It can be frustrating to pull your clothes from the dryer only to find that they're wrinkled, especially if you're pressed for time. We tapped Carolyn Forté, the executive director of the Home Care & Cleaning Lab for insights on the best dryer cycle to use if you want to avoid wrinkled clothes.
The best dryer setting depends on the specific items you're looking to dry as well as your appliance. But one thing you should generally avoid, according to Forté, is using the timed dry settings. The timed dry feature doesn't sense the moisture in the clothes, so it's possible that your items will still be wrinkled, damp, or worst of all, over-dried (and potentially damaged as a result) at the end of the cycle. Instead, there's a common dryer setting Forté recommends using. We'll get to that in a second!
But first, a few of Forté's other go-to laundry tips: Dry your lights and darks separately, use sock clips to keep one from going missing, and always pre-treat stains. And if you're using a shared laundry facility, don't leave your laundry for more than 15 minutes after it's done.
Keep reading for insights into the best dryer cycles to remove wrinkles.
The best dryer cycle to remove wrinkles
According to Forté, there's no one-size-fits-all for wrinkle-free drying. The best thing you can do is "check and follow the care label [on your clothing] first to see what dryer cycle and temperature it recommends."
However, if you're ever in doubt and need a quick fix, Forté recommends using your dryer's preset Delicate cycle. It's a gentle dry setting that's great at smoothing fabrics and common on most machines.
"It's always best to select the automatic cycles over just timed dry," says Forté. "Auto cycles use sensors to monitor the moisture level of the clothes and end the cycle when it senses they are dry. This prevents over-drying and fabric damage and saves energy. Timed cycles just run for the length of time you have selected."
Other cycle recommendations
Besides Delicate, Forté also recommends using these three other cycles, depending on the items' fabric type, construction and how quickly they can be removed from the dryer once the cycle is complete.
Tumble Dry Low
"The main difference between Tumble Dry Low Heat and Delicates is primarily the length of the cycle," says Forté. "Tumble Dry Low is a longer cycle with low heat, while Delicates is shorter, also with low heat." Tumble Dry Low is great for sturdier items that can withstand more time in the machine, such as sheets and bedding, casual clothing and jeans.
Refresh
"Sometimes, dryers have a refresh cycle that uses steam to freshen and remove wrinkles and odors from worn garments or those packed in a bag or stuffed in a closet," says Forté. This is a great setting for clean clothes that need a little pick-me-up.
Extended Tumble
Also referred to as Wrinkle Shield, Wrinkle Guard or Wrinkle Care, this setting is used after the regular dry cycle is over. "The dryer intermittently tumbles the load for one, two, even up to three hours to keep wrinkles from setting in. This is great if you can't take the load out right away. It's usually something the consumer needs to select."
So there you have it. The next time you want your clothes to come out as wrinkle-free as possible, you know what to do.
Kate (she/her) is the associate editor of The Pioneer Woman Magazine. She writes features, commerce, and travel content. Kate brings nearly five years of home, food, and lifestyle experience to the role, including time as editorial assistant at Good Housekeeping. Her bylines have appeared in Woman’s Day, Food Network Magazine, Better Homes & Gardens, Modern Farmhouse Style, Dream Kitchens & Baths, and more. When she’s not writing, Kate can be found lazing in the park with a sudoku in hand.
