We all have a least one article of clothing with a care label that says "Hang to Dry." Most of us have probably thought at one time or another, Do I really have to?, and weighed the risk of throwing that piece in the dryer along with the rest of the laundry.

Well, for all you who want to avoid turning your favorite pieces into doll clothes, here is a guide on why you should hang dry certain garments and how to do it properly so your clothes continue to last and look great.

Why Hang Dry?

Hanging clothes to dry helps to avoid the heat damage that can be caused by traditional dryers.

Delicate fabrics, such as those used in activewear, underwear, and jeans, can lose their shape and fit due to the harsh tumbling and heat of the dryer. By air drying your clothes on a clothesline or laying them out to dry on a flat surface, you can help your clothes maintain the same fit and form they had when you first bought them.

A good rule of thumb: If your garment is made of synthetics, wool, or lace - double check the clothing label to see if it’s a hang dry items. 

How To Properly Hang Dry:

Check the care label and wash your clothes accordingly. The clothing label will direct you on the best method, be it machine washer or by hand with hot, warm, or cold water. If you’re unsure what those comically unintuitive care symbols mean, you can reference our handy laundry symbol guide.

Hanging your clothes outside on a clothing line? Follow these tips:

• Pants: Hang your pants upside down. Make sure to match the inner leg seams of the pants, and then place the clothespins on the hems while attaching it to the clothesline.
• Shirts and tops: Also hang these upside down. Place the clothespins at opposite ends of the bottom hem of the shirt or top, and pin to the clothesline.
• Socks: Hang socks in pairs and upside down. Attach the clothespin to the toe area of the sock and let the top part of the sock hang down.
• Bed linens: Since sheets and blankets can take up a lot of space on the clothesline, you should fold them in half and pin each end to the clothesline.
• Underwear and bras: Hang underwear from opposite sides of the upper seams, and bras from their hook ends.

Drying your garments inside? Tips to help them dry quicker and look their best:

• Make sure to lay your clothes on a flat surface when air-drying garments inside.
• Be sure to leave some room between garments to allow air to circulate between them. (A wet pile of clothes is a wet pile of clothes whether you carefully created that pile or not. The key to successful air-drying is ventilation).
• Place your clothes near a window, vent, air-conditioner, or a fan to speed up the drying process.
• Don’t have enough space to lay everything flat to dry? No problem - the key is prioritization.
  • Sweaters and other garments made from heavy or stretchy material should always be laid flat to dry.
  • Other types of garments like yoga pants, swimsuits, jeans, etc can be hung inside using hangers or a drying rack.

Hanging your clothes may take more time and effort than the traditional dryer, but it can help some of your favorite garments last a lot longer and stay looking as great as the day you bought them.

Or, if you’d just prefer not to deal with hanging your clothes to dry but still want to keep them in great shape, Rinse offers Hang Dry service. You can learn more here.