Drying your clothes for more than one cycle in a dryer may increase the risk of shrinking, especially if the dryer is set to a high heat setting. Heat is one of the main factors that can cause fabrics to shrink, and subjecting your clothes to prolonged exposure to high temperatures can lead to undesirable results.
Here are some reasons why your clothes might shrink if you dry them multiple times:
High heat: Dryers operate by applying heat to remove moisture from clothes. If the heat is too high, it can cause the fibers in the fabric to contract, leading to shrinkage.
Overdrying: Even if your clothes were not completely dry after the first cycle, running the dryer for another cycle at high heat can still cause excessive drying, which can contribute to shrinkage.
Fabric type: Certain fabrics are more prone to shrinking than others. Natural fibers like cotton and wool tend to shrink more than synthetic materials when exposed to heat.
Poor dryer performance: If the dryers at your school are not functioning optimally, it can result in inadequate drying and force you to run additional cycles, which increases the likelihood of shrinkage.
To minimize the risk of shrinking your clothes in the dryer, consider the following tips:
Check the care labels: Always read the care instructions on your clothes' labels. They provide valuable information about the proper drying settings and any specific precautions you should take.
Use a lower heat setting: If possible, set the dryer to a lower heat setting or use the "delicate" or "low heat" cycle to reduce the risk of shrinkage.
Avoid overdrying: Remove your clothes from the dryer as soon as they are dry to prevent excessive exposure to heat.
Air dry when possible: For clothes that are more susceptible to shrinking or that you want to preserve, consider air-drying them on a clothesline or drying rack.
Use dryer balls or clean tennis balls: Adding dryer balls or clean tennis balls to the dryer can help to separate the clothes and improve drying efficiency, reducing the need for multiple cycles.
If you're consistently having issues with the school dryers not adequately drying your clothes, you may want to consider discussing the problem with the school authorities or using alternative drying methods, such as air drying or finding an off-campus laundromat with better dryer options.