Clothes drying machine comprising a drum holding the clothes to be dried, a first fan adapted to blow a first flow of drying air through said drum, and possibly a condenser adapted to condense the moisture out of the drying air exiting said drum. The machine is provided with a drying program that includes a step involving an increase in the temperature of the air introduced in said drum, in which said temperature is increased to a value of at least 130° C. and held there for a pre-set period of time, and said temperature increase step is provided in the initial portion of the drying program, when the moisture content of the clothes is not less than 20%.