• Items that have been spotted or soaked with
vegetable or cooking oil constitute a fire hazard
and should not be placed in a tumble dryer.
Oil-affected items can ignite spontaneously,
especially when exposed to heat sources such
as in a tumble dryer. The items become warm,
causing an oxidation reaction in the oil.
Oxidation creates heat. If the heat cannot
escape, the items can become hot enough to
catch fire. Piling, stacking or storing oil-affected
items can prevent heat from escaping and so
create a fire hazard. If it is unavoidable that
fabrics that contain vegetable or cooking oil or
have been contaminated by hair care products
be placed in a tumble dryer they should first
be washed in hot water with extra detergent -
this will reduce, but not eliminate, the hazard.
The ’cool down’ cycle of tumble dryers should
be used to reduce the temperature of the items.
They should not be removed from the tumble
dryer or piled or stacked while hot.
• Items that have been previously cleaned in,
washed in, soaked in or spotted with
petrol/gasoline, dry-cleaning solvents or other
flammable or explosive substances should not
be placed in a tumble dryer. Highly flammable
substances commonly used in domestic
environments include acetone, denatured
alcohol, petrol/gasoline, kerosene, spot
removers (some brands), turpentine, waxes
and wax removers.
• Items containing foam rubber (also known as
latex foam) or similarly textured rubberlike
materials should not be dried in a tumble dryer
on a heat setting. Foam rubber materials can,
when heated, produce fire by spontaneous
combustion.
• Fabric softeners or similar products should not
be used in a tumble dryer to eliminate the
effects of static electricity unless this practice
is specifically recommended by the
manufacturer of the fabric softener or product.
• Undergarments that contain metal
reinforcements should not be placed in a
tumbledryer. Damage to the tumble dryer can
result if metal reinforcements come loose
during drying. When available a drying rack
could be used for such items.
• Plastic articles such as shower caps or babies’
waterproof napkin covers should not be placed
in a tumble dryer. Rubber-backed articles,
clothes fitted with foam rubber pads, pillows,
galoshes and rubber-coated tennis shoes
should not be placed in a tumble dryer.
Vented dryers
• There has to be adequate ventilation to avoid
the back flow of gases into the room from
appliances burning other fuels, including open
fires, when operating the tumble dryer.
• The exhaust air must not be discharged into a
flue which is used for exhausting fumes from
appliances burning gas or other fuels.
CAUTION!
Air from the tumble dryer must not be fed through
ducts used for equipment that burns gas or other
fuels.
5
Safety instructions
