Here’s another helpful guide. There are more and more symbols that we need to understand in order to give our (and of course your) clothes the best care.
Today we’ll look at the drying process and the symbols associated with it. Our grandmother said – and it’s a universal grandmother’s truth – that the best thing for clothes is the Sun. This keeps them fresh, bright and only the best. But don’t worry if hanging them out to dry is not possible. We have modern solutions such as clothes dryers or air dryers.
A few simple rules for drying:

 

Line drying

  • Full Sun will brightens your whites – bright colors and black items line dry in the shade or inside out
  • Bring your loads inside, once the sun goes down and finish drying inside, if needed. If you leave it outside after Sun goes down, your clothes will absorb evening dew
  • Avoid overcrowding your clothesline. Do not let your clothes touch each other
    Hang your shirts and T-shirts on hangers to avoid pressure marks from the clothespins and to minimaze ironing
  • Winter is great for line drying. But only on a sunny, dry (freezing is best) day. With freeze, the water in your clotheds turns straight into a gas and is whisked away. Quick, easy and effective
  • You want to shake out excess water and straighten your clothes more to save time ironing
  • It you have no place for winter line drying, don´t worry. Place all your socks and fluffy heavy fabrics on a warm (not hot) radiator (most European homes have this option)
  • Don´t hang your wet clothes on doors or furniture and them touch them. You may damage your furniture and your clothes too
 
Dry – This is a general symbol for drying. No specific method is stated.
Line (Hang) dry – Hang to dry on a cloth line. Remove excess water, so the item is not dripping wet. You can leave it in direct sunlight.
Dry flat – Remove excess water from clothes, usually by pressing. Lay it flat on a surfaceto help it hold its shape. If you don´t have flat surface to do this, use sturdy hangers. If you find two horizontal lines in the square, this means do not wring prior to laying flat. Usually used for delicate textiles that can be damaged by wringing or hanging.
Drip dry – Hang to dry on a line. Do not wring and hang it dripping wet- This method is mostly used for large items such as blankets and sheet to prevent wrinkling. However you can always give it a good shake to remove as much water as possible.
Dry in shade – Hang to dry on a line, out of direct sunlight. Remove excess water, so the item is not dripping wet, just damp. Direct sunlight can cause fading in bright colors and black. We often turn clothes inside out.
Do not wring – it is used for delicate or special clothing. You don´t want those sequin tops to loose their shine.. Just give them a little shake and hang to dry.

Tumble drying (dryer)

  • In many houses it is common to tumble dry
  • If your symbol says do not tumble dry, avoid it like a plague. Your clothes will likely shrink and get damaged
  • Many cleaning services use tumble drying and use very hot air to speed up the process. This will again cause shrinkage and damage. At our LaundryKaron.com we prefer as much sun, hot air and only if nothing else works, tumble drying. But we use the lowest temperature possible because it is better for your clothes. So remember, if you tumble dry, use the lowest temperature, not the highest
  • Combine wet clothes and items of similar weight so they dry evenly
  • Tumble drying is best for: sheets, towels, cotton fabric, jeans, socks, T-shirts
    If you tumble dry too often, colors can fade and clothes can loose their shape
  • Overdrying causes damage, shrinkage and color fading
  • Use dryer balls to make your clothes softer
  • Use dryer sheets for a pleasant fresh scent
  • Always empty the lint container (especially after drying towels). The accumulated lint can overheat and damage your machine
  • Just a little advice – if you have enough space – buy a freestanding dryer. If you have two in one washing machine (washer and dryer), you can’t wash and dry at the same time, you usually won’t be able to dry all the laundry at once, and then you’ll have a wet pile of laundry somewhere waiting to be dried in the dryer (and maybe catch the wet smell of an old sponge)
 
Do not tumble dry – Easy to understand. Do not use a dryer. Instead opt for line or air drying. But check sunlight restrictions, or do not use super hot air for your fans.
Tumble dry normal – You can tumble dry your clothes. There are no specific instructions given. But we usually use lower temperatures, not higher ones.
Tumble dry normal, low heat – Drying at a low temperature – higher temperatures can cause shrinkage and damage to the clothes.
Tumble dry normal, medium heat – Dry at a medium temperature.
Tumble dry normal, high heat – Dry as hot as your dryer allows. BUT… of course there are some buts… be sure you are so adventurous that you risk damaging your clothes. My highest temperature may not be (or is higher than) your highest temperature. Or those clothes.
Tumble dry normal, no heat – You can use your dryer, but do not increase the temperature. Just air out the laundry in the dryer.
Tumble dry, permanent press – Some dryers have this setting. This is used for clothes that may wrinkle during a normal drying cycle. It uses a combination of heat and tumbling to reduce wrinkles for your wrinkle-free clothes. It uses a medium heat setting and ends with a cool-down period.
Tumble dry – gentle or delicate – This setting is not available on every dryer. It is designed to handle fabrics and clothes that require extra care and drying process. It uses a low heat setting and gentle spin to reduce damage and shrinkage to your delicates. When we see this symbol, we prefer air drying or line drying.

Air drying

  • Can be used as another term for line drying at home
  • Usually uses air fans (or hot air fans) to provide airflow for better drying
  • It is best to use a low hot temperature to prevent damage and shrinking of the clothes
  • Very often, closets/cabinets/or some type of plastic greenhouse with fans blowing warm air in are used… we have one in the store and it is used during very humid times of the year
  • Shake the clothes before hanging to remove excess water and reduce wrinkling
  • Use hangers to dry shirts and t-shirts – this will maximize space
  • You can find instructions for drying flat – used for sweaters and stretchy garments to keep their shape (you can use hangers for this)
  • If you don’t want lines from the drying rack or pressure marks from clothespins, again use hangers to prevent this