Cheapest / best way to dry clothes

[confusedandemployed]

Following on from the success of my dishwasher thread (thank you all, DP is converted I think :-)), I have more questions about washer/driers and the like.

I'm heartily sick of my clothes taking ages to dry, and then having to wash some again because of the nasty fowsty smell they get from standing damp for ages. I'm quite taken with the Lakeland heated airer and will be requesting Lakeland vouchers for Christmas from all and sundry, but am also wondering about a washer-drier. Are they hideously expensive on electricity? It'd be so lovely not to live in a Chinese laundry for once.

I'd be really grateful if you could share your experiences / tips on clothes drying during damp, wet, dingy autumns and winters.

[Fluffycloudland77]

We don't have a tumble drier or a warm house but I love my spin dryer.

Clothes etc dry overnight on a normal area overnight after thyve been in it, We used to get that fusty smell too.

I'm glad you got the dw. They are brilliant.

[confusedandemployed]

I'd love a spin dryer, but we have nowhere to put it. It's a washer-dryer or nothing, really which is annoying because I'm not keen on them.
Perhaps I'll get the heated airer and see how that goes. Our washing machine will probably conk out in the next year so by my reckoning I've got as a conservative guess 6 months to decide what to replace it with.

[idiuntno57]

I discovered the very fast spin on my washing machine. Seems to dry the clothes as much as the spin dryer then they dry overnight or very quickly on the line outside.

[potbellyroast]

With a washer dryer you'll always need to take some clothes out to dry them. It's usually something like 7kg wash 5kg dry. That being said I find there are always clothes that can't go in dryer anyway. I found mine worked fine for us but got separates when we moved and had more space.

[FelixTitling]

I just put mine on the radiators, backs of chairs, bannister, airer etc before I go to bed. A quick shuffle round in the morning; removing all the dry stuff, shaking out and repositioning the still-damp stuff. It's usually all dry when I come home from work.

[mausmaus]

washer/dryer is great if you usually don't use a dryer but occassionally need it. iyswim.
the lakeland airer is good, but you need to make sure you ventilate adequately to prevent condensation.

an extra spin does make a big difference in drying time I find. no Idea how fas a spin dryer is but an extra 1200 spin makes the load much dryer already.

[annielostit]

I've got the Lakeland airer. Bear in mind they are approx 3p and hour to run, 70p a day and £5 a week. It can add up if you don't keep an eye and since many on here are cutting down, it makes sense to be informed.
I wouldnt give mine back!

[trinitybleu]

I have a washer dryer that dries as much as it washes, and it works fine. Live being able to stick a load of towels or bedding on in the morning and come back to dry stuff.

[umiaisha]

If you are drying clothes inside they will always smell horrible if you don't have some sort of ventilation (ie a window open or a dehumidifier running) and the heating on. Also if you are drying things on an airer make sure you hand the clothes across 2 bars so the air can get to all parts of the fabric or they will smell rotten too!

I had a washer dryer for a few years but it had to run for literally hours to dry anything and I also found that it wrecked our clothes. We are having our kitchen extended so finally will have the space for a tumble dryer which with our third DC on the way will definitely come in handy! I have vowed to only use it for towels, bedding and Pjs/scruffs though as am concious of the cost and not wrecking our decent clothes.

[Chrissy41]

washer dryers are reknowned for being v expensive to run. The machine has to dry itself and your clothes so is very uneconomic. Plus you can't wash one load while another is drying can you.

I have always dried on airers indoors during bad weather - house with no central heating too. Space clothes out then they won't go smelly, hang stuff on hangers in a sunny window. There is really no need for a tumble drier at all.

[Chrissy41]

And I agree - extra fast spin on washing machine at the end of a cycle, can take a few minutes extra and clothes come out part dried already.

[JudgeJudyKicksAss]

I have the Lakeland electric airer. I can usually get 2/3 loads of washing on it and if I have it plugged in and on it costs the same to run/dry as my tumble dryer would so I get 2 loads of drying done for the price of 1. It is also a nice background heat for the room its in so I usually have it on overnight for our pet dogs in the kitchen or just for me if I'm at home for the day and pottering in the kitchen. Can't beat the tumble dryer for convenience though!

[ArgyMargy]

You can get wire racks that hang in front of radiators to speed up drying when the heating's on. Very cheap.

[Passthecake30]

Now that the weathers changed I'm being more conscious of not washing clothes if they don't need it. Kids don't have a sweaty smell yet as only 4&6 so I examine their clothes for signs of dirt/food, if clean, they wear again, that goes for school clothes and the clothes they wear for a couple of hours before bed. Mine and dps get sniffed and examined (lovely! )

I've had success running a dehumidifier overnight in front of an airer before. Will be trying the extra spin now- does this massively crumple the washing?

[Chrissy41]

no - I don't find it crumples. If I do a quick wash the clothes are so wet but a quick spin at the end makes all the difference.

[flowerygirl]

I don't have a tumble dryer as they are so expensive and wrecked my clothes in the past :(

Clothes smell so much nicer drying on the line, but I fear only a few more days more drying on the line as it's getting much colder :(

I have noticed clothes dry MUCH quicker on a winged style airer rather than a standard 'tent' shaped one.

[Tauriel1]

I have problems as no room for a dryer and using the radiators caused mold.

I have resorted to doing an extra spin and using a row of airers in the conservatory. They take ages to dry as it's freezing in there but I'm going to get a dehumidufyer.

[Tauriel1]

Oh and I plan what we wear.

E.g heating is on quite high at work so I wear chiffon tops and dresses. DD's school blouses dry really fast. Designated outfits for week ends.lol

[574ejones]

I try and put my washing outside as much as possible, but finish it off on my heated airer so I don't have to switch it on for too long. But it's easy for me at the mo because I am home all day and can leap up and bring clothes in the minute it rains.

[eastmidswarwicknightnanny]

Aldi are due to get a heated airer thing in tomorrow

We use normal airer n clothes on hangers over doors with heating on n Windows on catch to let air circulate.

If dry out even if cold washing goes on line as long as slight breeze as some bits dry n what doesn't comes in to dry but smells nicer n prevents that musty smell

[eastmidswarwicknightnanny]

I also extra spin as well especially for indoor drying

[RabbitSaysWoof]

Spin dryers spin at 2800 rpm so more than twice the speed of most washing machines they are the size of quite a small bin.
I use this to finish off, costs 17p per hour and you can hang a surprising amount in it then can pack it away in its box (size of a microwave)

[BadRoly]

Aldi heated airer £29.99 in our local one today. Also dehumidifier - £129.99 - I got one today and it's a beast!!

[Passthecake30]

Tried the extra spin last night, it didn't crumple the clothes but I'm not sure it made much difference (but will continue! ) its just an 8min spin on 1400rpm on a full load though.