The Easiest Ways to Dry Your Laundry Faster

You have better things to do than wait for your laundry to dry (like folding your laundry and remaking the bed and getting on with your day). You are not fated to sit around and wait until the dryer completes a full cycle; you can speed it up. First things first: check and clear your lint trap and clean your vents. Then, try one of these tips.

Toss a clean, dry towel into your dryer

This tip has been making its way around TikTok lately, though it’s one of those oldie-but-a-goodie hacks that predates the video-sharing app. Toss a clean, dry towel into your dryer with the wet clothes and it sucks up moisture, shortening the time it will take for your clothes to get dry.

CNET recommends taking the towel out after five minutes if you’re only drying a few things. Leave it in for 15 if you have a full load. Your now damp towel can air dry while the other garments serve their time in the machine.

Throw some tennis balls in with your wet clothes

We’ve recommended tossing two tennis balls in the dryer to speed things up in the past, but with the caveat that the neon dye may transfer to clothing. If you’re determined to try this anyway, opt for white tennis balls — you can get six here for $US12 ($17) — or get some dedicated wool dryer balls.

Wring out your clothes before tossing them in the dryer

It will take a little muscle, but manually wringing out your clothes between the wash and dry cycle will help speed dry time by giving the machine less to dry,  according to Bob Vila. But if you have a large load, you’ll risk spending as much time wringing as you would drying, so instead, run your items through your washing machine’s spin cycle a second time before drying them. It only takes a few minutes and will shorten drying time by more than that, advises CNET.

Maintain your dryer

Devote some attention to maintaining your dryer at least once a month, making sure to clear the lint trap, vacuum under and behind the machine, and, if necessary, clear any buildup on the exterior vent. Clean the inside of the dryer every month to remove any dirt or other materials (like the dreaded melted crayon) that can reduce its efficiency. (Here’s a monthly cleaning checklist for your washer and dryer.)