Flame-resistant clothing needs special care during drying to keep its protective properties intact and prevent damage. Plenty of workers make mistakes here, risking safety and shortening the life of their gear.
The best way to dry FR clothing? Air dry it, or use a low-heat tumble cycle. Pull garments out while they’re still a bit damp—helps stop shrinkage and keeps the flame resistance strong.
Drying your FR gear the right way really does extend its life and keeps you safer on the job. High heat and over-drying? Big risks—those can wreck the fabric’s protection and ruin the fit.
Drying isn’t just about convenience. It changes how well your FR clothing actually protects you at work.
If you follow the right drying steps, your gear fits better and keeps its flame resistance much longer.
Key Principles for Drying FR Clothing
Good drying habits protect the flame-resistant features of FR fabric and help avoid damage from too much heat or shrinkage. Stick to the manufacturer’s guidelines and use the right temperature to keep your clothing safe and lasting longer.
Understanding FR Clothing Materials
FR clothing uses special fabrics that need careful handling when you dry them. Nomex and Kevlar are typical synthetic choices—they’ll last if you care for them properly.
High heat during drying can ruin these materials. The fibers get damaged and might not protect you when it matters most.
Different FR fabrics react in their own way to drying. Cotton-based FR fabrics usually shrink more than synthetic blends.
Remember, your PPE has engineered fibers for specific hazards. If you dry them wrong, you could lose those safety benefits for good.
Some FR clothing gets chemical treatments to help self-extinguish. Too much heat breaks these down, and the gear just won’t protect you as well.
Manufacturer Drying Instructions
Every FR garment comes with a care label showing how to dry it safely. Manufacturers test their fabrics and know what works best.
Care label symbols tell you if tumble drying is okay and what heat level you should use. Look for a circle inside a square—that means tumble drying is fine.
Dots on the label show the safe temperature:
- One dot: Only use low heat
- Two dots: Medium heat works
- Crossed circle: Don’t tumble dry
Don’t ignore these instructions. The company has already figured out what’s safe for their fabric.
If the care label is gone or unreadable, just ask the manufacturer. Guessing could ruin your PPE and put you at risk.
Machine Drying: Settings and Precautions
Low heat tumble drying is safest for most FR gear. It cuts down on shrinkage and keeps the fabric’s flame resistance intact.
Take FR clothing out of the dryer while it’s still a little damp. Letting it get bone dry—even on low—can cause more shrinkage and hurt the fibers.
High heat can destroy FR fabric and make it less protective. Industrial dryers sometimes get way hotter than what’s safe for these clothes.
Air drying is the gentlest way to make your gear last. Just hang it up—no heat, no shrinkage, no problem.
Most of the shrinking happens in the first five wash and dry cycles. After that, if you dry things right, you’ll keep the fit you want.
Keep FR clothing separate from regular laundry when drying. Chemicals from other fabrics—like softeners—can transfer and mess with the flame resistance.
Maintaining Protective Qualities During Drying
The way you dry FR gear really matters for keeping its flame-resistant properties. Paying attention to temperature and checking on your clothes during drying helps keep you safe.
Air Drying Vs. Machine Drying
Air drying is the gold standard for FR clothing. There’s no heat to mess up the protection, and you’ll avoid shrinkage that can ruin the fit.
Line drying helps keep the flame-resistant chemicals where they belong—in the fabric. It also helps your gear last longer compared to machine drying.
If you have to use a machine, stick to the lowest heat setting. Pull clothes out when they’re still damp; overdrying is never good.
Air Drying Benefits:
- No heat to hurt protective chemicals
- Almost no shrinkage
- Longer-lasting clothing
- Better protection over time
Machine Drying Guidelines:
- Stick to low heat
- Remove clothes while they’re still damp
- Skip the fabric softener sheets
- Check on your clothes during the cycle
Industrial laundry services use special equipment for FR gear. They know what they’re doing and usually keep the protective qualities better than a home dryer can.
Avoiding Overdrying and Heat Damage
High heat wrecks the flame resistance of FR clothing. Overdrying can shrink your clothes up to 5% more than normal wear would.
Heat breaks down the chemical treatments that make these garments flame-resistant. Once that’s gone, you can’t get it back.
Temperature Guidelines:
- Low heat: Always safe
- Medium heat: Only if you really have to
- High heat: Just don’t—it ruins protection
When you overdry, the fibers get brittle. That means more tears and less coverage where you need it most.
Take clothes out of the dryer when they’re still a touch damp. The rest will dry off naturally without more heat.
Never use fabric softener sheets—they leave a flammable coating on your FR gear. That coating can catch fire and spread flames, making your protective clothing dangerous instead of helpful.
Post-Drying Regular Inspections
Workers need to check FR garments after every drying cycle. Regular inspections help spot damage before it turns into a real safety issue.
Look for tears, fraying, or thin spots in the fabric. These weak areas won’t protect you—flames could break through and reach your skin.
Inspection Checklist:
- Seams: Watch for loose threads or any separation.
- Fabric: Check for thin or worn spots.
- Edges: Examine cuffs and hems for fraying.
- Stains: Note any discoloration that won’t come out.
If you find damage, pull those garments out of service right away. Torn or threadbare FR clothing just isn’t going to cut it for protection.
Some stains won’t wash out, and that’s a problem. Flammable stuff can soak in and stick around, making the fabric way more dangerous.
Keep track of your inspection results. It’ll help you know when it’s time for replacements and makes sure everyone’s gear is up to the job.
Swap out any garments that have touched bleach or harsh chemicals. Even if they look okay, their flame resistance might be shot.