How To Dry Delicate Laundry Quickly Without Wringing It Out

Often, delicate clothing items like wool sweaters, lace pieces, and certain undergarments can only be washed by hand, as they could get ruined in the washer. However, hand washing clothes means they still contain much more water when you're done compared to garments straight out of the washing machine. This is because in a regular wash cycle clothes are spun around, thus ridding them of excess water. Due to it being a manual process, hand washing does not have the same spin effect, leaving you with clean but soaking wet clothes that can take ages to fully dry. 

Even if you live in the hottest of climates, you may not have the time to wait for every last drop of water on your clothes to dry. Though your impulse may be to wring out your delicate items, we don't recommend this. Instead of wringing, there is a solution for delicate items that will protect their fragile fabrics, and all you need is a fluffy towel. Basically, you'll simply wrap up the garments in the towel and gently rid them of any excess water. This is also a useful hack if you don't live in a warm area, as you can use it to dry any delicate clothes that can't be put in the dryer but also won't dry easily in the cold weather.

Once you have finished hand washing your clothes, lay a fluffy towel flat and place the items inside. Tightly roll the towel with the items inside to prevent any clothes from falling out, then use the ends to hit the towel bundle against a countertop or table a few times. Alternatively, squeeze the towel with the clothes in it over a sink, or press down on it with your knees. Don't squeeze too hard and never wring the towel — you're still working with delicate items, and too much force could cause damage. When you have hit or squeezed a few times, unroll the towel and remove the clothes within.

Now, you can leave your clothes to air dry. Much like the salad spinner hand wash method, towel drying your clothes will leave you with garments that are slightly damp instead of soaking wet. Still, the fluffy towel method is better for items that are especially delicate, as it is guaranteed not to cause any tears or rips. 

The way this hack works is by getting excess moisture out of delicate items without causing them any harm, therefore reducing the overall drying time. As it involves either hitting the towel against a table or squeezing it over a sink/with your knees, you can pick which method seems best for your clothes. Whichever method you opt for, remember to carry it out gently, as items made from thin materials can easily tear. 

Even if you typically air dry your laundry, we don't recommend hanging delicate items on the line with clothes pins. As with all fragile garments, check the care label — most will advise you to lay them flat or place them on a drying rack to dry. This way, the pins won't stretch out your items and the wind won't affect fabrics made from thinner fibers like lace. Though you may think laying clothes flat instead of hanging them means they'll take longer to dry due to them not being exposed to the wind, this fluffy towel hack will cut the drying time down by a considerable amount.