Permanent Press vs. Delicate: What's the Difference?
Understanding the different cycles on your washing machine can help you get the most out of laundry day. The Permanent Press cycle is designed to minimize wrinkles while the Delicate cycle helps care for your most fragile fabrics. Learn more differences between the Permanent Press vs Delicate cycles and when to use each one so you can tackle laundry chores with confidence.
Do Different Laundry Cycles Really Matter?
Picking the right washer and dryer cycles for your fabrics is crucial for helping you get the best laundry results. Different fabrics, garments and colors have varying needs so using the wrong setting could lead to damage like shrinkage, discoloration or pilling. Some fabrics, such as cotton and wool, are at higher risk for shrinking because their fibers constrict in heat, while others require high heat and agitation for a thorough clean.
Some cycles, like Delicate and Permanent Press may seem similar but can produce different results. Learn more about these two cycles and when to use each below.
What is a Permanent Press Cycle?
A Permanent Press cycle is designed to handle clothes made of somewhat delicate fabrics or those prone to wrinkling. This cycle uses a combination of warm water, slower spin speeds vs Normal, and cooler drying to help release existing wrinkles and prevent new ones. Permanent Press or similar cycles are sometimes labeled Casual, Wrinkle Reduction or Wrinkle Control, like on select Maytag® washers. The name of the cycle can vary depending on the washer or dryer model.
Permanent Press Cycle on a Washer
The washer Perm Press cycle typically uses warm water and low spin speeds. The lower water temperature keeps fabrics from relaxing and creasing more easily during spins. Slower spin speeds can help reduce the risk of clothes becoming tangled or compressed, which could result in new wrinkles.
Permanent Press Cycle on a Dryer
A dryer Permanent Press cycle typically uses medium heat and longer cool down periods. This means that clothes are less likely to settle in the drum and develop wrinkles.
When to Use Permanent Press
Perm Press, or similar wrinkle reduction cycles, are ideal for items that wrinkle easily. Garments made from synthetic materials such as polyester, nylon and acrylic, along with natural fibers like linen and cotton can be cleaned with a Permanent Press cycle. This includes clothing such as dresses or professional wear like blouses, button-up shirts and trousers. The Permanent Press cycle helps reduce wrinkles and creases in these items, leaving your clothes looking fresh and neat.
What are the Benefits of a Permanent Press Cycle?
You can wash and dry most fabrics, including synthetic and natural fabrics, with the Permanent Press cycle, making it a good choice for everyday laundry. This setting is relatively gentle on your clothes—warm temperatures and slower spin speeds can help reduce wear on the fibers in your garments during a laundry cycle. Other benefits of opting for a Perm Press, Wrinkle Control or Casual cycle are:
- Wrinkle reduction: The Permanent Press washer cycle uses lower water temps (warm instead of hot) and slower spin speeds to help minimize wrinkles in clothing.
- Simplifies Laundry: Thanks to the wrinkle reduction, you can potentially skip ironing or steaming clothes after drying.
- Gentle on clothes: These same features provide a gentle wash and dry for a range of fabrics. The slower spin speeds of the Permanent Press cycle also reduce friction that can cause pilling, fraying and other damage to fabric.
- Thorough clean: The Permanent Press cycle typically uses warm water which helps remove everyday soils while still providing a gentle wash environment.
Just keep in mind that while Permanent Press works for many kinds of laundry, it’s not a substitute for the Delicate cycle. If your clothing is labeled “Delicate,” stick with the Delicate cycle to help keep it in good shape.
What is a Delicate Cycle?
A Delicate cycle, sometimes called Gentle, is a setting on washing machines and dryers designed to handle delicate fabrics and items that require gentle care. The Delicate cycle combines gentle wash action, cool or cold temperatures, and low spin speeds to wash lightly soiled, delicate or easily damaged fabrics.
Delicate Wash Cycle
The Delicate wash cycle is a low-speed, low-agitation setting ideal for washing delicate fabrics such as silk, lace or lingerie. This cycle uses a slower spin speed and shorter washing time to help prevent damage to delicate items. It gently cleans and rinses the clothes, helping to ensure they come out clean without compromising their quality.
Delicate Dry Cycle
A dryer Delicate cycle is typically a tumble dry cycle that uses low heat. Low heat helps protect heat-sensitive fabrics from fraying, fading, shrinking, stretching and warping. Depending on the make and model of your dryer, the cycle may be labeled Delicate, Gentle or Tumble Dry Low.
When to Use a Delicate Cycle
Use a Delicate cycle for lightly soiled sheer fabrics, lingerie, sweaters or blouses and pants made of wool, cashmere or silk. Lace, chiffon, beaded or embroidered materials should also be washed on a Delicate cycle along with anything recommending a “Gentle” cycle on the care tag. These materials are more prone to damage, shrinking, or stretching if subjected to regular wash cycles.
Benefits of a Delicate Cycle:
Using the delicate cycle on your washer or dryer comes with several advantages that can help keep your clothes looking great and lasting longer. Here are the key benefits:
Gentle on Fabrics: The Delicate cycle is typically designed to be the most gentle option available, making it perfect for fragile items like silk, lace and cashmere. It minimizes wear and tear by using low agitation and shorter wash times, which helps preserve the shape and color of your clothes.
Helps Prevent Shrinkage and Stretching: By using cooler water and less agitation, the Delicate cycle helps reduce the risk of shrinkage and stretching, ensuring your garments maintain their original fit and style.
Protects Embellishments: If your clothing has appliques, sequins or other delicate details, the gentle handling of the Delicate cycle can help prevent damage to these embellishments.
Overall, using the Delicate cycle is a smart way to care for your finer fabrics, potentially extending their lifespan and helping to maintain their appearance.
When to Choose Permanent Press vs. Delicate
Choosing the right washing cycle for your laundry is essential to help keep your favorite clothes, blankets, scarves and other items looking great. Both the Permanent Press and Delicate cycles offer gentle cleaning to help prevent wrinkles and preserve fragile fabrics, respectively. When it comes to choosing Perm Press vs Delicate cycles, there are a few guidelines you can follow.
Choose the Permanent Press vs Delicate cycle for synthetic fabrics, blends, and medium-weight fabrics, including polyester, nylon, rayon, and cotton blends. Opt for Delicate vs Permanent Press when washing silk, lace, wool and other fabrics prone to shrinking or damage. Always refer to your item’s care tag for the ultimate guide on which cycle to choose.
If you’re missing the care tag, you can usually wash items like dresses, slacks and dress shirts with permanent press or delicate cycles depending on your desired outcome. The perm press cycle will help combat wrinkles, potentially allowing you to skip ironing–make sure to promptly remove items after a perm press dryer cycle if this is your goal. But, a Delicate dryer and washer cycle will typically be the gentlest setting available if you have any concerns about the material of your garment but want to try machine washing it.
Discover Maytag® Washers for your Delicate and Perm Press Garments
Explore Maytag® washing machines with the Wrinkle Control cycle which is specially designed to help prevent wrinkles with warm water and low spin speeds. Or, explore models with Casual and Delicate cycles designed to take on your delicate, wrinkle-prone clothes so you’ll always look your best.
