What Does Perm Press Mean on a Dryer? When to Use It and When to Skip It
What Does Perm Press Mean on a Dryer? When to Use It and When to Skip It
You’re doing laundry and looking at the dryer dial. You see Normal, Delicates, and Perm Press. You’ve been using Normal for everything, but your dress shirts keep coming out wrinkled and your synthetic blends look slightly melted at the edges. You’ve never tried Perm Press because you don’t know what it does. Perm Press is a dryer cycle designed for synthetic fabrics and wrinkle-prone clothes. It uses medium heat and ends with a cool-down period that prevents wrinkles from setting. Here’s what Perm Press means, how it works, and when to use it.
Perm Press (permanent press) is a dryer cycle that uses medium heat (about 130F to 140F) followed by a cool-down period of 5 to 10 minutes at the end. The medium heat prevents damage to synthetic fibers, and the cool-down period prevents wrinkles from setting as the fabric cools.
Perm Press on a dryer means the cycle uses medium heat and a cool-down period to dry synthetic fabrics and wrinkle-prone clothes without setting wrinkles. Use Perm Press for dress shirts, synthetic blends, permanent press fabrics, and wrinkle-prone items. Don’t use it for heavy cotton, towels, or delicates.
How Perm Press Works
A Perm Press cycle has three phases:
Phase 1: Drying at medium heat. The dryer heats to about 130F to 140F, which is lower than the Normal cycle (about 150F to 160F). The lower heat prevents damage to synthetic fibers, which can melt or warp at high temperatures.
Phase 2: Continued drying with tumbling. The dryer continues tumbling at medium heat until the moisture sensor detects that the clothes are dry.
Phase 3: Cool-down. The dryer stops heating and continues tumbling with unheated air for 5 to 10 minutes. This gradual cooling prevents wrinkles from setting in the fabric. When hot fabric cools while sitting still (like at the bottom of a dryer drum), the wrinkles become permanent. The cool-down tumbling lets the fabric cool while moving, so wrinkles don’t set.
When to Use Perm Press
Dress shirts. The medium heat and cool-down period prevent wrinkles in cotton-poly blend dress shirts.
Synthetic fabrics. Polyester, nylon, and other synthetics can melt or warp at high heat. Perm Press uses lower heat that’s safe for these fabrics.
Permanent press fabrics. Fabrics labeled permanent press are treated to resist wrinkles. The Perm Press cycle maintains this treatment.
Wrinkle-prone items. Any item that wrinkles easily in the normal cycle benefits from Perm Press.
Lightweight cottons. Lightweight cotton shirts and blouses that wrinkle in the normal cycle can use Perm Press.
When to Skip Perm Press
Heavy cotton. Towels, jeans, and heavy cotton items need the higher heat of the Normal cycle to dry thoroughly.
Delicates. Silk, lace, and lingerie need the Delicates cycle or air drying, not Perm Press.
Wool. Wool should be air-dried flat, not machine-dried on any cycle.
Items labeled do not tumble dry. Follow the care label. If it says air dry, don’t use any dryer cycle.
Bedding. Sheets and bedding can use the Normal cycle, as they’re not wrinkle-prone in the same way as clothing.
Comparison: Dryer Cycles
| Cycle | Heat Level | Cool-Down | Best For | What to Avoid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | High (150-160F) | No | Heavy cotton, towels, jeans | Synthetics, delicates |
| Perm Press | Medium (130-140F) | Yes | Dress shirts, synthetics, wrinkle-prone | Heavy cotton, delicates |
| Delicates | Low (110-120F) | Yes | Silk, lace, lingerie | Heavy items |
| Air Fluff | No heat | Yes | Freshening, dust removal | Wet clothes |
Tips for Using Perm Press
Don’t overload the dryer. Overloading prevents clothes from tumbling freely, which increases wrinkles. Fill the drum no more than half full for Perm Press.
Remove clothes promptly. Even with the cool-down period, clothes left in the dryer after the cycle ends will wrinkle. Remove and hang or fold immediately.
Use dryer balls. Wool dryer balls help separate clothes and reduce wrinkles in any cycle.
Shake items before loading. Shake each item to separate it from the load before putting it in the dryer. This reduces wrinkles and helps clothes dry evenly.
Don’t mix fabric types. Don’t dry heavy cotton with Perm Press items. The heavy items take longer to dry, which means the Perm Press items over-dry and wrinkle.
FAQ
What does Perm Press mean on a dryer? Perm Press is a dryer cycle that uses medium heat (130-140F) and a cool-down period at the end. The medium heat prevents damage to synthetic fibers, and the cool-down period prevents wrinkles from setting as the fabric cools.
When should I use Perm Press? Use Perm Press for dress shirts, synthetic fabrics (polyester, nylon), permanent press fabrics, wrinkle-prone items, and lightweight cottons. These fabrics benefit from the lower heat and cool-down period.
What is the difference between Normal and Perm Press? Normal uses high heat (150-160F) with no cool-down period. Perm Press uses medium heat (130-140F) with a 5 to 10 minute cool-down period. Normal is for heavy cotton and towels. Perm Press is for synthetics and wrinkle-prone items.
Can I use Perm Press for all clothes? No. Perm Press is not hot enough for heavy cotton, towels, and jeans, which need the higher heat of the Normal cycle. It’s also not gentle enough for delicates like silk and lace, which need the Delicates cycle or air drying.
Does Perm Press prevent wrinkles? Yes. The cool-down period at the end of the cycle lets clothes cool while tumbling, which prevents wrinkles from setting. However, you still need to remove clothes promptly after the cycle ends.
What happens if I use Normal instead of Perm Press? Using the Normal cycle for synthetic fabrics can cause melting, warping, and excessive wrinkling. The higher heat can damage synthetic fibers and set wrinkles because there’s no cool-down period.
References
- Whirlpool. “Dryer Cycle Guide.” whirlpool.com.
- Tide. “Dryer Settings Explained.” tide.com.
- The Spruce. “What Is Perm Press?” thespruce.com.
- Good Housekeeping. “Dryer Settings Guide.” goodhousekeeping.com.
