When you’re in a rush, the thought of ironing a creased work shirt, wrinkled t-shirt, or crinkled linen tablecloth is just so annoying that it’s not worth considering!
But what if there was a quick and cheap solution to your creasy issue? The ice cube solution!
Why not pop a few ice cubes and wrinkly items inside your tumble dryer and run a cycle? By the end, your garments will be crinkle-free and ready to be used. Read on to learn more.
Why Put Ice Cubes in the Tumble Dryer?
Adding ice cubes to a tumble dryer may seem like a ludicrous idea. But it’s not actually as silly as you may think.
When you add a few ice cubes to a dryer and run a hot cycle, the ice melts and creates steam inside the machine. This steam then loosens up any wrinkles on your laundry.
It’s essentially like steaming your clothes, only that all the work is done inside the dryer instead!
This is a very cheap and quick way to un-wrinkle laundry. It doesn’t require much input from you, the user, and you don’t need to use harsh or expensive treatments to un-wrinkle your washing!
How to Use Ice Cubes in the Tumble Dryer
Steps to follow:
- Put a few (two to three items) clean but wrinkled clothes into the heart of the tumble dryer. Do not overload the dryer because this technique won’t work if the drum is too full.
- Make sure there’s plenty of room in the drum for the laundry to move around. If clothes are packed in too tightly, the steam from the melting ice cubes won’t be able to move around freely and remove the creases.
- Add two to three ice cubes to the drum.
- Select a medium to hot temperature (adjust for the material you’re drying).
- Select a cycle (about ten to fifteen minutes long).
- Start the drying session.
- Remove your clothes from the machine.
- Give each item a shake.
- Repeat the steps above for heavily wrinkled garments. Or if there are a few wet spots on your items, pop them through another 10-minute drying cycle (no ice).
- Store the clothes. Hang them up to prevent further creasing.
Note: Check your user manual before you try this method, just in case the manufacturer advises you against doing this, as it could void your warranty.
FAQs on Using Ice Cubes in the Dryer
How many ice cubes should you put in the tumble dryer?
You should add two to three ice cubes to the dryer alongside your clothes.
However, it’ll take you a few goes to work out how many items you can add to your dryer alongside the two to three ice cubes in order to get the best finish.
It’s normally two to three items of clothing (sometimes four) per two to three ice cubes. But this will vary depending on the size and weight of your specific garments. It’s all about striking the right balance of ice cubes to clothes.
To begin with, just add the bare minimum amount of clothes and a few ice cubes to see how you get on. You can adjust the amount of laundry you add to the drum when you run the next load through the tumble dryer.
If you add too many garments to the dryer and overload it, the ice cube method won’t be very effective.
Does putting ice cubes in the dryer un-wrinkle clothes?
Yes, the goal behind adding ice cubes to a dryer is to un-wrinkle the wrinkles that are found on your clothes.
This is a quick and simple hack that you can try out if you’re in a hurry and need to remove creases from a shirt or dress, for example.
Does putting ice cubes in the tumble dryer replace ironing?
As mentioned earlier, the idea behind putting ice cubes in a dryer is that they melt, create a steam-like effect, and un-wrinkle clothes.
This generally works very well. And to some degree, it could be used instead of ironing laundry.
However, personal preference plays a significant role in whether you like things ironed or not and how well items need to be ironed.
If you’re happy to un-wrinkle items as and when you need to, and you’re not bothered about ironing, this ice cube technique would be ideal for you.
In contrast, if you like to iron all of your clothes and do it to a high standard, this ice cube method could be used in a pinch/to speed up your ironing routine. But it’s not likely to replace your ironing routine.
Bethan has a passion for exploring, reading, cooking and gardening! When she’s not creating culinary delights for her family, she’s concocting potions to keep her house clean!
