Last Updated on 2 months by Susan Mayrich
The question is: can you put soaking wet clothes in dryer? No, it would help if you never put soaking wet clothes in the dryer. It is best to wring out as much water as possible and then allow them to air dry. Putting them in the dryer will ruin your clothes, but it can cause damage to your machine.
Drying clothes in a tumble dryer can be a real-time-saver when you’re in a hurry. It’s also a great alternative on rainy days and the winter months when you need to dry your laundry but can’t hang it out to dry.
In addition, drying your clothes in a tumble dryer will make them feel softer, as they won’t have been exposed to harsh sunlight. They’ll also look newer for longer, as UV light rays can make colors fade faster.
Is it safe to put soaking wet clothes in the dryer, what happens if you put them in the dryer, and how do dry clothes fast and without a dryer? Continue reading this for what happens if you put very wet clothes in the dryer.
Can You Put Soaking Wet Clothes In A Dryer?
No, you cannot put soaking wet clothes in a dryer. Dryers can only be able to dry damp clothes, not very wet clothes. They cannot handle the excess moisture created by throwing in sopping wet items. This can lead to lint buildup, mold, and mildew inside the tumble dryer drum.
In addition, you’ll likely experience longer drying times and overheating that could cause a fire.
The dryer is a very efficient heat pump, but it will have trouble pumping heat into the clothes if they are too wet. This can result in the heating elements being turned on for an excessive time, most likely damaging them.
Wring them out first with as much water as possible, either using your hand or in the washing machine.
Will Soaking Wet Clothes Ruin A Dryer?
Yes, putting soaking wet clothes in the dryer will dry them. The dryer will heat up and extract some water, but it will take a long time and possibly damage the dryer or your clothing.
It is not good to put soaking wet clothes in the dryer because they will be heavy and hard to dry.
Plus, water will be left in the dryer, which can cause mold and rust. Therefore, it would be best to wear wet clothes before putting them in the dryer constantly.
What Happens If You Put Soaking Wet Clothes In Dryer?
Again, can you put soaking wet clothes in dryer? You wouldn’t want these things to happen in your clothes. Here are the following:
#1. It makes them feel stiff
Your clothes will not feel soft to the touch after drying them. They may also feel stiff if they aren’t rinsed out properly.
When you don’t rinse them properly, there is still detergent residue that leaves a film on your clothing and makes them feel stiff. The solution is to rinse and wring your clothing thoroughly in the washer before putting them in the dryer.
#2. It uses a lot of energy
When you put wet or soggy clothes into a dryer, the cycle starts just like any other load of laundry. The moisture is absorbed by the heating elements of the dryer and redistributed throughout the load in the form of steam.
When this happens, your dryer must first use energy to evaporate all of that water, which is wasted energy. Then it will have to use more energy to heat and dry all of the clothing.
#3. Drying clothes take long
When the clothes are soaking wet, and you throw them in the dryer, they take longer to dry, which means more time using energy. This can be especially bad if you’re using an electric dryer. Electric dryers cost twice as much to operate as gas dryers.
#4. Damages the dryer
The water can turn into steam at high temperatures and will impact your clothes if you are not careful. When there is too much moisture in the dryer, it can cause damage to the heating element and other parts of the machine.
When water turns into steam, it expands by about 1,600 times its original volume. As this happens, pressure builds up inside your dryer, which can lead to a fire if you do not turn off the machine immediately.
What To Do If Clothes Are Soaking Wet After Washing?
After clothes have been washed, a rinse cycle is recommended to ensure that soapy residue is removed from the fabrics.
After rinsing, you can use a spin cycle to remove water from the clothing. If you find that your clothes are still wet after the rinse and spin cycle, try running another rinse and spin cycle.
How To Dry Soaking Wet Clothes Without Dryer?
Here are ways you can do when drying your soaking wet clothes:
#1. Wringing out your clothes
To get wringing out your clothes. You only need to take note of a few steps:
#1. Place the wet item in the center of a towel.
#2. Next, lay the wet item flat on top of a bath towel.
#3. For best results, use an absorbent towel larger than the article of clothing.
#2. Using a fan
If you don’t want to use your dryer, turn on a fan and aim it at the wet clothes. The faster they dry out, the less chance they will get mildewy and smelly.
Turn the fan on high and leave the door open to keep air circulating through the room.
Photo by Toshi Kuji on Unsplash
#3. Hanging your clothes to dry
Remove the clothes from the washing machine and hang them up to air dry. If it is a nice, sunny day, you can use the sun to dry your clothes.
One of the advantages of this method is that it doesn’t cost any money.
Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash
#4. Using a hairdryer
If you don’t have time to let your clothes hang dry, you can use a hairdryer to speed up the drying process.
Make sure that you keep the hairdryer moving so that it doesn’t burn or damage the fabric of your clothes. You can also use a fan if you want to dry your clothes even faster.
#5. Using oven
This is only for small clothing like socks, underwear, and t-shirts. There are a couple of things you can do, such as the following:
#1. Place these items on a rack and put them in the oven at 200 degrees Fahrenheit (93 degrees Celsius).
#2. After about 30 minutes, take the clothing out of the oven and allow it to finish drying on a hanger or flat surface.
#6. Ironing your wet clothes
Use an iron set to “steam” or “dry” mode to remove extra moisture from your damp clothing. The heat from the iron will help evaporate any excess water droplets and dry the cloth.
It may also be a good idea to read about how to avoid ironing mistakes.
#7. Running a dehumidifier
If you’re worried about mildew but don’t want to run your dryer all day, turn on a dehumidifier in your laundry room or bedroom.
This will suck out the moisture in the air, which can prevent clothing damage and odor from mildew buildup. You
may also want to read about reasons to use a dehumidifier for drying.
What To Do With Soaking Wet Blankets?
A wet blanket can be a real nuisance if you don’t know how to get the water out of it. You can wring it out, but that takes time and effort.
A better option is to place the blanket in the washing machine on a spin cycle. This will remove most of the water from the blanket so you can dry it more effectively.
Depending on the size and type of blanket, you may want to place it in the dryer or hang it for line drying.
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It’s A Wrap!
Now you’ve known can you put soaking wet clothes in dryer! A dryer has the right amount of water it can extract from wet clothes, and soaking wet clothes have more water than this amount. There is no benefit to letting a machine collect moisture that it cannot expel.
Letting your dryer collect excess moisture will not improve its performance. Letting your dryer collect excess moisture is an environmental hazard.
The excess moisture that you cannot expel will remain inside the machine, leading to its accumulation and possible damage to your dryer. So, can you put soaking wet clothes in the dryer? It’s best that you already know the answer to this question.
