Method for operating a water-conducting domestic appliance such as a clothes dryer or a dishwasher to dry items therein, the domestic appliance comprising: - a treatment chamber (14, 114) for treating items therein, in particular to dry the items therein, - an air duct (16, 18, 24, 32, 40, 116, 118, 124, 132) to and from the treatment chamber (14, 114), - a blower device (34, 134) connected to the air duct (16, 18, 24, 32, 40, 116, 118, 124, 132), wherein a part (18, 32, 118, 132) of the air duct leads from the treatment chamber (14, 114) to the blower device (34, 134) and a part of the air duct continues from the blower device, wherein at the start of a drying process for the items, a vacuum is generated in the treatment chamber (14, 114) with respect to the external pressure by means of the blower device (34, 134), wherein a difference between the vacuum and the external pressure is between 20 mbar and 800 mbar dynamically, characterized in that, at the start of the drying process and during an initial phase of the drying process, air is extracted from the treatment chamber (14, 114) for 30 seconds to 10 minutes only by means of the blower device (34, 134) without moving the treatment chamber (14, 114) or heating the treatment chamber (14, 114) or with movement of the treatment chamber (14, 114) at a maximum speed of 10 rpm, wherein during the initial phase or subsequently air is blown into the treatment chamber (14, 114) at a lower volumetric flow than during the suction, wherein the treatment chamber (14, 114) has at least one air supply opening (16, 116) in the lower half, wherein, at the very start of the drying process with air being sucked out of the treatment chamber (14, 114), the items to be dried form baffle obstacles and thus impede or slow down the inflow of air through the at least one air supply opening (16, 116) into the treatment chamber (14, 114), wherein the items to be dried are arranged close to at least the air supply opening (16, 116) in a massed manner and at least partially cover said air supply opening in the interior of the treatment chamber (14, 114). - a treatment chamber (14, 114) for treating items therein, in particular to dry the items therein, - an air duct (16, 18, 24, 32, 40, 116, 118, 124, 132) to and from the treatment chamber (14, 114), - a blower device (34, 134) connected to the air duct (16, 18, 24, 32, 40, 116, 118, 124, 132), wherein a part (18, 32, 118, 132) of the air duct leads from the treatment chamber (14, 114) to the blower device (34, 134) and a part of the air duct continues from the blower device, wherein at the start of a drying process for the items, a vacuum is generated in the treatment chamber (14, 114) with respect to the external pressure by means of the blower device (34, 134), wherein a difference between the vacuum and the external pressure is between 20 mbar and 800 mbar dynamically, characterized in that, at the start of the drying process and during an initial phase of the drying process, air is extracted from the treatment chamber (14, 114) for 30 seconds to 10 minutes only by means of the blower device (34, 134) without moving the treatment chamber (14, 114) or heating the treatment chamber (14, 114) or with movement of the treatment chamber (14, 114) at a maximum speed of 10 rpm, without moving the treatment chamber (14, 114) or heating the treatment chamber (14, 114) or with movement of the treatment chamber (14, 114) at a maximum speed of 10 rpm, wherein during the initial phase or subsequently air is blown into the treatment chamber (14, 114) at a lower volumetric flow than during the suction, wherein the treatment chamber (14, 114) has at least one air supply opening (16, 116) in the lower half, wherein, at the very start of the drying process with air being sucked out of the treatment chamber (14, 114), the items to be dried form baffle obstacles and thus impede or slow down the inflow of air through the at least one air supply opening (16, 116) into the treatment chamber (14, 114), wherein the items to be dried are arranged close to at least the air supply opening (16, 116) in a massed manner and at least partially cover said air supply opening in the interior of the treatment chamber (14, 114).