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foodonastump

Is there a trick to drying sheets?

foodonastump
10 years ago

Sorry if this has been addressed before a million times, my google search didn't find a discussion.

A couple (few?) years ago I bought a Samsung WF520ABP washer because I needed a new washer, and a matching DV520AEP dryer because, well, it matched.

I'm no laundry expert so these suit me fine, washer washes with no mold issues, dryer dries, EXCEPT sheets and blankets. They roll up in a ball and don't dry. Short of interrupting he cycle every 15 minutes or so to unroll, shake them out, and restart, I can't get them to dry. More often than not I end up spreading them out over chair backs and sofas to finish air drying.

While this would occasionally happen with dryers in my past, this is BY FAR the worst. Any hints?

Comments (20)

  • mrb627
    10 years ago

    Dryer Loading.

    When I load sheets into the dryer, I typically load the flat sheet in the back, then the fitted in the front, and the pillow cases go towards the back with the flat sheet. Amazingly, they do stay separated through the cycle.

    Of course, I have a different brand dryer. But give it a shot and see if your results change.

    MRB

  • dave1812
    10 years ago

    place tennis balls into white socks (to prevent staining) and throw those into the dryer with sheets. I usually use 3 of them (in separate socks, of course).

  • dadoes
    10 years ago

    There are a (very) few dryers that reverse the tumble direction every few minutes through the cycle to help avoid large/bulky items from balling-up.

    Some dryers may have baffles (fins, vanes) that are designed to toss items back-and-forth between front and back of the drum.

  • sparky823
    10 years ago

    When you get them out of the washer, fold each sheet like you are going to put them in the closet, not that neatly though. Throw in the dryer and dry as usual. See if this keeps them from balling up. It does work.

  • larsi_gw
    10 years ago

    This is the EXACT reason we kept our Samsung dryer only about 2 weeks. The washer was fine, but the dryer sent sheets and most clothes loads into a giant ball. The sheets were all balled up, moist and wet on the inside, hot and wrinkled on the outside. Awful. For me, Miele and Electrolux with the reverse tumbling dryer seems to be our only solution!

  • dave1812
    10 years ago

    ive had a samsung 520 dryer for several years. it doesn't ball up "most clothes". in fact in hardly ever does. and i already gave a tip on how to avoid that when drying sheets. some people just can't figure out how to use appliances...

  • whirlpool_trainee
    10 years ago

    I've tried pretty much everything with my Bosch Axxis: large loads, small loads, folding styles, dryer balls... nothing stops my microfiber covers from balling but line-drying.

  • dave1812
    10 years ago

    certain microfiber material is almost as self-adhering as velco. :)

  • whirlpool_trainee
    10 years ago

    Certainly.

    What I have witnessed is that the microfiber sheets get sucked onto the lint filter inlet just enough to stay there for a few moments and then get twisted up as the drum turns - almost like having a piece of laundry caught in the door seal and then turning the dryer on.

    This video shows something similar happen to small items:

    Here is a link that might be useful: Clothes stuck on lint filter

  • whirlpool_trainee
    10 years ago

    Anybody wants a

    Here is a link that might be useful: Samsung burrito?

  • mrb627
    10 years ago

    Wow! That is pretty awful performance for an expensive dryer. I do agree with the second video, the drum isn't turning fast enough.

    MRB

  • dave1812
    10 years ago

    if my dryer did that, I'd be pissed.

  • Patty Wadson
    5 years ago

    Samsung says to fix the problem, add 2-4 wet towels with the sheets. Then they will not 'burrito'. I will try. (I have constructed a countertop over the appliances so unfortunately can not try the tilting idea)


  • foodonastump
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    I’m so glad I just got a “like” notification, as I don’t remember starting this thread and four years later I’m still having the issue. I look forward to trying these tips. Thank you all, I hope you’re still here.


    Now off to research unmolding washers. Hope there is such a thing.

  • Patty Wadson
    5 years ago

    Oh, I asked the Samsung guy that question as well. He said wipe down the gasket and around the inside with paper towel to get as much mold as possible off. Then pour vinegar directly into an on to the gasket. Then put the machine on the sanitize cycle , if you don't have that that's the hottest cycle you can put it on . Mine goes for 2 1/2 hours! Then wait down again and put on for a second sanitize cycle , I had to do mine the next day as there was no more time in the evening. Now it's looking sparkly clean and I read that I'm supposed to do that once a month. Hope this helps

  • foodonastump
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    Thanks Patty, I’ll give that a shot but I don’t give it much hope. First off there’s not much if anything of visible mold in the gasket. I’ll do the vinegar wipedown though, pull back harder an attack the nooks and crannies with more diligence. My washer has a “pure” cycle which is run empty to clean it. I ran that recently, followed by a sanitize cycle of whites, plenty of bleach. That helped for a few days but the smell came back. Instructions say to run the pure cycle without cleaners, or 1/10th the dosage if you do want to use cleaner. I think I’ll do that. This way I’ll have thrown everything I’ve got at it. After that it’ll become someone else’s problem as I’m moving within a month or so. ;)

  • dadoes
    5 years ago

    FoodOnAStump,

    The reference to a "Pure" cycle means you have a Samsung.

    My sister has one 8-ish years old. It was given to her by friends who destroyed it by continual overdosing of liquid fabric softener and apparently washing everything either in cold water or minimal warm and never running the Pure Clean or Sanitary cycle. The drum support broke during spin, the front edge of the drum tore a gash in the outer tub. They were quoted something like $900 to repair it. Sister figured I could fix it for less, which I did ... $259 in parts. I found upon disassembling it that the interior of the outer tub and exterior of the inner drum was covered in a heavy waxy residue and the drum support was crumbling into gravel. The pump filter was full of the gravel, I'm surprised it wasn't throwing a drain fault.

    Anyway ... Pure Clean on her machine heats to 130°F. The instructions are to run it with no additives but I advised her to add 1/3 cup of chlorine bleach to the main "wash" phase, after the initial rinse. It'll drain away when the initial rinse drains if added immediately, which leaves none for the wash/cleaning phase. She wasn't running the cycle often enough at first, plus her water is b-a-d, so mold and odor developed. Bleach did the trick but she has to keep up with running Pure Clean at least every couple months, and leaving the door ajar between uses.

  • foodonastump
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    Interesting, thanks Dadoes. Will make note to add bleach after first rinse

  • Oliviag
    5 years ago
    Once you get the washer clean, you may want to try my system. I dry the fitted sheet alone. It doesn't take very long to dry a single sheet. I open the dryer a couple of times to " unball" it. When it's dry, U put the rest of the load in the dryer. I get fewer wrinkles.