Q&A for How to Dry Your Clothes Quickly

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  • Question
    Is it better to air dry or machine dry jeans?
    Rani Gorgis
    Laundry & Cleaning Specialist
    Rani Gorgis is a Laundry and Cleaning Specialist and the Owner of Park Blvd Laundry & Dry Cleaners in San Diego, California. With several years of experience in the laundry and cleaning industry, Rani specializes in dry cleaning, wash-n-fold, shirt laundry, and servicing smoke-damaged clothes. He holds a BS in Accounting and a CPA certification.
    Laundry & Cleaning Specialist
    Expert Answer
    You can either air-dry your jeans or use the lowest heat setting on the dryer.
  • Question
    Can you put clothes in the oven to dry?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    You can, but it is typically limited in effectiveness and can easily damage your clothes beyond repair. If you do try this for some reason, preheat your oven to the lowest possible temperature for about 10 minutes and then turn it off and put the clothes in on a clean baking or other type of tray, being careful not to let the clothes touch the rack or sides of the oven. Never put clothes in the oven while it is on! Dry as few clothes as possible to speed drying. The problem with using an oven is that most of the water vapor remains trapped inside the oven, which means clothes can take a while to dry, but if you open the oven door to vent some of the vapor, then the oven will quickly lose heat. Only use an oven to dry clothes if it's really your only option, you're only trying to dry one or two items that aren't very absorbent and you're ok with possibly losing the clothes!
  • Question
    How long does it take to air dry clothes?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    It would usually take somewhere between 2-4 hours, though it could take much longer or shorter depending on the temperature, wind, humidity, the type of fabric and how thick it is.
  • Question
    Can you dry your shirt in the microwave?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    If you try to dry your shirt in the microwave there is a good chance you will burn or ruin the fabric and it is even possible to set many types of fabrics on fire!
  • Question
    Can you hang clothes inside to dry?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    Yes, though it may dry much more slowly if there isn't good air flow or the air in your house is very humid. Try not to dry too many clothes at once, allow for them to dry overnight or use a fan to increase airflow where you are drying.
  • Question
    Does putting wet clothes inside out in the dryer help them dry faster?
    Community Answer
    No. However, if you have decoration on the outside of your garment, such as the print on a t-shirt or sequins, washing and drying inside-out will keep the decoration looking nice longer.
  • Question
    How do wet clothes get dry when ironed?
    Community Answer
    The water evaporates onto the towel. This way, the towel is a bit damp, but the clothes aren't. Just make sure you use a towel you don't need at that moment.
  • Question
    How do you dry your blouse quickly on a drying rack?
    Community Answer
    You could try using a hair dryer; just make sure you don't hold it too close to your shirt and burn it.
  • Question
    How do I dry a wet spot on my khakis?
    Community Answer
    If you need to do it quickly, try blowing it with a hair dryer.
  • Question
    Can I hang my clothing outside to dry them?
    Community Answer
    Sure, especially if it is warm, sunny and breezy.
  • Question
    How do I dry my clothing in a kid friendly way?
    Community Answer
    If you are allowed, you can hang them out on a washing line. Alternatively, you can hang clothes on the back of dining chairs, just make sure the clothes aren't dripping too much and that no one will sit down there. You could also ask somebody to put on the central heating (radiator heating) and put clothes on a radiator. Just make sure you have permission to dry your clothes.
  • Question
    How can you dry them at night?
    Community Answer
    You would dry them just as you would at any other hour.
  • Question
    What should you do if you don't have a dryer and need to dry clothes fast?
    Community Answer
    You can try putting your clothes on the shower bar in the bathroom while having the steam switch on. After a few minutes, wring the wet clothes out and wrap them in a dry towel.
  • Question
    How do I dry a huge wet spot on my jeans?
    Community Answer
    Use a blow dryer or a hand dryer in public bathroom.
  • Question
    Can I put clothes on a radiator?
    Community Answer
    Yes, but if you leave it on for too long, it will leave burn marks and may catch fire.
  • Question
    I used the salad spinner method and it came out as shreds. How do I stop this?
    Community Answer
    Try the other methods, such as drying it on the chair or on a clothing rack. Don't try the salad spinner method again!
  • Question
    How do I properly wash white clothing?
    Community Answer
    Make sure you only wash whites with other whites or light colors (like light grays, for example). Add some detergent and bleach if need be, but do not use bleach if you have anything in the wash that isn't pure white! If your washer has a whites setting, use that; otherwise, just wash your clothes as you usually do.
  • Question
    I'm at school and my clothes are wet. How do I dry them?
    Community Answer
    If your school's restrooms have hand dryers, and your clothes aren't too wet, use the hand dryers to dry them. If you're soaking wet, go to the nurse or to the main office. One of these places will usually have extra clothes lying around you can change into. If you have gym clothes at school, you could also change into these.
  • Question
    How long do I leave the clothes on the radiator?
    Community Answer
    There's no set time as the clothing can catch fire. Make sure to check on it again and again.
  • Question
    How do I dry clothing after I used the unshrink tip and it worked?
    Community Answer
    Hang your clothing on a line, if possible, or use a drying rack. A line is usually fastest, but it is not always practical. Make sure to hang each item individually so that it has the space and ventilation to dry quickly. Rotate and flip garments periodically to ensure an even dry.
  • Question
    How can I quickly dry clothing that can't go into the dryer?
    Community Answer
    You could use a hair dryer, but don’t keep the hair dryer to close or it will leave burn marks or catch fire.
  • Question
    What do I do if my clothes were washed in bleach?
    Community Answer
    If you have used bleach to wash your clothes, it actually doesn’t affect the drying time.
  • Question
    If I use any of these methods, will my garments stink afterward?
    Community Answer
    Probably not. If you want to, first wash the clothing item and then dry it.
  • Question
    How do you dry clothes without a dryer?
    Drew Hawkins1
    Community Answer
    You can wash your clothes on a high-spin setting to remove as much water from them as possible, then hang them on a clothesline or drying rack in a location with good airflow.
  • Question
    How do you dry wet jeans quickly?
    Drew Hawkins1
    Community Answer
    Wring out the jeans to squeeze as much water out as you can, then roll them up tightly in a dry towel to soak up even more of the excess moisture. Then, place the jeans on an ironing board and place another dry towel on top of them. Iron the jeans through the towel until they're dry.
  • Question
    How do you make clothes dry faster indoors?
    Drew Hawkins1
    Community Answer
    Wring out the excess water and then hang the clothes near a heat source such as a fireplace, radiator, or furnace. But be careful when placing flammable materials near a heat source.
  • Question
    How can I quickly dry jeans in less than 8 hours?
    Community Answer
    If you hang the jeans out in the sun, the sun will make the jeans to dry quicker, you can also put a fan on high speed if indoors. While a dryer would dry your jeans quickly, this does shrink them. If you wish to use the dryer, as soon as they're dry, then stretch them.
  • Question
    Does water softener system affect drying time?
    Community Answer
    No, a water softer doesn't affect drying time of clothes. They will still dry in the same time as without the softener in the water.
  • Question
    How do I dry a dress quickly if I can't dry it with heat?
    Community Answer
    Just make sure to squeeze out any remaining water and leave it to air dry. As you squeeze, you will notice that the fabric will look already dry in parts and wet in others. If you see this, it means you did a great job at wringing your clothing, so it should take 30 minutes to air dry, depending on how hot your environment is. Summertime heat is favorable to air drying clothing.
  • Question
    Will removing my dry clothes from the dryer help my wet clothes to dry more quickly?
    Sarah Kellas
    Community Answer
    Yes, absolutely! When you remove the stuff that is already dried from the dryer, it lets the remaining wet stuff dry faster because the less your dryer is trying to dry, the more effective it is at drying.
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