Drying Clothes in the Oven – Tips and Tricks

Can you dry clothes in the oven? The answer is yes; you can dry clothes in the oven. Many people think they have to use a clothes dryer to dry their clothes, but this isn’t the case. 

You can dry clothes without using a clothes dryer, and one of those ways is by drying them in the oven. Drying your clothes in the oven has several benefits, including saving money on energy costs and helping to prevent wrinkles in your clothing. So, if you’re looking for an alternative to a clothes dryer, drying your clothes in the oven is a good option.

Types Of Cloth You Can Or Can’t Dry In The Oven

You can’t put heavy or large clothes in the oven as there isn’t much room inside an oven. Wool or elastic clothes shouldn’t go in the oven because they are more likely to start a fire. Jeans could work, but you’d have to be very careful.

It’s challenging to dry heavy fabric, like a jacket, in the oven, even if you overlook the wool issue. The oven will only heat the top surface. So, the heat won’t be able to dry the whole jacket. If you raise the temperature, the jacket will burn.

The biggest problem is metal buttons and “tramp metal” like paperclips in your pocket, which can cause arcing and scorch or burn your clothes.

So, if necessary, only use the oven to dry small, simple clothes like cotton socks, shorts, underwear, or T-shirts.

How Do Dry Clothes In The Oven

• Heat your oven to 170⁰C for 10 minutes.
• Put small pieces of clothing on a baking tray (with a baking sheet) and make sure nothing can touch the heating element or the oven walls.
• Limit the number of clothes you dry at once.
• Make sure your clothes aren’t soaked when you put them in the oven.
• Ensure the zipper and studs are not close to the surface.
• Once the oven is heated, turn it off, place the baking sheet in the oven, and warm for about two to three minutes.
• Then bring them out from the oven wearing a pair of gloves.
• Afterward, you shake the clothes well as they remove lots of moisture. Then put them inside again for 2/3 minutes by repeating the whole process several times.
• In this way, your garments will almost dry with some moisture in them. But they will be okay to use by then.

Note: Never put clothing in an oven that is still heating up; your purpose is to dry, not to bake. Plus, you need the temperature to reduce a bit from 170. Don’t leave the oven alone.

Dangerous Things May Occur While Drying Cloth in Oven

• Although the oven heats clothes quickly and faster than a conventional clothes dryer, there is no exhausting system where the hot moist air is removed, nor is there a tumbling action to help remove moisture from the interior.
• Heat-sensitive fibers, such as acetate, can melt at high temps. Even heat-tolerant fibers, like cotton, linen, and hemp, can have their lives shortened by repeated exposure to high temps for long periods of time.
• Drying large items like shirts, jeans, or bed sheets causes electrical fires.
• You may get a steam burn while bringing them out. 
• Many clothes have metal fasteners, eyelets, etc., which will damage the oven.
• As humidity from the wet clothes can build up inside the appliance and reduce its performance and lifespan.
• The jackets were made out of man-made materials. It will shrink when you put it in the oven.
• The synthetic fibers will be destroyed, and (for example) if they provide a little stretch in the waistband.

Oven Drying Special Tips For All Cloths

You wouldn’t want to dry any clothes in the oven. It would make them crispy if not burnt. If you need to use your oven to dry clothes and have a clothing emergency, you can follow the tricks for better drying clothes.

• Hang the clothes near the oven but not in it and leave the door open.
• You’ll have to place something between the door and the automatic off switch to keep the oven on.
• You can insert a hair dryer in the crack to create airflow.
• Heat the oven to 170.
• You also put a cookie sheet in the rack under the clothes to protect them from direct heat, which will get hot if you have the door open (the heating element stays on until the target temp is reached).
• You must be sure to turn the clothes often to help dry on all sides.

Some Better Options To Dry Clothes

• Clothes dryer- Along with the washing machine, an automatic clothes dryer is essential in most homes. Many of us are in a hurry and can’t wait for clothes to air dry. Some neighborhoods don’t permit outdoor clotheslines. Not only that, many of us can’t wait for our laundry. In this situation, a dryer is the best option to solve those problems.
• Hair Dryer- You can use a hair dryer to dry your clothes. Most households have a hand-held blow dryer. Lay the item down on a towel or dry surface after removing extra moisture with a towel or spinner. Then, move the dryer around while drying the clothes at a warm or high temperature. Begin on the exterior, flip the clothing inside out and continue your work there. Holding the hairdryer fixed for too long could cause a fire due to the focused heat.
• Drying Rack- Use a drying rack to lay out clothes that need to dry flat. You can speed up the process by turning them over every so often. The key is to let air heat the garment from all sides, so just laying it out flat will take a long time. Since the racks are open, airflow can dry your clothes.
• Clothes Iron- Some people dry their clothes with an iron. But you should never put a hot iron directly on wet clothes because it can burn and ruin the fabric. Instead, put a thin towel over the item and iron it on high heat. Turn the piece of clothing over, smooth it out, and iron the other side.

FAQs 

Can you put the jeans in the oven to dry?

Drying jeans in the oven is not an effective way to remove moisture from the fabric. Ovens use dry heat, which can cause the denim to shrink and become stiff. Jeans are better dried using a clothes dryer, which uses wet heat and circulates air around the garments to help them dry more quickly.

How can I make my clothes dry faster?

There are a few ways to make your clothes dry faster. You can either use a clothes dryer, hang them outside on a clothesline, or put them in the sun. If you use a dryer, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for proper use. If you hang them outside, use clothes pins to keep them in place, and avoid putting them near any objects that could cast a shadow on them.

Can we dry clothes in a microwave?

See, a microwave’s purpose is to heat, not to dry. In addition, wet clothing can only be heated by a microwave an inch deep. When drying a large folded cloth, the outside can only dry. Wet clothing dries when heat causes the water to evaporate.

The moisture generated does not, however, escape from a closed microwave. If you iron your fabric after this, it can end up with folds.

Additionally, you can hang wet clothes outside to dry after heating them briefly in the microwave. The drying time is cut in half.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is technically possible to dry clothes in the oven, but it is not the best option. It can take a very long time and is ineffective for large items. You can do it only for small items of clothing. You also should recognize the possibility that your clothes could end up damaged. You should only attempt drying your clothes in the oven if there’s no other way.