worth the wait.

3. Permanent Press or Wrinkle-Resistant Setting

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 unique feature of the permanent press or wrinkle-resistant setting is how it finishes the cycle. During the last several minutes of drying time, your dryer will stop generating heat and start pulling room temperature air into the dryer. This cools down your clothes, which helps to relax any lingering wrinkles. Cool clothes are also better at resisting wrinkles when folded or hung than clothes that are hot out of the dryer.

4. Regular, Automatic, or Timed Dry

This setting goes by different names depending on the brand and model of your dryer. When you see “regular cycle,” “automatic,” or “timed dry,” keep one thing in mind — this setting uses the highest heat of all the dryer temperatures. You’ll set the drying time yourself when using the timed dry option, whereas the automatic or regular option uses a moisture sensor to detect when clothes are dry.

It’s easy to use this setting as your default dryer setting, but this can actually damage your everyday garments over time. Instead, you should only use this setting for your strongest cotton and fabric items.

5. Steam Cycle

Newer dryers are beginning to include the “steam cycle” in their list of settings. Instead of using dry, hot air, this setting generates steam within the dryer drum, which you can use to remove wrinkles from garments. It’s also great for freshening up items that might have a musty odor from being in storage or in the closet for an extended period.

Since this setting uses steam, it won’t be able to dry your damp, freshly washed clothes. Only use this setting to remove wrinkles or refresh clothes with a slight odor. It’s also handy when you’ve left your clothes in the dryer for too long. Giving them a quick spin under the steam cycle will remove wrinkles and make them ready for your closet or drawer.

Clothing Types: Which Dryer Setting Is Best?

Use this section as a quick reference about which setting to use for certain garments when doing your laundry. If you’re unsure of a garment’s material or specific care, be sure to check the tag on the back of the collar for specific care instructions:

• Cotton clothing: The most durable cotton clothing can withstand the automatic or timed dry settings. Stick with the permanent press setting for everyday cotton items.
• Activewear and elastics: These types of garments have a tendency to stretch or melt under the highest heat. For that reason, use the delicate or gentle cycle for your workout clothes or any elastic items.
• Polyester: Polyester is a synthetic material that companies often blend with cotton and other fabrics. Since polyester resists moisture, you may notice it feels dry even after coming out of the washing machine. Go no higher than the permanent press setting on your dryer for clothing containing polyester. Higher heat could damage polyester garments over time.
• Baby clothes: Baby clothes are tiny, which means they dry faster than most other garments. Exposing them to high heat for an extended period can cause damage. You should separate baby clothes from the regular wash and dry them on the permanent press or delicate setting to keep them in good shape.
• Jeans: Understanding what setting to dry jeans on can be confusing. Jeans are usually stong and durable and can stand high-heat settings without damage.
• Heavy cotton items: Towels, sheets, and sweatpants are among the most durable cotton items. These garments can withstand the highest heat settings on your dryer. You can have confidence drying these items on the regular, automatic, or timed dry settings.
• Knitted clothing: Knitted clothing like sweaters can fray and loosen under high heat. If you’re unable to let them air dry on a flat surface, using the permanent press on your dryer is a safe option to get them dry without suffering damage.
• Silk, lace, and embellished apparel: These items can stretch, wrinkle, or even melt on high-heat settings. Only use the delicate or gentle cycle for these garments.

Trust the Experts at Classic Drycleaners With All Your Laundry Needs

At Classic Drycleaners, we care about your clothes. If you want to skip the hassle of doing your laundry and choosing the right dryer setting, sign up for our Wash and Fold service. Our laundry experts will wash, dry, and fold your laundry so you can focus on other things throughout the day. We offer pickup and delivery services for homes and businesses in the Greater Harrisburg region to make doing laundry easier than ever.

Check out our full list of services to see how we can take care of your laundry needs, and contact us online today for more information.

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Sources:

https://www.bouncefresh.com

https://www.thespruce.com

https://energized.edison.com

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https://www.classicdrycleaner.com

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The comfort of freshly laundered clothes is something we often assume we have to give up while traveling. Living out of a suitcase might be OK for short trips, but dealing with laundry on long journeys can feel like a losing battle. The good news is, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the comfort of freshly laundered clothes, even while you’re on the road.

With more people catching the travel bug, the question of how to stay fresh while traveling is a common one. Luckily, you can keep some quick and easy travel laundry tips in mind for your next trip around the world.

Organize Your Travel Clothes

Believe it or not, dealing with laundry on long trips begins with packing your suitcase. Which clothes you bring along will impact everything from your baggage weight to how often you’ll need to stop to do a wash.

While washing clothes as you travel is becoming more common, it’s not a sure thing, especially depending on where you’re visiting. For example, if you’re journeying within North America, you’re likely to find laundry services you’re already familiar with, such as laundromats or in-house washing machines and dryers. But some places turn to old-fashioned handwashing for their laundry needs, so you may end up having to follow the customs of the country in which you find yourself.

Wash the clothes you plan to pack for your trip so you have a fresh set to wear and can go a little longer without needing to scramble for a laundry service while traveling. In addition to that, it’s a good idea to pack clothes that you know can handle a lot of wear and tear. Delicate materials like silk or satin, which need special care when washing, are not a good idea while traveling because you may not always have access to a dry cleaning service while abroad.

Packing clothing that holds moisture is also not a great idea for extended trips. Even if you can handwash them regularly, they take much longer to dry, especially if there’s no direct sunlight under which to dry them. Most human-made materials are ideal for traveling, since they’re less prone to hold moisture and will dry faster.

Store and Sort Your Dirty Laundry

While you’re waiting for the opportunity to get your clothes washed, you may have to worry about storing your dirty clothes in your suitcase. The last thing you want is your dirty clothing soiling the clean items. A simple bag is all you need to keep your dirty laundry away from clean clothes.

For shorter trips, a drawstring or mesh bag will do. But if you’re on an extended trip and need to keep your dirty laundry separate, investing in an odor-proof bag is a good idea. These bags not only keep your dirty laundry in one place, but also prevent the rest of your suitcase from getting smelly thanks to the stinky laundry.

If the odor is still a problem even on short trips, try adding dryer sheets or sachets of lavender in your suitcase to freshen it up.

The rules of washing clothes still apply when you’re traveling, so you’ll need to sort colors and delicates. A smart tip is to pack only dark colors, so you can wash them all together without much worry. Avoid packing light-colored clothes, so you don’t have to do separate washes.

Washing Laundry While Traveling

There are several ways you can get your clothes clean while on the road. Sometimes it depends on where you’re traveling and where you’re staying, such as in a hostel versus a hotel. There are also bags designed so you can store and wash your laundry in the same container. But unless you’re a seasoned traveler, such an investment may not be worth it, so here’s how to stay fresh while traveling.

• Use hotel services: The best way of cleaning clothes in hotels is to take advantage of any available laundry services. If you’re staying at a hotel that provides this amenity, it may be worthwhile to pay a little extra and enjoy the comfort of professionally cleaned clothes.
• Use hostel services: While a hostel isn’t likely to offer top-tier laundering services as a hotel may, hostels often have a communal coin-operated washing machine that guests can use if they need to. Depending on the hostel’s location, it may also offer a rooftop clothesline, so you can dry your clothes under a blazing sun.
• Visit a laundromat: Chances are, if your hostel doesn’t have a washing machine on the premises, the staff can refer you to a laundromat where you can get your clothes cleaned. Laundromats are likely to be cheaper than hotel laundering services, so you may opt for them even if your hotel offers a laundry service.
• Visit a local dry cleaner: Wherever in the world you travel, there’s a good chance a local dry cleaning service will become your best friend, especially if you’re on a long trip. Dry cleaners don’t have a locals-only rule, so if you find yourself in a city like Harrisburg, PA, you can take advantage of local dry cleaners, like Classic Drycleaners, to get your stuff professionally washed, dried and folded. Some of these places even offer pickup service for your laundry.
• Handwash in a sink or tub: When all else fails, you can always fill up a sink or a bathtub and wash your clothes by hand. You can often buy single-use packets of detergent, but, in a pinch, even regular soap will do. The main issue with handwashing clothes, especially in a hostel, is ensuring they have enough time to fully dry before packing them up again.

Washing clothes is just one part of doing laundry while traveling. Drying can be an issue if you’re washing clothes yourself. Using a local dry cleaning service is the best way to go, especially if you take the time to do some research before your trip to find top-rated dry cleaners in the cities you plan to visit.

Get a Full-Service Clean at Classic Drycleaners

Don’t let laundry become a point of stress on your vacation or business trip. If you’re visiting central Pennsylvania, Classic Drycleaners is happy to help you with all your laundry needs — from washing and folding to repairs and alterations, we’re truly a one-stop shop for all your laundry needs. Contact us online or call us at (717) 730-6777

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