UK households urged to put ice cubes in tumble dryers – never need an iron again

Ironing is one of those chores many people dread. It takes a lot of time and hassle to set everything up, and it’s often the last thing anyone wants to do before rushing out the door. Luckily, there is one trick out there that seems to solve that problem and it doesn’t require any fancy tools or cleaning gadgets.

In fact, it involves something you likely already have in your kitchen. And for many who’ve tried it, the results have been good enough to ditch the iron for good. Taking to Reddit, Life Pro Tips wrote: “If you throw an ice cube in a dryer for twenty-ish minutes with a wrinkled piece of clothing, it takes the wrinkles right out, no iron required!”

Plenty of people in the comments were blown away by the trick. One person said: “You can press ‘start’ and walk away to eat breakfast or whatever and retrieve the shirt when it’s ready. 

“Instead of getting out the iron, adding water, getting out your ironing board and setting it up, then proceeding to iron the shirt, wait for the iron to cool down, put it away, and put away the ironing board.”

Another added: “I was a little sceptical at first but it worked like a charm. I hate ironing so this makes my life much better.”

A third commented: “Never knew this could actually work. I tried it the other day and I’m never going back to ironing.”

Others, however, were more cautious. One user said: “A small amount of water could hit the heating element and potentially short. Highly unlikely but expensive.”

Another added: “This uses a lot of electricity to de-wrinkle one shirt. Use it every day and it will add up on your electric bill.”

A third said: “Why can’t people just stop being lazy and use an iron.”

Despite the negativity, experts say that the trick does actually work. Shadmaan Kader, the director of fabric supplier at Pound A Metre, told Ideal Home: “The principle behind this hack is simple – when ice cubes melt in a heated tumble dryer, they create steam. 

“This steam gently relaxes fabric fibres, helping to reduce wrinkles without direct heat or pressure. 

“Essentially, it mimics the effect of a clothes steamer, making it a convenient alternative for quick de-creasing.”

Ian Palmer-Smith, an appliance expert at Domestic & General, added: “You can get quick results by adding a few pieces of already dry, lightweight clothing into your dryer with some ice and running a short cycle; two or three cubes should be enough. It’s important to note that the hack is likely to be less effective with heavier clothing.”

Both experts said lightweight items like polyester or cotton blends are ideal, while heavier materials such as denim may not see the same results.

“Additionally, using a high heat setting will generate more steam quickly but may also increase the risk of shrinking or damaging delicate fabrics,” Shadmaan said.

He also warned the ice cubes can cause a rattling noise, suggesting a damp washcloth might be a quieter alternative. 

Ian agreed and added that misting clothes with a spray bottle can offer the same effect.

He said: “Remember that less is more – the hack is unlikely to work well if you fill your dryer too much. 

“I would also recommend not to use this hack every wash as it will accelerate corrosion and not work on larger items such as bedsheets.”