Clothes Dryers safety
[ Last Updated 29 May 2006 ]
The main types of clothes drying appliances are heated towel rails and tumble dryers.
Regardless of your type of clothes drying appliance, remember:
- Always read the manufacturer's accompanying instructions before first use and keep them for future reference;
- Always clean the lint filter from your clothes dryer before you use it and never allow lint to accumulate around the appliance. Lint build-up can cause a fire by creating an elevated temperature in the drum.
- Install, maintain and use your clothes drying appliance as detailed in the manufacturer's instructions.
- In order to avoid a burn hazard for young children, install heated towel rails so that the lowest heated rail is at least 600 mm above the floor.
Although a relatively safe appliance to use, the main danger from tumble dryers is fire. In order to minimise this risk as far as is practical, remember the following:
- Items that have been spotted or soaked with vegetable or cooking oil constitute a fire hazard and should not be placed in a tumble dryer;
- Oil-affected items can ignite spontaneously, especially when exposed to heat sources such as in a tumble dryer. The items become warm, causing an oxidation reaction in the oil. Oxidation creates heat. If the heat cannot escape, the items can become hot enough to catch fire. Piling, stacking or storing oil-affected items can prevent heat from escaping and so create a fire hazard.
- If it is unavoidable that fabrics that contain vegetable or cooking oil - or have been contaminated by hair care products - be placed in a tumble dryer, they should first be washed in hot water with extra detergent to reduce, but not eliminate, the hazard.
- The "cool down" cycle of tumble dryers should be used to reduce the temperature of the clothes load. They should not be removed from the tumble dryer or piled or stacked while hot. Never stop a tumble dryer before the end of the drying cycle unless all items are quickly removed and spread out to dissipate the heat.
- Items that have been previously cleaned in, washed in, soaked in or spotted with petrol or gasoline, dry-cleaning solvents or other flammable or explosive substances, should not be placed in a tumble dryer.
- Highly flammable substances commonly used in domestic environments include acetone, denatured alcohol, petrol or gasoline, kerosene, some brands of spot removers, turpentine, waxes and wax removers.
- Items containing foam rubber (also known as latex foam) - or similarly textured rubber-like materials - should not be dried in a tumble dryer on a heat setting.
- When heated, foam rubber materials can produce fire by spontaneous combustion.
- Fabric softeners or similar products should not be used in a tumble dryer to eliminate the effects of static electricity unless specifically recommended by the manufacturer of the fabric softener or product.
- Undergarments that contain metal reinforcements should not be placed in a tumble dryer.
- Damage to the tumble dryer can result if metal reinforcements come loose during drying. When available, a drying rack could be used for such items.
- Plastic articles such as shower caps or babies' waterproof napkin covers should not be placed in a tumble dryer.
- Rubber-backed articles, clothes fitted with foam rubber pads, pillows, galoshes and rubber-coated tennis shoes should not be placed in a tumble dryer.
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