No. Never put pantyhose in the dryer, and keep sheer dress socks out of it too. The care line for every pair we make is short: hand wash in cold water, no bleach, air dry away from heat, no dryer. That rules out the tumble dryer on every setting, and it rules out the radiator and the hair dryer with it. A pair dries on a rack or a rail, in room air, in its own time.
The quick route to dry tights is a second pair on the shelf, not a hotter way to dry the first. Keep two in rotation and a wet pair stops being a problem.
The care line for every pair we make
We make pantyhose for men, and every pair carries the same care line. The 10D Sheer Tights, a 10 denier knit on 1012 needles, is the workhorse of the range, woven with Lycra, and it resists runs. The 1D Seamless Sheer Tights, a 1 denier knit on 512 needles, is the lightest pair we make. Denier is the weight of the yarn, and needle count is the number of needles that knit it. Whatever the number, the washing and the drying do not change.
Hand wash in cold water. No bleach. Air dry away from heat. No dryer. Four lines, and the last two answer the dryer question.
The 1D Seamless Sheer Tights asks for one more thing when you put it on: trimmed nails, or the gloves that come in every order. It is extremely delicate, handle with care. The same care applies at the rail: hang it and leave it.
Our dress socks dry the same way. We make two: the 10D Sheer Dress Sock 2-Pack, a 10 denier sock on 1012 needles, below the knee, two pairs to a box, and the 1D Sheer Dress Socks 3-Pack, a 1 denier sock on 512 needles, below the knee, three pairs to a box. Both hang dry, away from heat, and neither goes in a tumble dryer.
How to dry pantyhose after a hand wash
Drying starts at the sink.
- Wash the pair by hand in cold water, without bleach.
- Hang the pair over a drying rack or a towel rail, or lay it flat.
- Pick a spot away from heat.
- Leave it until it is dry right through, the waistband too.
None of those steps uses heat.
Places that count as heat
Away from heat covers more than the dryer. A radiator, a heated towel rail or a heater vent is heat. So is a hair dryer, and so is the top of a dryer that is running. A pair hung on or beside any of them is not air drying. Hang it in an ordinary room instead.
How to dry tights quickly
There is no fast method. Heat is the usual shortcut, and heat is what the care line keeps a pair away from, so a hair dryer on a damp pair or a pair draped over a radiator is out.
The fast answer is planning. Wash a pair when you take it off, not on the morning you need it, so it has as long as possible on the rack. Keep a second pair, so one hangs while the other is worn. Our dress socks already come that way: two in the 10D Sheer Dress Sock 2-Pack, three in the 1D Sheer Dress Socks 3-Pack.
Putting a dry pair back on
A dry pair goes on the same way a new one does. Trim your nails, take off your rings and your watch, and put on the disposable gloves that come in every NYLO order, so nails and rough skin do not catch the knit. Gather the leg down to the toe, set your toes in, and work it up a little at a time rather than pulling from the top.
Our article on why pantyhose rip so easily goes through snags and runs in more detail. Taking a pair off has its own order too, covered in how to take off pantyhose without snagging.
Questions about drying tights
Can you put pantyhose in the dryer on low heat or air only?
No. The care line says no dryer and names no setting as an exception. An air-only cycle is still the dryer. Hang the pair instead.
How long do tights take to dry?
Drying time depends on the room, so there is no number to give. If you need the pair in the morning, wash it the evening before.
Can a pair that has been washed be returned?
No. Opened, tried-on or worn hosiery is final sale for hygiene. Unopened items in their original sealed packaging can be returned within 14 days of delivery; email support@nylo.us first.
The next step
Keep a second pair in rotation. For men 5'7" to 6'2" (170 to 188 cm) and 145 to 210 lbs (65 to 95 kg), the 10D Sheer Tights is our usual first recommendation, in Black or Beige. Outside that range, our size guide gives the range of every pair, or send your height and weight through the contact page before you order.
