It would be ideal to have clean and fresh laundry ready to go all of the time, but life isn’t like that. Modern life is fast and unpredictable. We often get so stressed out and busy that we forget to wash things like jeans. And if we do it at all, it’s usually at the last minute.
Sometimes, last minute plans come up too, and this is when we might need to explore that pile of half washed laundry for something to wear.
What About Your Jeans?
Jeans are great because they are hard wearing and look good with so many outfit options. Unfortunately, they can also take some time to dry properly because the material is often so thick.
So, what happens when you want to wear your jeans and they aren’t quite dry yet? Is there any way to get them dry in a hurry before going out?
If you thought that drying jeans was only about using the tumble dryer, the good news is that there are a few other pretty effective ways to get jeans dry in a rush.
1 – Discover the High-Spin Cycle
If you still have your jeans in the washing machine, there’s one thing you can do to decrease the drying time needed: use the high-spin cycle.
When you set the washing machine to a high-spin cycle to finish off, it will spin those jeans at such a speed that a lot of the excess water is squeezed right out of the jeans. When the cycle is done, they won’t be dry, but without as much water in the material they will certainly dry a lot quicker.
2 – Use Your Tumble Dryer More Effectively
If you’ve already had your jeans drying in the tumble dryer, but it doesn’t seem to be working, there are definitely some things you can do to improve the drying time:
- Use a towel: If you chuck an absorbent towel into the tumble dryer with your jeans, it will actually help to soak up some of the water in the jeans. Cotton towels work best for this, and each time the two items meet in the tumble of the dryer, a little bit of water will soak into the towel. Just make sure that you take the wet towel out after about 15 minutes so that you’re not putting water back into the jeans.
- Use a custom dry setting instead: Most people will simply use the factory presets on the tumble dryer, but this isn’t always the best way to get clothes dried quickly. If you want to get those jeans dried in a hurry, the best way to do this is to set the dryer to a short dry time, such as 10 or 15 minutes. Set the heat to as high as it will go and let it tumble. Check the jeans every now and then. Just be careful not to shrink the jeans on this high heat setting.
- Check and empty your lint trap: Many people forget to check and empty the lint trap on the tumble dryer. A full lint trap means that the air flow is not as effective as it could be, and that may be increasing the drying time. By emptying it, you might even knock a little time off the drying time of your jeans.
3 – Air Dry and a Towel
This is where the absorbent towel comes in handy again. In fact, this is a good tip for anyone without a tumble dryer.
Once your jeans are done washing, lay out a clean towel on the ground and then place the jeans on top of them. Starting from one end, roll up the jeans inside the towel nice and tight. This will help to soak up any of the water and cut down the drying time. If you happen to sit on it as well, this will also help to squeeze out some more excess water.
After doing this, you could air dry the jeans. Hanging them outside in the sun is a great option, but just make sure the jeans are not surrounded by other clothes so you can get maximum air and sunshine to them.
But what if there is no sun or it’s raining? This is when you can use an indoor clothes line or even hang them over the back of a chair.
4 – Use Other Heat Sources
Some people like to dry out their clothes right near a radiator, but you need to be careful with this method of drying. It is never a good idea to hang the jeans right on top of the radiator, because they can heat up very quickly and may start a fire.
The best way to approach drying with a radiator is to hang the clothes on something else, such as a chair. The direct heat will begin to dry them out pretty quickly, but you may need to turn the jeans to get the heat to all parts of them.
One other popular way is to use a hairdryer. Using a high heat can do wonders for quickly drying out jeans and other clothing, but there are a few caveats: if you use a high heat, don’t put the nozzle too close to the material or leave it heating up in one spot; and be careful because this intense heat can shrink or damage the material.
Using a hairdryer can be quite effective in a short period of time. If you want to save even more time, you can just dry those areas that are the wettest and leave the rest to air dry on your body as you wear them. This is not a bad approach as it can take some time to cover the jeans from top to bottom with a small hairdryer.
Final Thoughts
When we’re in a hurry or we need to go out at the last minute, it can be frustrating when our favorite pair of jeans are still not dry. The good news is that there are a few tricks to getting them to dry faster so that you can wear them without getting damp.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Film/Video/Media Studies, as well as an associates degree in Communications. I began producing videos and musical recordings nearly 15 years ago. I am a guitarist and bassist in Southwest MI and have been in a few different bands since 2009, and in 2012 I began building custom guitars and basses in my home workshop as well. When I’m home, I love spending time with my three pets (a dog, cat, and snake) and gardening in my backyard.