Frugal dryer tips

**Jaded** · 09-17-2007, 10:21 AM

~put a dry towel (the bigger the better) into your load of clothes to help them dry faster

~spin clothes twice...more water gets out, so they take less time to dry

~wash at night, shake clothes out, put into dryer, leave door open and let clothes partially air dry by morning, when you turn the dryer on.

~use a "clothes horse" to dry clothes that don't need to be wrinkle free or soft (underwear, socks, etc.) and to partially dry items like jeans and towels before putting into the dryer. Also, lighterweight clothes (cottons, light blends) can be "dewrinkled" quickly by putting them into the dryer with a wet hand towel and used dryer sheet for 10 minutes on low heat.

~use "wrinkle remover" spray instead of ironing if you can. I find that just spraying jeans with water and hanging them overnight upside down (heavier side down) takes out most wrinkles.

**sdrjeolsen** · 09-17-2007, 10:22 AM

Great tips, thanks for sharing!

**Sari** · 09-17-2007, 11:49 AM

Good tips. I wonder how much energy the dryer light would use though?

**pita1213** · 09-17-2007, 03:01 PM

you could drape them over the washer instead so you don't have to worry about the light in the dryer. or take out the light bulb and replace with a dead one.

**Jaded** · 09-17-2007, 06:20 PM

Originally Posted by Sari

Good tips. I wonder how much energy the dryer light would use though?

Never thought of that. I don't have a dryer light. Guess you could close the door, or put them into a clothes basket.

**booboo44** · 09-17-2007, 06:41 PM

i hang dry all my chothes dont have a dryer well i can pay 1.25 per load to dry but i refuse to so i have two clthes racks that i use and i hang jeans on pants hangers inside my house i got a shower rod and out it in my hall way and got one in the shower and one in my closet so i got plenty of places to hand up clothes all dry very well

**druidessemily** · 09-20-2007, 05:28 PM

Fold or hang your clothes immediately after the dryer stops. This way you don't have to iron your clothes! And it also has the benefit of keeping you more organized, and your children can't say that "I don't have anything to wear!"

**Bethany** · 09-20-2007, 09:13 PM

I am trying to line dry atleast half of all our laundry. It's so relaxing to hang laundry!

**Jaded** · 09-20-2007, 11:01 PM

Originally Posted by Bethany

I am trying to line dry atleast half of all our laundry. It's so relaxing to hang laundry!

Yes, it is, isn't it? Being out in the sunshine is nice too. Especially if a nice breeze is blowing.

**mikandmari** · 09-20-2007, 11:03 PM

These are great tips! Thanks. Laundry is actually a chore that I find relaxing, especially hanging clothes outside on a nice day!

**PB&J** · 09-21-2007, 12:00 AM

Originally Posted by Bethany

I am trying to line dry atleast half of all our laundry. It's so relaxing to hang laundry!

I love the smell and feel of line dried bath towels!

I toss line dried towels in the dryer with my wet stuff. It softens them up a bit and does get the other stuff drier, faster. I hang big stuff on the clothes line, shirts, pants, towels, sheets, etc. I put socks and undies in the dryer. With 6 people in our family it would take me forever about about a thousand clothes pins to hang all our socks and undies. lol

**PrairieRose** · 09-21-2007, 08:53 AM

I use my dryer for the most part. It's just me and Gripey and I love the convenience of it. When I was big things like beach towels or blankets, dog bedding or swimsuits I line dry those. Sometimes I'll line dry a pair or 2 of jeans. I'm just lazy when it comes to hanging out stuff. I don't have a big clothes line, just a smallish one on the patio to hang beach towels on.

**PrairieRose** · 09-21-2007, 08:58 AM

Ok that's supposed to read when I *wash* big things.

**Jaded** · 09-21-2007, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by PB&J

I love the smell and feel of line dried bath towels!

I toss line dried towels in the dryer with my wet stuff. It softens them up a bit and does get the other stuff drier, faster. I hang big stuff on the clothes line, shirts, pants, towels, sheets, etc. I put socks and undies in the dryer. With 6 people in our family it would take me forever about about a thousand clothes pins to hang all our socks and undies. lol

Wow! Great idea about the towels! I have a lot of socks and underwear, simply because I like them. I have a clothes horse I hang mine on, which doesn't take any clothes pins. You can get quite a bit on one clotheshorse. I have enough for three people, and I have to use two clotheshorses if I wash them all at once.