Yes, you can put your Crocs in the tumble dryer. However, it requires utmost care and attention while you do so as Crocs are produced from a special, stretchable polymer material – croslite, making them quite unique. This material is highly reactive to high temperatures, therefore longer exposure to heat produced by the dryer will likely shrink or even crack the Crocs. Due to the fact that Crocs expand and contract based on the temperature around them, it is advisable not to place them in the dryer but to consider other means to dry Crocs, such as air drying or using an electric fan.
Why are Tumble Dryers Not Appropriate for Drying Crocs?
As we mentioned, Crocs are not meant to be exposed to high long-term heat, as direct heat can cause damage to them. An average modern tumble dryer has a high-heat setting of around 150ºF (66ºC) while croslite shrinkage will start from around 86ºF (30ºC).
Note that the croslite material reaches its melting point at 212°F (100ºC) so never go that far.
However, if you still want to go with the tumble dryer, you can wrap a damp towel around the Crocs as this will help reduce the rate at which heat affects the Crocs directly. In addition, always go with the lowest heat setting and give them a regular check during the drying cycle.
What Happens When You Place Your Crocs in the Dryer?
It can happen to just about anybody, when you are in a hurry to fix something and just throw your Crocs into the dryer with other stuff, only to later realise that you should not have done that. But then, it’s already too late as the Crocs have already shrunk or melted into an undesirable shape. Luckily, we can turn the cause into a solution. Most of the same methods will also work if you need to unshrink your Crocs.
Crocs are considered to be advantageous in various areas as they are resistant to certain conditions, which include excess odour, bacterial growth, and water. They also come in different types some of which include leather, elastic, fuzzy, and suede. However, neither of these are suitable for the dryer as the excess heat may not only shrink but also tear certain types.
Is It Advisable to Put Fuzzy Crocs With Removable Liners in the Dryer?
Most people enjoy the utmost comfort that comes with wearing fuzzy Crocs. Their soft lining is incredibly cosy, but there is a need to take proper care of them. Putting your fur Crocs in the dryer is absolutely not advisable, as the heat emitted by the dryer will cause your Crocs as well as highly delicate liners to stretch and eventually wear out.
However, the liner often comes with the advantage of being removable, and all it takes is to lift it up and detach it from the shoe. When removing the liner, ensure you are careful to prevent it from getting damaged. After removing the liner, you can go ahead and put the Crocs inside the dryer at a lowest temperature for a couple of minutes. The liners should now be air dried for some time too.
Alternative Ways of Drying Wet Crocs
After removing all the stains by washing and rinsing your Crocs, the next thing to do is to dry them. As we established, a tumble dryer is not an ideal solution to that. Some of the alternative ways to dry your Crocs without using a dryer include:
- Air Dry: This process involves putting the Crocs in a room and allowing them to dry normally as a result of the continuous flow of air in the room. Put them on a towel and position vertically by the wall. This will allow water to escape faster.
- Electric fan: in case you want to speed up the process, you can dry them quicker by placing them directly in front of an electric fan. In addition, you can speed up the process even further by putting your Crocs in an open plastic bag. With this method you will improve the rate at which air circulates around them.
How Long Do Crocs Take To Dry Completely?
The time it takes to dry completely will vary depending on which method you are going with.
- Dryer. riskiest but also the fastest method. It can take up to 10 minutes for the Crocs to become dry.
- Air dry. a safe but lengthy method. It can take up to two days for the Crocs to dry completely and be ready to wear.
- Electric fan. Also a safe method. A bit quicker than simple air dry but requires a basic setup in place. It can take you up to 1 day to completely dry your wet Crocs when using an electric fan.
How to Shrink Crocs By Putting It In The Dryer
Finally, if shrinking your Crocs that are too big is your goal then a tumble dryer is certainly a good choice. Follow these steps to shrink your Crocs in the dryer:
- Set the timer on the dryer to 15 minutes
- Place the Crocs alongside two damp towels inside the dryer.
- Set the dryer to medium / low temperature of 100 – 120ºF (35 – 50ºC) before starting the cycle.
- Once the cycle has started, monitor the process. Check the progress every 4 to 5 minutes if the shrinking is sufficient.
- Once you believe they have reached your preferred size, leave them aside for a few minutes to cool off. If you wear them while they are hot you may end up unshrinking your Crocs.
- You’re now ready to rock your perfectly fitting pair of Crocs again!
