The six items you should never put in the dryer

WE ALL know the clothes dryer can be an easy way to get stuff dry in a hurry. But it can actually destroy some of your favourite clothing items.

You should never put your bras in the clothes dryer.

TUMBLE dryers may be convenient, giving us instantly dry clothes and comfortingly fluffy textures.

But your laundry day can get a whole lot more stressful when you realise you’ve shrunk or damaged something important.

Steer clear of dryer disasters with our guide on what to avoid throwing in your machine …

Bras are banned

Lace, clasps, straps, padding, under-wiring …

Is there any part of a bra that won’t be damaged in some way by being thrown around a hot metal drum for an hour? Steer clear, and stick to air drying.

Swimwear should be hand washed after every wear.

Stop with swimsuits

Swimsuits, designed to keep their shape in pools and seawater, are also easily damaged by tumble drying. Peg them out on a washing line instead.

Tights can easily get holes if you chuck them in the dryer.

In a tight spot

Tights are prone to shrinking in the dryer, and can also become laddered.

You should probably be handwashing them anyway.

Either hand wash or dry clean your fancy sequined numbers.

Sequin shambles

Glamorous, elegant and incredibly fiddly … sequins are easily ripped off garments, leaving your dress or cardi ruined.

Reshape after washing and hang them up to dry.

We know you want to keep your sneakers super fresh, but putting them in the dryer destroys their shape.

Trainer trouble

Not only will this damage your shoes, but the noise of rubber soles bouncing off the walls of the dryer will drive you slowly insane.

Stuff them with newspaper and dry next to a radiator or in an airing cupboard.

The rubber on the underside of your rugs can cause a fire in the dryer.

Rubber risk

Finally, if you’re washing any rugs around the house, make sure not to tumble dry anything with a rubber backing.

The non-slip coating – often on bathmats or bathroom rugs – can cause fire in the dryer.

This article originally appeared on The Sun.

Originally published as The six items you should never put in the dryer