Permanent Press is not the hottest dryer setting! Read on to learn what this cycle does, and which is the hottest dryer setting.
What Does Permanent Press Mean on a Dryer?
The Permanent Press option is designed to ensure that your clothes come out of your machine with as few wrinkles as possible.
It uses a medium heat to try to avoid the wrinkles that can form when laundry is dried at a higher heat.
This also means that there is less of a chance of your clothes shrinking or fading over time.
The most important thing to remember when using the Permanent Press option on your dryer is to remove the clothes from the drum the moment the cycle ends.
If you take them out quickly then you will successfully avoid the wrinkles that could be caused by the items sitting in a crumpled pile at the bottom of the drum for too long.
A Permanent Press cycle is usually shorter than most of the other cycles and uses a much more gentle agitation than other cycles. This will mean less waiting around for the cycle to end if you’re keeping a close eye on it.
This cycle is suitable for most items, but is not designed to be used on heavy-duty washing items, such as towels, bedding or jeans as those require more heat to dry properly.
What Is the Hottest Dryer Setting?
So, if Permanent Press is not the hottest cycle, which one is?
Depending on what cycles are available on your tumble dryer, the hottest setting will be the Regular, Heavy Duty or High Heat setting. Your specific tumble dryer might use different terminology.
These settings are the fastest and hottest that your dryer can provide.
The Regular or Heavy Duty setting is not likely to shrink your clothes, unless they are unsuitable for high-temperature drying, but it could damage plastic or accessories on your garments, so it is always good to double-check what you are putting into the machine.
This setting is the best setting for your thicker and heavier items, including your bedding and towels.
The hotter temperature will make much quicker work of drying the items and leaving them soft and warm when the cycle ends.
Conclusion
If you want the hottest cycle on your dryer, then it’s best to stick to the Regular, Heavy Duty or High Heat option, depending on which cycles your dryer offers.
Be sure to check that your garments are safe to tumble dry at high temperatures. The level of heat that the dryer uses can be quite harsh on certain materials so always look at your clothing care labels.
If you’re not too fussed about the temperature that your clothes are dried at then it is worth giving the permanent press cycle a try. Having your clothes come out of the dryer warm and wrinkle-free is an incredibly satisfying feeling!
An adventurous book lover with an animal obsession and a proclivity for travel and spontaneity. Used to passionately despise cleaning but has grown to enjoy it thanks to learning all the best tricks and shortcuts to guaranteeing a stress-free routine and a spotless home.
