“Every washing machine can dry laundry” — Is that really true?
Not exactly. This viral claim confuses spinning with drying.
💨 The hidden function many washers do have: high-speed spin
Almost every modern washing machine has a spin cycle. It rapidly spins the clothes to extract excess water, leaving them damp rather than completely dry. That can substantially shorten air-drying time.
Try looking for settings such as:
- Spin
- Drain & Spin
- Rinse & Spin
- Extra Spin
- High Spin
A second spin after washing can be particularly useful for towels, heavy garments, or clothes that come out unusually wet.
🔥 But not every washing machine can actually dry clothes
A true drying function requires a machine designed for drying—typically a washer-dryer combination or a separate tumble dryer. Some washing machines also have an Air Dry or similar feature, but this generally removes moisture through airflow/spinning rather than providing the same drying performance as a heated dryer.
Some washers specifically include a Dry option that tumbles clothes with hot air, but this is a feature found only on certain models.
🔎 How to check your machine
Look at the control panel or owner’s manual for “Dry,” “Timed Dry,” “Air Dry,” or a drying symbol. If you only see Spin/Drain, your machine is extracting water—not fully drying the laundry.
And always check clothing care labels before using heat, since some fabrics can shrink or be damaged by tumble drying.
