How hot do dryers get?

I was seeing information that made me a bit skeptical and more than a little concerned. I have been seeing info that PUL does not melt till 400 degrees F and I got to thinking about the horror stories of folks melting pul in dryers so I did some research on dryer temps, and pul validity temps. Here is what I came up with...

I will list sources int his same article.

Average dryers heat clothes to 135* now in reality it can range from 75* up to close to 200*. Settings, models and brands can affect this temp.

What I also learned is that the low setting is significantly hotter than I always thought it was, on average low is 125* only ten degrees cooler than the hot setting! And.... this is straight from G.E. so I am confidant these temps are accurate.

Also if you have a dryer older than 1994 (1992 in some cases) your dryer has a higher acceptable internal temperature, meaning it could be heating hotter than these average temperatures.

So how hot can PUL get safely?

Now Solvent created PUL stands up best to heat, stretch, agitation and washing chemicals. The upper heat limit according to manufacturers is only 200* F or 95*C. This is 200* colder than I am seeing some sites telling people it is safe to heat PUL to. Now I want to point out while some solvent laminated PULs are both Oxygen and Chlorine Bleach safe.... it is hard to guarantee how your PUL was laminated, and other PUL's have lower temperature safety rates and are not Bleach safe at all. And not all Solvent Laminated PUL's may be bleach tolerant. It is always best to follow the guidelines of your diapers manufacturer.

Hot melt Laminated PUL is also used to make diapers and diaper products. There have been issues with Hot Melt Lamination PUL's. This sort of pul is more prone to failure in unsupported wet bags and pail liners as the weight creates a stretch that will led to delamination. This type of PUL is only rated for 200 home washings. The average life of the product n real world is between 100 and 300 depending on uses care routine. Again we have this blog and corresponding group to help you get the best results and longest life from your diapers and PUL products. Hear Laminated PUl is only safe to around 165* F or 75*C when wet and only 125*F or 50*C when dry! That is not very hot in the sanitation world! If you leave your diaper laundry in the dryer past it's dry point, on medium or high heat, you easily risk damage! Diaper services require 200* hot or dry to sanitize! If you are running an inhome daycare or other service where you must saintize I highly suggest that you use prefolds or something you can safely heat to 200*. Hot Laminated PUL is NOT Bleach safe!!! This type of PUL is not usable for swim diapers.

There are other forms of PUL but they are not suitable for diapers so I didn;t mention them here, you can find more info about them in the links bellow. I highly suggest reading through the last link provided! It tells you what to look for in damaged PUL, what is safe and not safe, and how to get the most of your pul.

And there you have it Safe temperatures for PUL and average dryer temperatures!

*I have found more information since I originally published this post. Solvent laminated PUL is full of chemicals and not so environmentally friendly this is why you see more and more diaper companies moving to Heat lam which uses heat, pressure and adhesive to laminate their PUL. Many of these PUL's are VOC free and food safe. With this green option you will see more PUL that is not bleach safe.

This was far harder to find, but this is straight from a website selling PUL.

"Fabric care:
Machine wash warm-hang to dry or tumble dry medium heat. DO NOT IRON. Limit bleach to occasional use to avoid fading or breakdown of PUL. In addition-the waterproof surface can be easily wiped clean with a wet cloth."
http://www.geappliances.com/search/fast/infobase/10000971.htm

"Machine wash warm or hot
Dry low Do not iron Do not dry clean No bleach, vinegar, or oxy-type products Bleach, vinegar, and Oxy-clean products are harsh and over time can damage your PUL. Please use regular or HE laundry detergent only. Eco-PUL™ can withstand plenty of use and the repeated hot washing necessary for cloth diapers and other reusable items. PUL should not be dried on HIGH heat in a dryer, very high air heat can cause PUL to wear prematurely, warp or melt. We recommend drying on low."http://www.diapersewingsupplies.com/what-is-pul-eco-pul-fabric/

http://www.sophisticatededge.com/how-hot-does-a-clothes-dryer-get.html

http://www.kinderel.com/products/pul-fabric-polyurethane-laminate-white

http://archive.is/jqbzi