Can You Dry Clothes in The Microwave? Microwave a Towel Tips
This is a good question because microwaves are seen as convenience appliances that save time and can get things done fast. Especially if it is a guy who needs to dry his clothes quickly. The microwave makes sense and is easy to operate.
Can you dry clothes in the microwave? It is possible to dry clothes in the microwave but you will get different results with different fabrics. Cotton is okay as it is microwave-safe material. But elastic and polyester are not so good with heat and may melt on you.
To learn more about microwaving clothes just continue to read our article. It explores this issue so you know which fabrics are microwave safe and which ones are not. Microwaves may be easy and convenient but it is not always the best method to dry your clothes.
Drying Clothes in The Microwave 101
Tip 1: when microwaving towels make sure that you remove all metal tags, pins, or clips. Those items will ruin your microwave very quickly
Tip 2: A dry towel when heated may feel rough and abrasive. Make sure you wet the towel first, then microwave it. Wet the towel thoroughly, then wring out the excess as you want the towel to be damp when it comes out of the microwave.
What Happens if You Microwave Clothes?
A variety of things can happen when you microwave your clothing. The first thing you will notice is that the clothing may be hot but not dry. That is because the microwave is not a dryer but a heater. It heats things up including the moisture in the clothing.
The second thing you will see is that unless it is 100% cotton, you may have a mess on your hands. Polyester will melt on you even if it is in a cotton-poly blend. As will nylon. Spandex is flammable and may catch fire on you.
Then not all-natural fibers are microwavable. The delicate ones will not react very well to the heat and you may end up having a fabric blob when you open the door to the microwave.
But there is one most important factor that you need to worry about. If you are trying to dry your clothes quickly, you may ruin your microwave or cause some damage to your home or you. The reason for that statement is because many clothing items have metal buttons, zippers, studs, rivets on them. Metal & microwaves do not mix.
Tip 3: When microwaving nice cotton towels, you can put your favorite essential oils on the towels. Just a few drops on the surface should have those towels smelling great and help you relax.
Can You Put Clothes in the Microwave to Dry?
It is possible and you can do it. But if you do not take the right safety precautions, then wet clothes will not be your only problem. It is not the best idea to put clothes in a microwave.
Some of the reasons have already been mentioned and they are worth repeating. Some synthetic materials are flammable and the high heat can ignite those clothes. When that happens you will lose your microwave, more if you are slow to react to the flames.
Synthetic fibers will melt on you as those are basically made of plastic. Heat and plastic are not friends and the former is always used to reshape the latter. The good news here is that most natural fibers are microwave safe.
There are a couple of exceptions to that though. First, not all-natural materials are heat friendly so you can’t just throw them all into the microwave. Second, if those clothes have metal zippers, etc., then you can’t microwave them.
Metal is not allowed in microwaves. Examine your clothes first to make sure nothing is on them that will damage the oven or harm you or your home.
Tip 4: When putting the towel in the microwave oven, use a microwave-safe bowl, and put the towel inside of that. The length of time in the oven will depend on how hot you want the towel to get.
Can I Put a Sock in the Microwave?
Again the answer will be yes as you can put just about anything you want in a microwave. Just do not expect great results. 100% cotton socks are okay to microwave as they should not have anything plastic or metal on them.
If you have a cotton or natural fiber blended with a synthetic fiber then the answer will be no you can’t. Those socks will not come out in the same shape or size they went into the microwave.
Even with natural fiber socks, you need to be careful as you may be surprised to find that the socks are still wet when they come out. This is even after you have nuked them for a couple of minutes.
Your feet will be warm when you put the socks on but they will also be wet as well. The microwave does not really dry clothes. That is not its purpose. The job of the microwave is to heat things up not dry them like a dryer.
While it is understandable that many people think that all heat sources are the same. After all, heat does dry things. That heat is not applied in the same manner and does not dry everything.
If the microwave could dry things, then you could not heat up any dish with liquids in it. The microwave would dry the liquid and spoil the soup, etc.
Tip 5: You do not need a lot of time in the microwave to get the towels hot. This is a bit of trial and error and you will have to do some tests to see how long you should heat the towels before removing them.
Can I Microwave Gloves?
The same rules and precautionary measures apply here as they do to other clothing. It is great to be able to warm up your gloves to keep your hands warm in the winter but not all gloves can go in the microwave.
If the gloves are made of all-natural fibers, then chances are it is okay to microwave them, although bamboo fibers are not microwave-safe. Any synthetic fiber gloves will not take the heat very well and you may not be able to use them again.
Even just a little bit of elastic, polyester, nylon, and other non-natural materials can ruin your favorite pair of gloves when you are not careful. Microwaving is great for cooking and heating up a pot of coffee or tea but it is not great for clothing, including gloves.
The key here is to check to make sure that those natural fibers are not flammable. Fires are always a danger when it comes to fabrics and high heat levels. If you are in a hurry it is better to find a dry pair of gloves than to take the risk of microwaving them.
Tip 6: Before you put your towels in the microwave check the labels. If the label says it is a flammable material, you may be only able to heat the towel for no more than 1 minute, if at all.
Can You Microwave a Towel?
Yes, you can and if you have read everything up to this point you will have seen all the tips to help you do just that. Heated towels are used in a variety of industries as they help open pores, soothe sore muscles, and get the body to relax.
Sometimes there is nothing like the feeling a warm towel brings to your back. But, and you knew it was coming, not all towels are microwavable. The same warnings written earlier will apply to towels as well.
You have to make sure they are metal-free, do not have any synthetic materials blended in, and make sure they do not catch fire easily. The label will tell you if the towel material is flammable or not.
Some natural fibers may handle heat well but only up to a certain point and once past that point, they will catch on fire. Before you assume and open that microwave door, read the label first. It is always better to be safe than sorry.
Also, do not turn the oven on for long periods of time, microwaves deal in hot temperatures and a short time will suffice usually.
Tip 7: The good thing about microwaving towels is that if it is the right fabric, you can do it over and over. There is no limit on how many times you can heat the towels up in a microwave as the oven does not damage those towels.
Can You Heat a Wet Towel in the Microwave?
Yes, you can heat a wet towel and this is the preferred method for heating any towels. If you do not dampen the towels, they will come out very dry, very rough, and can be very abrasive when rubbed against your skin.
All you need to do is soak the towel completely, and then wring the excess moisture out. You do not want a dripping wet towel filled with hot water when you grab it to take it out of the oven.
You do want the towel a little bit damp so get rid of that excess moisture before heating it up. Then with microwaves, you do not have to wait long before the towel is ready. Depending on its size, it may take as little as 30 seconds or as much as 2 minutes.
Microwaves work fast so you do not have to wait long before the towel is hot enough to sue for your facial, back rub, or sore muscles. Then to help you relax experiment with different aromatherapy essential oils. The aroma should help you relax better and ease those aches and pains.
Tip 8: Don’t forget to test the towel before you apply it to your skin. The last thing you want is to have an overheated towel burning your skin. Use the back of your hand to test the heat level then if it is okay, use the towel.
How Long Can I Microwave a Towel?
If the towel is made from polyester, other synthetic materials or is flammable you have about 0 seconds to heat the towel. Those items are not microwave-safe and should not be placed in one.
For 100% cotton towels or other 100% natural fiber towels, it depends on their size and their use. If you are using one as a heating pad then 90 seconds should be sufficient.
If it is a face cloth, then 30 seconds should do the trick. For hand towels used for facials or getting ready for a quick shave, 30 to 60 seconds should be okay. All these times are arbitrary and your length of heating time will vary.
It will depend on the quality of the towel, the thickness of the fibers, and other factors. Just remember to moisten the towel first so that it comes out nice and soft as well as comfortable to hold. The key is not to overheat the towel and burn yourself.
Tip 9: there are no labels on clothing saying the fabric is microwavable. You have to check the labels for fiber content and if the material is flammable or not. Sometimes you just have to guess.
Some Final Words
Microwaving clothing is not a good idea. There is just too much of a risk that those items will have some sort of metal object on them. You will ruin your microwave if you are in a hurry and don’t look carefully enough.
It is best to leave the drying of clothing to the dryer or the clothes rack. Microwaves are for heating things up and won’t dry shirts, etc.
