LAUNDRY TIPS
Drying special-care items
Most garments and household textiles have manufacturer’s care labels with laundering instructions. Always follow care label directions when they are available. The Drying chart in the “Operating Your Dryer” section includes drying instructions for most types of washables. The chart below provides drying instructions for
ITEMS | DRYING INSTRUCTIONS |
Blankets and | Machine drying knitted woolens is not recommended. Block to shape |
woolens | when wet and allow to air dry. Line dry blankets in shade on a breezy |
| day over two lines. Pin edges together and straighten them. When |
| partly dry, turn the blanket over, repin, and restraighten. When dry, |
| brush nap. |
• Cotton, rayon, | Dry as recommended for permanent press fabrics. Refer to the |
synthetic blankets | Drying chart in the “Operating Your Dryer” section. |
• Electric blankets, | If manufacturer recommends machine drying: |
electric sheets, | 1. Place one or two dry towels in the dryer and preheat three to five |
woolen blankets, | minutes on a high setting. This will dry blankets faster and help |
washable woolen | avoid pilling. |
garments | 2. Put blanket in dryer with warm towels. Set control for 20 minutes. |
| |
| 3. Check after 10 minutes. Remove when still damp. Overdrying and |
| long tumbling can cause shrinking and pilling. |
| 4. Place blanket on flat surface or over two lines to finish drying. |
| Gently stretch to original size and shape. |
| 5. When completely dry, brush gently to raise nap. Press binding |
| with cool iron if needed. |
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Curtains, | Remove drapery weights and hooks before laundering. |
slipcovers | For slipcovers, replace while still slightly damp. They will dry to fit |
| tightly. |
• Draperies, | Dry only a few minutes. |
slipcovers | 1. Leave room in dryer for load to fluff. |
| 2. Remove from dryer while slightly damp. Do not overdry. |
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Diapers, baby | Wash and dry small items in a mesh bag or pillowcase for |
clothes | convenient handling. |
| Remove diapers and cotton knit items while still slightly damp. They |
| will feel softer, shrink less, and be easier to fold. |
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Elastic items | Remove from dryer while still slightly damp. |
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Some items have been treated with a | |
clothing | improve their resistance to burning. Such items are clearly labeled. |
| To retain |
| washing, clean and dry according to the manufacturer’s instructions. |
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| continued on next page |
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