A clothes dryer, tumble dryer, or drying machine is a powered household appliance that is used to remove moisture from a load of clothing and other textiles, usually shortly after they are washed in a washing machine. Clothes may also be dried by natural evaporation and, if available, sunlight on an outdoor or indoor clothes line or clothes horse. Many dryers consist of a rotating drum called a “tumbler” through which heated air is circulated to evaporate the moisture, while the tumbler is rotated to maintain air space between the articles. Using these machines may cause clothes to shrink or become less soft (due to loss of short soft fibers/lint). A simpler non-rotating machine called a “drying cabinet” may be used for delicate fabrics and other items not suitable for a tumble dryer.
