Homeowner's 'life changing' towel trick dries clothes much faster
A homeowner has taken to social media to share a simple hack she uses to dry her clothes faster in the tumble dryer
A homeowner has received widespread praise for sharing a laundry tip that some claim has made such a remarkable difference to their daily routine that it has 'transformed their life'. Posting on the popular subreddit 'r/Laundry' on the social media platform, a user named Wonderful_Attorney19 amazed hundreds with their technique for drying clothes more rapidly in the tumble dryer.
They explained: "Apparently if you throw a clean, dry tea towel in with your wet laundry in the dryer, it cuts the drying time down a lot. Tried it today and my clothes were done noticeably quicker. Does anyone else do this or have other little laundry tricks?"
Cutting down the duration you use a tumble dryer can substantially reduce your energy bills, especially if you're on a time-of-use tariff. Tumble dryers are known as power-hungry appliances, and running them for shorter periods, particularly during off-peak times, can lead to considerable savings, reports Lancs Live.
The comments section quickly flooded with helpful hints and techniques from fellow users, alongside grateful messages from those discovering the trick for the first time. One person said: "OMG. You have just changed my life.
"My mother needs up to 21 changes in a day. The dryer takes one to three days to dry a single load.
"There's no space left for air drying, and anyway if I air dry towels they are like sandpaper on her fragile skin. The pile of wet laundry waiting to be dried was higher than my head.
"Since reading this tip, I actually reached the bottom of it. Thank you!"
A second said: "Been doing it for years. An old cotton bathmat resides permanently in my dryer, getting thinner and thinner." A third said: "Wool balls for the dryer work the same way." Another said: "Awesome! I'm going to try it!" Someone else said: "Yep, it works very well, my mom told me to do it about 30 years ago."
One person enquired: "Why does this work?" Another replied: "Tea towels dry really quickly so by putting a dry one in the machine it sucks the moisture out of the wet clothes and as it dry's faster than other items it will literally keep pulling moisture out of the rest of the load."
Does adding a tea towel to a tumble dryer speed up clothes drying?
Adding a dry tea towel (or any dry towel) to your tumble dryer can accelerate the drying cycle for your garments. The towel draws moisture from the damp items, expanding the evaporation surface area and improving air circulation within the machine.
This can lead to reduced drying times and potentially decreased energy consumption. The dry towel acts as a moisture magnet, soaking up excess water from the wet clothing. By drawing out dampness, the towel creates additional space in the dryer for heated air to circulate freely, helping to dry garments more evenly and efficiently.
The combination of moisture absorption and improved airflow delivers a faster drying experience. Ensure to remove the towel after 15-20 minutes. Leaving it in for the entire cycle could result in saturation, hindering the drying process. Avoid cramming too many items into the dryer.
As highlighted by In The Wash, an overloaded dryer restricts airflow, reducing its effectiveness. A fluffy, dry towel typically absorbs moisture more efficiently than a thin or damp one.