So, your clothes are wet. You need them to be dry immediately. But your dryer is broken, or maybe you just don’t have one.
Can you microwave your clothes to dry them?
We do NOT suggest drying your clothes in the microwave. Here’s why.
First and foremost, there is a real chance of starting an electrical fire when you microwave clothes, especially if your clothes have any metal in them. (Do not even think about putting your clothes in the microwave if they have metal accessories!)
Then, even if your clothes are pure cotton, you may severely burn yourself from the steam when you open the microwave door. Microwaves just aren’t built to dry clothes.
There are better options than the microwave to dry clothes or towels off quickly, even if you don’t have access to a traditional dryer.
Smart Alternatives to Microwaving Clothes:
The Hair Dryer:
A hairdryer can dry a single piece of clothing much faster than even a traditional dryer would.
Fire your hair dryer up and put it on the lowest heat setting but the highest fan setting. The wind is what does the majority of the drying.
Slowly rotate the piece of clothing as you blast it with warm air. In a couple of minutes, the piece of clothing will be completely dry.
Be sure to dry every part of the piece of clothing thoroughly to prevent discomfort and mildew growth.
Iron Them:
If you use an iron on your wet clothes directly, the clothes will melt. So, don’t do that.
Instead, put down towels. The first towel should be placed on top of the ironing board; the piece of clothing should be placed over the first towel; the second towel should be placed over the piece of clothing.
Move the iron back and forth over the top towel on a low setting. Within a few minutes, the piece of clothing will be perfectly dry.
Even better, the iron will help get out any potential wrinkles!
The Oven:
Preheat the oven to 100 degrees. Then, turn it off.
Place your clothes on a baking sheet and pop them into the oven. That’s it!
The oven is an easy way to dry clothes, but it’s not very effective. You may spend an entire hour waiting for a single sock to dry. In some cases, due to increased airflow, just hanging your clothes outside is more effective than the oven is.
So, you shouldn’t microwave clothes unless the circumstances are completely extreme. Preferably, use a hairdryer or iron instead for fast (and safe) drying.
