Is tumble dryer water safe for plants? (What to know)

Instead of just letting the water from your tumble dryer run down the drain or basically wasting away, you probably have wondered if it’s a good idea to use those few liters of water for your plants.

Water from your tumble dryer can be used to water most plants that thrive in an Alkaline medium due to traces of detergent that may be present in the condensed dryer water. For plants that need acidic environments, you may want to make sure that the clothes are well rinsed before drying, so that very minimal traces of detergent can be found in the water.

Another safe way to use tumble dryer water is using it for shrubs such as fruit bushes and well-grown perennial plants rather than potted plants, or seedlings.

Always make sure to filter the water to remove microparticles such as lint, soap residues, and other materials that might have come off the clothes.

Table of Contents

washing machine sitting in the grass outside

How is a tumble dryer water formed?

Basically, water is formed in a tumble dryer as a result of hot air that circulates in the drum during its operation which causes the water in the clothing to evaporate.

Depending on the type of tumble dryer you use, this evaporated water is either pumped out a hose, condensed into water, or collected in a tank.

Where does tumble dryer water go?

Exactly how water is formed and conveyed depends on the type of tumble dryer you are using.

Let’s take a look at how water is formed in the types of tumble dryers:

Vented tumble dryer-

This is the conventional tumble dryer and is the least expensive of dryers you will find out there.

Vented tumble dryers pump out the hot and dump air from the dryers drum through a special flexible hose which is passed through a wall, connected to an external vent, or left to hang out of an external window.

Condenser tumble dryer-

This type of dryer works by turning condensed steam inside the drum into water, with the help of external air. The water is stored in a rubber tank in front of the dryer and can be emptied momentarily any time it gets full.

Most condenser tumble dryers come with an auto drain hose where you can channel this water into an external drain or sink so that the water doesn’t collect into the water tank before discarding it.

Heat pump tumble dryer-

This dryer type uses a heat pump to heat air and allows clothes dry at lower temperatures. The condensed steam is also channeled into a rubber tank while the cooled air is recycled and used again.

Read also: Washing machine Air dry

Does the tumble dryer need a water connection?

No, you do not need any water connection for a tumble dryer to function. In fact, the little water that is generated from drying clothes is discarded.

Is tumble dryer water clean?

Water from the tumble dryer is not clean for drinking or consumption because it usually contains traces of detergents and chemicals that may not be safe to ingest into the body.