Tired Of Sheets Balling Up In The Dryer? This Easy Trick Keeps Them Tangle-Free

Sheets need regular washing, but that doesn't make it any easier to deal with them. To keep sheets from becoming a tangled mess in the dryer, people on the internet swear that the easiest and most affordable option is to simply fold your sheets, similarly to how you would when storing them. As strange as it sounds, folding the sheets before you dry them can make a world of difference. This may be a frustrating additional step — after all, folding a dry, fitted sheet is already a pain — but it can save you from having to throw items back into the dryer a second time.

To fold your fitted sheet, the first step is to give it a few shakes when you take it out of the washer. Work to loosen any tangles that might already be there. Then, take each of your corners and tuck them into each other. Start with two corners tucked together on the right and two corners tucked into each other on the left. Fold the sheet in half so that all of the corners are on the same side, and your sheet is in a large flat shape when you throw it into the dryer. For an even lower chance of tangles, you can fold it up a few times to make a smaller square. This is a lot easier to do if you have a functional laundry room with a flat space to work on, like a table. However, it can still be done while holding the sheet up; it's just a bit more tedious.

If you need a bit more hold, you can add a few clips to the edges, or fold it in such a way that you can tuck one folded side into the other. This adds a little more security, though the lack of airflow can make it a little harder to dry. Although the sheet is unlikely to retain the same shape after drying, it should be much easier to handle — and drier without the tight tangles.

Adding a few dryer balls to the mix can further help to prevent tangling and allow your sheets to dry faster. They also don't leave a waxy film on your fabrics, which is part of the reason why it might be time to ditch the dryer sheets and use these alternatives instead. If your sheet has come undone by halfway through the cycle, you can also pull it out and give it a little fluffing.

Of course, this works best for fitted sheets because of the elastic. However, you can do the same thing with flat sheets and blankets as well. Shaking them out and folding them — matching up the corners and then folding them into smaller squares — can minimize, but not eradicate, the tangles. Or you can try using clips to hold the edges in place. If that sounds like too much work, another alternative is to simply air-dry your sheets. There are several benefits to air-drying your laundry, and a lack of tangles is definitely one of them.