How to dry clothes indoors: 10 savvy tips

On warm summer days drying your clothes is a breeze; just peg them up on your washing line and let the sun and wind get to work. However, on chilly or rainy days it's not always that simple, and drying clothes outside is sometimes not an option. On its own, drying indoors is enough of a challenge; throw in the energy crisis, the soaring cost of living and the threat of damp causing mould to spread throughout your home and, well, we don’t blame you for throwing your hands up in despair.

Fortunately, you don’t have to navigate learning how to dry your clothes indoors alone. Thanks to our forums' abundance of practical advice, we’ve collated the tried-and-tested tips, tricks, and life hacks that Mumsnet users swear by. After all, who better to ask about drying laundry indoors than experienced parents with an overloaded washing machine? From budget-friendly product recommendations to realistic suggestions, we’ve got everything you need to turn your laundry woes into laundry wins.

1. Invest in a dehumidifier

Whenever a Mumsnet user asks the burning question of how to dry clothes indoors on our Housekeeping forum, the resounding response is to buy, borrow, or steal (just kidding) the best dehumidifier.

A dehumidifier is a device that removes excess moisture from the air and condenses it into a water tank that you can empty at your convenience. There are two types:

• A desiccant (works well in cold or warm temperatures)

• A refrigerant (works best only in warm temperatures)

So, how does this help you dry your laundry indoors? Well, by popping it next to your airer, the dehumidifier removes the moisture that evaporates from the clothes as they dry, speeding up the drying process. Mumsnet users swear by this hack and recommend using a heated clothes airer, covered with a bed sheet, with a dehumidifier close by for maximum efficiency. The combination of trapped heat, evaporation and moisture absorption can allow you to dry clothes in as little as four hours.

Two additional bonuses are that dehumidifiers fairly energy efficient to run too, with some models costing as little as 5p per hour, and they’ll also combat the damp that can lead to mould. A word of warning though: remember that mould can develop from drying your laundry indoors, and although a dehumidifier helps, you’ll need the best mould remover to actually kill it.

What Mumsnet users say

“Electric dehumidifier. Why do so many people not use them or know about them? They are an absolute game changer and will be so much better for your home than the moisture-laden air that is present otherwise.” Halfsiesonapotnoodle

“If you do not have a cover for it, put a duvet or fitted big sheet over it and the dehumidifier underneath. It traps the air in and dries quicker, and the dehumidifier isn’t just pulling moisture from all over the room.” Yorkshiremummyof1

2. Utilise your washing machine

Drying your clothes indoors successfully starts at the beginning of the laundry process when you actually wash your clothes, and this applies whether you've got a freestanding model or an integrated washing machine. By utilising it to its full potential, your clothes can come out much drier.

Mumsnet users recommend adding an extra spin to your regular wash cycle. By spinning your clothes a second time, more water is wrung from your clothing. Just be mindful that this can result in more wrinkles, although it's nothing a good shake can’t fix.

Secondly, Mumsnet users recommend reducing your wash loads to increase the efficacy of the spin. We know it's tempting to force as many clothes as possible into your washing machine to empty your laundry basket quicker, but overloading your machine leaves you with damp, creased clothing that will be harder to dry.

What Mumsnet users say

“Do an extra spin in the washing machine; it gets rid of up to a pint of water.” Singleandproud

Read next: For more energy-efficient appliance hacks, our pick of the best washing machine cleaner will help keep your machine in tip-top shape

3. Increase airflow

When you are trying to dry your clothes indoors, your first instinct will be to pack clothes on the airer to try and keep up with your weekly washing routine, but this just isn’t feasible and is slowing the process. Good airflow is the key to drying indoors, allowing water to evaporate and move around the room rather than sitting stagnant in the air. The question is, how do you do this without cracking a window? Mumsnet users have some functional and inexpensive suggestions:

• Load airers efficiently: Leaving space between items means your clothes have more room for water to escape, thus drying them much quicker.

• Use coat hangers: One of the ways you can create more space is by hanging clothes on coat hangers. Most airers have holes specifically for this purpose, so be sure to use this function.

• Hang from doorways and curtain rails: Many Mumsnet users suggested using coat hangers to hang clothes from doorways and curtain rails around the room. Yes, it might make your home look like a dry cleaner, but trust us, it is well worth the sacrifice.

• Find a draughty room: Whilst a draughty attic or spare room isn’t exactly ideal in the winter months, it offers additional ventilation for drying clothes (and can help keep damp at bay too!).

• Use a desk fan: You might have put your fan back in the shed now that summer has passed, but we’d recommend popping it next to your airer to increase airflow alongside a dehumidifier for maximum drying power.

• Invest in an octopus peg hanger: Perfect for pegging up your socks, knickers and bras, an octopus peg hanger (like this one from Amazon) can be hung from your airer, in your airing cupboard or from a curtain rail.

• Set up a pulley maid: If you have any underutilised space around your home (like an airing cupboard), we’d suggest installing a pulley maid (like this one from Amazon) as a space-saving device that is a great way to dry large items and create room on your airer.

What Mumsnet users say

“I hang tops on a hanger using the patio door curtain rail as a clothes rail, and I have been eyeing up a pulley maid.” FlibbertyGiblets

“A pulley airer. Wouldn't be without one.” Bluebellbike

“My best tip is to aim a fan (like a desk fan) at the washing - I’m not sure how much electricity this uses, but it’s what we do as we don’t have outside space.” Stewi

4. Make the most of space-saving solutions

If you live in a small flat or home with limited space, drying indoors can be even more challenging. Fitting a wall-mounted airer can be the perfect space-saving solution. Designed to prevent you from losing valuable floor space to bulky airers, the best part about them is you can push them back flat against the wall when they’re not in use. Why not try this one from Leifheit or this stainless steel one?

What Mumsnet users say

“You can get wall-mounted airers that pull out like a concertina and push back against the wall when not in use. They're brilliant - you keep your floor space, and because they're higher up, the clothes dry quicker.” FindingMeno

5. Pick the best heated appliances

From a heated clothes airer to a heated towel rail, energy-efficient appliances that heat up will not only warm your home but speed up the drying process too. Lakeland’s Dry:Soon 3-Tier Heated Airer is loved by Mumsnet users and, if that is too big, there's also a compact Dry:Soon Drying pod ideal for tucking in the corner out of sight.

What Mumsnet users say

“Our bathroom towel rail can be put on independently of central heating. [We put the] clothes rail in front of this, or clothes pushed through the bars dry quickly.” ApolloandDaphne

6. Look for quick fixes or time-saving hacks

If you’ve got a powerful hairdryer that dries a thick head of hair in five minutes, it might not be a long-term solution, but it could help you make a school jumper wearable when your child is running late for school.

As for another trick using the best steam iron; ironing clothes can be better when the garment is damp (think slightly wet - items should not be dripping wet) anyway. Stick a TV programme on, have a glass of wine and kill two birds with one stone with this thrifty hack. Although bear in mind, it'll help clothes dry faster, but won't completely dry items.

What Mumsnet users say

“If you iron stuff while it's still damp, that helps it dry.” Pickledcurlywurly

Read next: For other nifty, time-saving gadgets, check out our guide to the best clothes steamer, as tried and tested by Mumsnetters

7. Optimise your tumble dryer

With energy companies charging premium prices, we know that many of you are trying to limit your use of your tumble dryer or washer-dryer. However, this can be frustrating when you paid a pretty penny for a time-saving appliance that is sitting unused in your home. So, we’d suggest trying some Mumsnet user recommendations to speed up its cycles and make drying more efficient:

• Put a dry towel in with wet clothes: Putting a dry towel in with your wet clothes can speed up your dryer’s cycles because it absorbs moisture away from other fabrics.

• Use a dryer egg or ball: Dryer balls come in all shapes, sizes and materials, from egg-shaped plastic to woolly spheres. Mumsnet users say wool dryer balls are the best.

• Install a water softener: Hard water can reduce the efficiency of your tumble dryer components (like all laundry appliances), causing it to dry clothes ineffectively. We recommend installing one of our Mumsnetter-approved best water softeners to combat this.

What Mumsnet users say

“Tumble dryer balls made from wool are an absolute life changer!” Ylvamoon

“I keep meaning to use a tip I read on here, putting a dry towel in with your washing reduces the drying time.” KangarooKenny

8. Visit the laundrette

For large ticket items like duvets, bedding and towels, drying them quickly and effectively in your home can be a real challenge. The solution? Doing an old-school visit to your local laundrette to use their large-capacity commercial dryers. For a couple of pounds or a handful of 50ps, you can dry them without taking up valuable space.

What Mumsnet users say

“Do you live anywhere near a laundrette? Dropping the jeans/towels/bedding in for a service wash once a month can be a game changer.” jellydaydream

9. Bring the outdoors inside

Now, we don’t mean that you should knock a few walls down or invite the local flora and fauna inside. No, what we mean is that you capitalise on the same natural drying processes that you do when you use clothes pegs to hang your laundry on a rotary washing line - sunlight and a breeze.

When drying your clothes, position your airer next to a window (preferably in a room you don’t frequently use), throw open the curtains, and crack a window. The combination of winter sunshine and an escape route for moisture prevents damp and speeds up the drying process for your clothes.

What Mumsnet users say

“Whenever it's sunny out, I crack a window for fresh air.” LizS16

“I do try to make best use of my airer by putting it near an open door or window best positioned to catch the wind, depending on where it's blowing from that day.” TheOnlyBeeInYourBonnet

10. Change what you’re washing

The fact of the matter is that heavy-duty, thick fabrics like denim take longer to dry and slow down the already difficult task of drying clothes indoors. So, one Mumsnet user suggested working smarter, not harder, by reducing the everyday wear of certain items, so you avoid spills and stains. To facilitate this wardrobe change, ask your children to change into leggings or pyjama bottoms after a day out, thus cutting down on drying time as they’re made of a thinner material. Genius!

What Mumsnet users say

“If you can't reduce the amount of washing, can you change what you are washing? So, after school, instead of putting jeans on that take ages to dry when the kids outgrow them, buy leggings or thinner tracksuit bottoms that take less time, especially if [it's for] just mooching indoors and not for out and about.” Singleandproud

Read next: If your children are fond of sliding tackles and jumping in muddy puddles, our guides to the best laundry detergent, the best laundry detergent for babies and the best fabric softener have plenty of parent-approved options.

What is the best way to dry clothes indoors?

The best way to dry clothes indoors is with a tumble dryer. However, if you're avoiding using it or don't have one, the top recommended drying hack from Mumsnetters is to combine the drying power of a heated airer with the moisture absorption of a dehumidifier and to chuck a fitted sheet over the top. Trapping the hot air to evaporate the moisture makes it easier for the dehumidifier to soak up the water in the atmosphere, helping to dry your clothes in just hours rather than a day.

Is it OK to dry clothes indoors?

Absolutely. From large families to people living on their own, pretty much everyone who lives in a temperate or cold climate will regularly resort to drying their clothes indoors. It is less a case of it being OK and more of a case of needs must. Come winter or on rainy days, drying indoors becomes compulsory, and if you don’t have access to an outdoor space, you can hardly hang your knickers out the window.

How can I dry my clothes indoors without causing damp and mould?

An unfortunate side effect of drying your clothes indoors is the potential for damp to spread throughout your home because wherever it is, the insidious black mould is sure to grow. However, you needn’t fret; drying your clothes indoors does not have to end in tears. In fact, there are several ways you can prevent damp from developing in your home:

• Ventilation: Every morning, for ten minutes, crack a window in every room (especially your bedroom and bathroom) to allow moisture to escape. You should also use the extractor fan in your kitchen and bathroom when cooking food or showering.

• Wipe away condensation: Get the whole family involved, dole out some hand towels or paper towels and get everyone to go around the house and wipe down the condensation from windows first thing in the morning.

• Dehumidifier: Invest in a dehumidifier, particularly for the rooms where you are drying your laundry. Not only will it speed up the process, but it will also prevent damp from forming. We’d advise buying a model with a dedicated laundry mode like the ElectriQ 20L Dehumidifier.

The best defense is a great offence, so know the signs and invest in the best mould remover too. Mumsnet users recommend the HG Mould Remover Spray as the best available. To spot the signs before it spreads, look out for the following:

• A musty smell

• Discoloured plaster

• Peeling or lifting paint

• Cold, damp walls

• Condensation

How do you dry clothes in a damp house?

If your house is very old or already prone to damp, the best way to not exacerbate the problem and still dry clothes inside is to:

• Increase airflow and ventilation

• Use sunlight and position your airer near the window

• Move airers away from the walls

• Use a dehumidifier

• Set laundry on an extra spin

• Dry clothes partially in the tumble dryer

Should you leave a window open when drying clothes?

Where possible, yes. However, come winter, you might not feel much like leaving the window open, especially when you are paying a premium price for central heating. So, some suggest setting an airer up in your bathroom and switching on your extractor fan to increase ventilation.

How long does it take for clothes to dry indoors?

It can take up to 24 hours for your clothes to dry indoors, depending on the item's size, fabric type and your chosen drying method. However, our top tips, tricks, and hacks can help you speed up the task.

Do clothes dry faster inside or outside?

It is a fact of life that your clothes will dry faster outside on a hot summer’s day than they will in your utility room in winter. However, with the changeable UK climate, drying outside can be impractical. The fastest way to dry clothes indoors is with a tumble dryer.

Can clothes dry in cold air?

Yes, they can, so you’re welcome to dry your clothes outside on a dry, sunny winter day. Just be aware that wet clothes will freeze if the temperature is below 0 degrees and that rain, snow or hail may scupper the drying process.

In your home, cold air can make drying your clothes indoors take longer, that’s why using a heated appliance like a clothes airer or towel radiator is a good shout (and it’ll warm your home at the same time).

Does air-drying completely dry clothes?

Yes, it just takes longer than using an appliance like a tumble dryer.