Put Your Clothes Dryer on a Diet

There are great reasons to line-dry clothes. The sun can kill dust mites, the sun can whiten and deodorize, there is no electricity used, and more. But the convenience of the dryer is something most of us rely on with gratitude. Not only does it take no more time than it takes to move the laundry from the washing machine to the dryer, but you can easily dry clothes at any time of day or night. Fortunately, a few simple steps can help lessen the energy load your dryer may be costing you.

• Dry full loads, but don’t overload the dryer as it will take more energy to dry the clothes.
• Don’t overdry. Some new dryers have moisture sensors that automatically turn the dryer off when clothes are dry.
• Size your washer and dryer for equivalent load sizes.
• Wash and dry similar types of clothing together. Different fabrics dry at different rates.
• Clean the lint trap before every load.
• Be sure the dryer is vented to the outside to avoid moisture and lint build-up in the house.
• Be sure the outlet venting duct is free of tight turns, or elbows. Lint can build up at elbows, slowing airflow out of the machine, increasing drying time and creating a potential fire hazard.
• Rigid venting is better than corrugated flex vent at keeping air moving and avoiding blockages.
• Avoid kinking or crushing the vent material.
• Don’t exceed 25 feed of vent length (or per manufacturer’s instructions).
• A front-loading washer spins out clothes better, reducing drying time.
• Run loads in succession to capture residual heat of the previous load.
• Use the cool-down cycle to complete drying.
• If you like how your towels feel after coming out of the dryer, try using it for only ten minutes or so and then hang dry.
• If your clothes tend to take longer to dry than they used to, perhaps the thermostat or heating element has gone bad. Are the clothes hot but not dry? Check the venting system.
• Never vent a dryer into a crawlspace or attic.

Read more: Home, Conservation

Adapted from The Home Energy Diet: How to Save Money by Making Your House Energy Smart by Paul Scheckel (New Society Publishers, 2005).

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Robert O.

5:56PM PDT on May 17, 2012

Thanks Annie.

send a green star

Laurita W.

10:28PM PST on Nov 9, 2011

I hate scented fabric softeners. I am glad to learn of dryer balls. Thanks! I will find some soon!

10:27PM PST on Nov 9, 2011

When I lived in Arizona, I would hang my laundry up in the heat of the day, and literally be able to begin taking them down as soon as I had finished hanging, because drying happened so fast there! Here in Idaho, I use a dryer in winter, as we don't heat the house over 68 degrees, and vent indoors for the heat and humidity.

Kath R.

3:31PM PDT on Apr 26, 2010

I damp dry all of my clothes than hang them on clothes racks to finish drying. My husband was against my doing it at first but has come around so much so that he actually built me a large, sturdy drying rack.

Richard M.

6:25PM PDT on Jul 30, 2009

Wool dryer balls are great! I've been using four of them in my dryer for the past several months and have not purchased dryer sheets or fabric softener since. I got my from this website for $7 apiece (see http://www.wooldryerballs.com/), or recylced tennis balls will suffice if you prefer.

I'm amazed that the energy saving piece didn't recommend using the air cycle of the dryer. Hello! - when it is hot outside this will reduce drying energy by over 90%, with only a slight increase in drying time for light and medium weight items. For bulky items like blankets and towels, I hang dry until they are slightly damp and then tumble for a few minutes to remove wrinkles and fold. And air cylcle dried clothing has the smell of hung-dried.

Stacy A.

3:10PM PDT on May 27, 2008

Hanging your clothes out to dry should be mandatory to save the Earth! I use a line almost everyday, I hang everything out to dry! I don't understand how any state can ban clotheslines! That's not very ECO friendly!

Luvd L.

2:06AM PDT on May 20, 2008

I love drying on my clotheslines inside. I have 3 lines set up and have 2 drying racks (one is salvaged from the garbage). During the winter, I have my vent in the utility room blowing on the clothes to increase the humidity and makes them dry faster. My electricity bill has dropped $$!! I cannot have multiple lines outside on my deck (condo restrictions) but I will hang things out to sun-bleach. Even with my fibromyalgia I will continue to hang up!

Barbara B.

12:02PM PDT on May 7, 2008

If your dryer balls are made of PVC, they are not eco-friendly. PVC is a very poisonous plastic that harms the people who make it, produces dioxins in the environment, can contain lead and other hormone imitators, and isn't recyclable....
Try using three tennis balls instead, also works great for drying pillows.

Erin C.

12:23PM PDT on May 2, 2008

I think this is wonderful and I can't wait to get my own set up!!! In the province of Ontario, there has been new legislation in place that over-rides all by-laws forbidding clothes lines, in an effort to reduce energy consumption. It is so nice to finally have some progress! :o)

Vanessa F.

11:47AM PDT on Apr 30, 2008

i love dryer balls. i no longer use them as we now live in a complex with a laundry room and do a few loads at once and have not bought more balls, they definitely got my clothes dryer and hence cut down on the time when i did have a dryer in my apartment. previous to having them i would get damp waistbands/pockets but not after i started using dryer balls. our roommate at the time did seem to be afraid of them though, always took them out of dryer and would look at them for a bit before putting a dryer sheet in, it was funny.