This test proves the difference in wear and tear caused by mechanical action between a commercial tumble dryer and a drying cabinet.

We have compared wear caused by washing and drying without mechanical action with wear caused by washing and drying with mechanical action for our own machines.

Test method

Comparative tests were done with so-called POLKA DOT monitors at a third-party test lab. The monitors consist of standardized, white cloths, covered with blue plastic dots, which are placed in washing machines and afterwards in a tumble dryer and drying cabinet.

Procedure

Two separate laundry loads were provided with two monitors each. After washing, one monitor from each washer was placed in the tumble dryer, while one monitor from each washer was placed in the drying cabinet. After drying, the monitors where taken out.

By measuring in a spectrophotometer how much lighter each monitor has become and how the color has changed (depending on how many blue plastic dots have fallen off), the effect of the mechanical action was then determined.

Result

Results from the tests with POLKA DOT monitors show that the monitors that were washed and dried with mechanical action  wore 64% more than those that were dried without mechanical action  in a drying cabinet.

To summarize, drying with mechanical processing accounted for 39% of the total wear during washing and drying, which is avoided when drying in a drying cabinet.