10 Tips to Make Your Clothes Dryer Work Better
Cycle survival.
Is your dryer cycle running long because it has to, or because it wants to? Learn about settings, maintenance, and best practices.
Improve Dryer Usage and Maintenance
Your clothes dryer is likely one of the biggest energy hogs in your home. If you feel like you’re waiting forever for clothes to dry or if your laundry room feels like a sauna, it’s probably time to give your routine and your machine a serious check-up.
Implementing these simple tips will not only dry your clothes faster but can also significantly reduce your monthly electricity bill and even extend the life of your appliance.
1. Master the Power Saver Mode (And Why It Works)
If your modern dryer has a Power Saver or Eco Mode, you should be using it for almost every load. Many people avoid this setting because they think it means a longer drying cycle, but here’s the secret: running longer at lower heat actually saves you more money.
How it works: Heating the air is what consumes the majority of your dryer's electricity. The Eco Mode uses a lower heat setting paired with a longer run time, or switches to air fluff periodically to continue drying once optimal temperature is reached in the drum. While the cycle takes longer, the appliance draws significantly less power over that period. As you can see in the chart below, the motor and fan use significantly less electricity than the resistance heating element. This reduced heat is also gentler on your clothes, leading to less wear and tear. Running the machine for two hours at a lower, efficient power draw is cheaper than running it for one hour at maximum power. If time isn't an absolute constraint, Power Saver Mode is the most effective way to cut energy costs.
Typical Instantaneous Power Usage of an Electric Clothes Dryer (in Watts)
2. Clean the Lint Filter (Every Single Time)
This is the most critical and easiest step. A lint screen that is even slightly clogged dramatically reduces airflow. When airflow is restricted, your dryer has to run longer and hotter to evaporate the moisture, wasting electricity and increasing the risk of overheating.
The Fix: Make it a habit to clean the lint filter after every load. Simply pull the lint off and throw it away. Additionally, once a month, check the screen to make sure there's no invisible residue (like fabric softener build-up) preventing air from passing through. If water doesn't easily flow through the screen under the sink tap, scrub it with a small brush and detergent and let it dry completely before putting it back. If your lint filter won’t firmly seat in the slot, this is an indicator that the exhaust path in the dryer may need to be cleaned out, and a good reminder to check the exterior vent.
3. Clear the Exterior Vent
While cleaning the lint screen is easy, the exterior vent duct is often forgotten, but it’s a major factor in performance and safety. Lint, debris, and even bird nests can build up in the long exhaust pipe that runs from your dryer to the outside of your home.
The Danger & The Fix: A clogged vent is a major fire hazard, and it forces your dryer to work inefficiently. You should clean this duct at least once or twice a year. Disconnect the dryer duct from the wall, use a long brush or a vacuum attachment to clean the length of the ducting, and ensure the exterior vent hood is clear of obstructions and opens properly when the dryer is running. Call for professional service, or purchase a DIY dryer and exhaust cleaning kit, available online for $25-$35.
4. Maximize Your Washer’s Spin Speed
The most energy-efficient appliance for removing water is not your dryer, but your washing machine’s spin cycle. It takes far less energy for the washer to spin water out than for the dryer to heat it up and evaporate it.
The Fix: Use the highest spin setting (usually labeled as "Max" or 1200 RPM+) appropriate for the fabric. For towels, jeans, and cottons, always choose the fastest spin. This mechanical action can remove up to 50% more water than a normal spin cycle, which directly translates to 20%–30% shorter dryer times and significant energy savings. Only use a lower spin speed for delicate items that might be damaged by aggressive spinning.
Did you know the most energy-intensive step in laundry is drying? By maximizing your washing machine's spin speed, you mechanically remove a massive amount of water, which translates directly to significant savings in dryer run time and electricity usage. Note: Dryer time reduction is an estimate and varies based on appliance model, fabric type, and load size.
5. Pre-Sort Fabrics and Avoid Over-Drying
Not all fabrics dry at the same rate. Towels and denim are dense and take a long time, while synthetic workout gear and light shirts dry very quickly.
The Pro Tip: Sort your laundry by weight before drying. Run the heavy loads together and the light loads together. When the light load finishes, you can immediately pull them out. This prevents the delicate items from being over-dried and subjected to unnecessary heat while the jeans finish up, saving both energy and fabric life. Always use your dryer's moisture sensor settings if you have them, as these stop the machine the instant the clothes are dry, preventing wasted time and power.
6. Shake Out Items Before Loading
Wet clothes, especially after a high-speed spin cycle, tend to clump together or stick to themselves (like sheets, hoodies, and pillowcases).
The Fix: Take 10 seconds to shake each major item out before tossing it into the dryer. This simple action untwists the items, opens up pockets of trapped moisture, and allows the hot air to circulate immediately and evenly. This prevents the interior of the clumped fabric from remaining damp and forcing you to run a second cycle.
7. Run Full, But Not Over-Stuffed, Loads
Efficiency is about maximizing output per unit of energy. Running one large, full load is far more energy-efficient than running two small half-loads.
However, be careful not to over-stuff the machine. If clothes can’t tumble freely, air can't circulate effectively, and you'll end up with a center of damp, still-wet laundry, requiring a second cycle. Aim for a load size that fills the drum about halfway to two-thirds.
8. Toss in Wool Dryer Balls to Separate Bulky Items
This is a simple mechanical trick to speed things up significantly, particularly with heavy loads like towels or bedding. Wool dryer balls work by separating the clothes as they tumble, which prevents heavy items from clumping up. This allows hot air to circulate more freely and reach damp spots faster, cutting down drying time by up to 25%. They also reduce static and can soften fabrics naturally. Use 3-5 wood dryer balls per load.
Wool dryer balls
9. Prevent Wrinkles with the Cool-Down Cycle
The most common reason clothes come out wrinkled is not the heat of the main cycle, but how they cool down after the heat is removed. Heat relaxes the fibers, and if those fibers are left sitting in a hot pile after the dryer stops, the wrinkles are immediately set into place as they cool.
The Fix: Most dryers include a cool-down or wrinkle guard phase at the end of the heat cycle. This phase uses the Air Fluff setting (motor and fan only, using minimal power) to continue tumbling the clothes for 10–20 minutes without heat. This allows the fibers to cool slowly and evenly while still moving, preventing sharp creases from forming. If your dryer doesn't have an automatic feature, simply run the Air Fluff setting manually for 15 minutes.
10. Strategize Your Timing: Avoid Peak Hours and AC Competition
The most expensive time to run your dryer isn't when the heat is highest—it's when your utility company charges the most. If you live in an area with Time-of-Use (TOU) electricity pricing, avoid running the dryer during peak demand hours.
When to Avoid Running the Dryer:
Summer Peak (Cost): Generally 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM.
Winter Peak (Cost): Generally 6:00 AM to 9:00 AM.
Beyond cost, running the dryer in the midday heat of summer causes a "battle" with your air conditioner. The dryer adds heat and humidity to your home and exhausts conditioned, cool air to the outside. This forces your Air Conditioner (AC) to work harder, driving up your cooling energy consumption significantly. For the best overall home efficiency, run the dryer early in the morning or late in the evening in summer, skipping midday heat. In winter, try to dry clothes in the afternoon and evening for optimal savings.
Avoid drying clothes during peak demand times or at times that the heat or ac are working hardest.
Conclusion: The Long-Term Return on Small Efforts
The efficiency of your dryer doesn't hinge on complex repairs or expensive upgrades, but rather on adopting these 10 consistent, easy habits. We've seen that small actions—like cleaning the lint filter after every use and correctly sorting your laundry—transition your drying routine from a passive chore to an active, money-saving practice.
By integrating these maintenance and loading techniques, you are doing more than just achieving dry clothes; you are optimizing your appliance's performance, drastically reducing its energy consumption, and protecting the fabrics you wear daily. View these simple tips as an investment. The few minutes you spend on proper maintenance will pay off with a safer, longer-lasting machine and significantly lower utility bills. Start applying them today and feel the difference immediately.
Questions about how your dryer works, settings, upgrading, or efficiency? Contact us today at Rappid Energy for a consultation.