How to save time with these clever drying tricks
No one really enjoys doing the washing. Though it's easy enough to throw your wet laundry into the dryer, you still have to face up to mountains of ironing afterwards. However, there are ways you can avoid having to do this onerous task — at least for many items of clothing. By lessening your workload, these useful tricks will give you more time to enjoy the finer things in life.
1. Wet your clothes
Your clothes will look creased if you leave your them in the dryer for several hours or keep them in the laundry basket too long after getting them out. If you don't have time on your hands, one quick trick is to spray the clothes with water. After wetting the clothes, put them back in the dryer for 5 to 10 minutes. It's best to use this method when you're going to wear the clothes right away as they'll otherwise become creased again. If you don't have a spray bottle at hand, you can also put a damp dish towel in the dryer with the clothes instead.
2. Fold right away
Blogger Ann-Marie admits that she always dreaded doing the laundry and all of the tasks that come with it. Out of convenience, she simply threw the laundry from the dryer into the basket and left it for hours or days on end. One day, Ann-Marie decided to attend to the washing immediately. Since discovering that the clothes and sheets are less creased when she folds them straight from the dryer, the mother of three no longer has mountains of washing and unfolded clothes sitting around for days.
3. Ice cubes
The ice cube trick is a cool way to remove creases from your clothes. Simply put a handful of ice cubes in with the dryer along with the clothes. Once the ice in the machine has melted, the steam created ensures that the washing will come out less creased. Five to 10 minutes at a medium to high temperature should do it. Make sure to take out the washing right away, as the risk of it getting crumpled increases the longer you leave it.
YouTube/JumbleJoy
Here's how it's done...
4. Hang up shirts before drying
For this trick, you need to hang up the washed shirts before putting them in the dryer. This gets them into the right "shape," meaning they'll appear a lot smoother. For even better results, you can then put them in the dryer for 20 minutes if they're still slightly damp. With a little bit of care (and luck), you'll no longer need to iron them.
5. Tennis balls
This trick is excellent for three reasons. As well as ensuring cushions, dish towels, and any other baggy materials come out of the machine fluffy, clothes are less likely to be creased and the drying process is quicker when tennis balls are placed in the dryer. One or two tennis balls should do the job. It's also worth noting that this method works particularly well when the dryer isn't crammed full.
6. Spread the washing out
If you have a bit of time and enough space, you can also give this method a try. Simply take the clothes out of the dryer and, as long as they're still a bit damp, lay them out on a flat surface until they're completely dry. Most clothes won't need ironing afterwards.
So what are you waiting for — put your washing in, switch the dryer on, and see for yourself!