Once upon a time, people had to hang all of their clothing and linens outside to dry them. Not only did this expose them to the elements, but it could take quite a bit of time for them to dry. Thankfully, modern drying machines make the process much simpler. In addition to drying things, a dryer can be a quick and simple way to remove wrinkles or freshen up a specific clothing item.
That said, you can’t just put anything in your dryer. Some materials simply aren’t made to handle the heat and tumbling cycle of dryers. Putting them inside can cause them to shrink, warp, and become ruined.
Other items can actually damage the dryer itself and put your home at risk of a dryer fire. Here are a few items you should make sure to keep out of your dryer.
Clothes and Fabric with Grease, Gas, and Oil
It’s not easy to get grease and oil out of fabrics. Even if you send them through the washing machine, residue can remain in their fibers. Gas, grease, and other oils are highly flammable. Even trace amounts can catch on fire when exposed to heat.
Any clothes, cloths, or fabrics with oil, grease, gasoline, or other flammable chemicals on them should never be put inside of a drying machine.
Beach Supplies
A lot of us enjoy a day out at the beach. But once you leave, pieces of the beach tend to follow you. We’re talking about sand. It gets into everything, including your clothes and towels. If you’re not careful, that sand will get into your dryer as well.
After you wash out your beach attire, you should consider hanging it up to dry rather than placing it inside of your dryer.
Things with Pet Hair
Pet’s are a wonderful thing. Pet hair, on the other hand, isn’t so great. If you have pets that shed, you’re probably used to hair being on everything. If you’re not careful, it can end up clogging up your lint trap and dryer vents as well.
Any pet bedding or clothing should be left out of the dryer if possible. Even after a thorough washing, these items likely covered in hair. Instead, try air drying them.
Excessive Dryer Sheets
Dryer sheets are a popular way to leave your clothes feeling soft and static free when they come out of the dryer. They can even make them smell extra fresh. When used in excess though, these sheets can cause issues with your dryer.
Dryer sheets actually work by leaving an invisible residue on your clothes that reduces static and leaves them feeling softer. However, this residue can build up on your lint trap as well, especially if sheets are used in excess.
You should only use dryer sheets sparingly, if at all.
Too Much at Once
Placing too many clothes in your dryer at once is a bad idea. It generally means your clothes won’t properly dry, which means you’ll have to run them through again. This is hard on your clothes, and it’s hard on your dryer.
Just save yourself the trouble and split your clothes and linens into smaller loads.
Plastic and Rubber
Only cloth materials should be going into your dryer. That means if something contains plastic or rubber, it shouldn’t go into your drying machine.
While small buttons on shirts or pants should be fine, larger amounts of plastic can be damaging. As for rugs with rubber bottoms, these should stay out of your dryer altogether. When heated, small bits of rubber and plastic can break off, getting caught in your dryer’s lint trap.
These materials increase the chances of combustion, posing a serious safety risk.
Dirty Lint Trays
You should never run your dryer with a dirty lint tray. Though it seems like a small thing, a dirty lint tray causes your machine to work harder and results in more lint ending up in your dryer vents. Additionally, it increases the risk of a dryer fire.
You should clean your lint tray out after every cycle.
Even with proper tray cleaning, lint will build up in your dryer vents overtime. This is why you should have your vents inspected and cleaned at least once a year. For dryer vent cleaning in Dayton, Ohio and the surrounding communities, contact Air Duct Cleaning & Radon Company today!
