Even if you have the very best washing machine and dryer on the market, there’s just something about a big pile of laundry that’ll send you running in the opposite direction. But the task is unavoidable, so you may as well equip yourself with tried-and-true strategies that can help make things a little easier — and possibly even prolong the lifespan of your favorite clothes. Take the “shake method,” for example.
Here’s how it works: Shake each item of clothing before moving it to the dryer drum. It takes just an extra minute or so, but helps ensure no two items are clumped together or intertwined. Think about the way sheets inevitably twist and tangle in the washer—clothing is prone to this kind of tangling, too.
Shaking your items is key for a few reasons, but primarily because it increases drying efficiency and decreases wrinkles. “If you shake everything out, it’s going to be less wrinkled and tumble better and more freely in the dryer,” says Carolyn Forté, executive director of the Home Care & Cleaning Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. “When you have a dryer load that’s not all bunched up, the faster and more thoroughly it will dry,” says Forté. “Plus, think of all the ironing time it could save.” You’ve instantly reclaimed any time it took you to shake each item out.
Shaking out your clothes prior to tossing them in the dryer also gives you an opportunity to put items back into shape, so sleeves and necklines don’t get stretched out and pants legs aren’t twisted or knotted before they go into the dryer — key for prolonging the lifespan of your favorite items. Shaking out towels also helps fluff the pile, so your favorites will be more fluffy and absorbent, says Forté. “And if you use dryer sheets, the more evenly softening and static-control ingredients will be distributed in the load.”
Sounds like a win-win all around.
Brigitt is a writer, editor and craft stylist with nearly 15 years of experience. She specializes in lifestyle topics, including home, health, parenting, beauty, style, food, entertaining, travel and weddings. She has written for Glamour, People, Good Housekeeping, Women’s Health, Real Simple, Martha Stewart, Apartment Therapy, The Spruce, and more.
