Symptoms
- Clothes come out tangled in a tight wad
- Uneven drying with damp spots inside a bunched load
- No visible tumbling of items separately
- Baffles look cracked, loose, or missing inside the drum
Likely causes
- CommonBroken or missing drum baffle (lifter)These plastic fins lift and drop clothes during the tumble; without them, laundry clumps together.
- CommonOverloading the dryerToo many items at once reduces the tumbling action needed to separate them.
- PossibleStatic cling from over-drying or synthetic fabricsExcess static can cause items to stick together, especially with polyester blends.
- PossibleTangled bedding or clothing with straps and tiesDrawstrings, bra straps, or sheet corners naturally knot during tumbling.
- Less commonWorn drum glides reducing proper drum rotationUneven drum rotation from worn glides can reduce normal tumbling action.
What to do
- Open the dryer and inspect the baffles (raised fins) inside the drum for cracks or missing pieces.
- Reduce load size, especially for bedding, comforters, or hooded sweatshirts prone to bunching.
- Shake out large items like sheets before loading to reduce initial tangling.
- Add a couple of dry towels to a bedding load to help separate items during tumbling.
- Use a dryer sheet or wool dryer balls to reduce static cling and help separate synthetic fabrics.
- Replace any broken or missing baffles, which typically snap or screw into place.
- If bunching continues with intact baffles and reasonable load sizes, check that the drum is rotating at a normal, steady speed.
Tools and parts
- Screwdriver
Dryer drum baffleSearch: “dryer drum baffle lifter kit”
When to call a pro
If baffles are intact and loads are reasonable but bunching continues, an appliance technician can check drum rotation and glides.
Safety
Generally low risk
Generally low risk for a careful person. Stop if anything looks different from what this guide describes.