Drying washing in winter

[gloopyglitterball]

I’m struggling to keep on top of my washing in this cold weather. If I put it out early and leave it till about 5 o clock it’s still really damp. I bring it in and put it on the clothes horse but I’m worried it will cause damp in my house. How do you dry your washing in this weather?

[JohnLapsleyParlabane]

Airer in a small room, and a dehumidifier.

[QuopQuop]

I have a tumble dryer...... in my bedroom as that's the only place I can fit it right now!!

[MinnowAndTheBear]

Leave on radiators on a evening, and then clear the condensation from the windows with Karcher (sp?) window vac in the morning.

[Paddybare]

Heated Lakeland airer and a dehumidifier in the same room has been a game changer for us.

[gloopyglitterball]

The only rooms I can dry it in is the bedrooms but it makes all the bedding feel damp. I haven’t tried a dehumidifier yet though so that’s an idea.

[Rheged]

I have a tumble dryer but I try not to use it as it’s expensive to run. I check the weather forecasts and plan my washing for days when it is sunny, windy or the humidity is low- ideally all 3! Washing will not dry in winter if the air is too moist or there is very little wind. I pegged two loads out today and although it was cold here it was bright and windy. Most things dried and the towels needed only a few minutes in the dryer to finish off.

Before I had a dryer, I used to do the same regarding checking forecasts and then levve to dry on an airer in the bathroom if they weee not completely dry after being pegged out. I would either leave the extractor fan on or open a window so the rest of the house didn’t get damp.

[Rheged]

Sorry - many typos! Dehumidifier is a good idea but I think they are fairly pricey to run.

[HelloSquirrels]

I stick everything on radiator airers and put the heating on BUT i live in a v drafty Victorian terrace and luckily dont get damp. You could have a dehumidifier though!

[Passthecake30]

We have an airer in the kitchen that has underfloor heating and velux windows. So I put it on the airer before bed, and there's usually some residual heat in the floor. The heating clicks on for a couple of hours in the morning and if it's a bright day the sun will come in through the velux. Before I cook dinner I remove it all and dump it on the hot water tank to finish off so it doesn't smell like food.
Then I'll do another wash and the cycle repeats...

I also have a condenser tumble drier that I use for towels and sheets.

[cushioncovers]

Tumble dryer clothes airer and radiators

[mynameisnotmichaelcaine]

Lakeland heated airer with cover, and a small dehumidifier.

[monkeywithacowface]

Dehumidifier for sure

[TidyLike]

Condenser tumble drier here too. I put the washing on for an extra spin before taking it out the machine first.

[User5trillion]

I have just bought a dehumidifier -£200 ouch! And costs about 3p and hour to run. I now 2 washing on 2 days. I do 3 loads in a day and pop on the dehumidifier, it dries in about 12 hrs. Havent used the tumble dryer since.

[Katescurios]

Tumble drier but we only do 2 loads of clothes and 1 of towels and sheets a week. We went for washer and dryer with big capacity. Also put everything through an extra spin and drain cycle at the end of the wash, it gets loads of extra water out.

[thenewaveragebear1983]

Do a second, spin only cycle of your washing machine before putting everything on the airers. I find it cuts drying time by half. We are a family of 5, I wash every day, with no tumble dryer!

[CollieBobs]

We do an extra spin after the cycle has finished. It makes a big difference to us.

Then we hang up the washing on an airer with a small radiator nearby. I tend to flip the washing half way too

Our sock hanger dryer thing is amazing too! Hang it from the curtain pole and the socks dry quickly

[PurplePotatoes]

Lakeland heated alter. My electricity bill has shot up as I'm always forgetting to switch it off but it's worth it, it's been a game changer with a baby and a toddler.

[PurplePotatoes]

*airer!

[CollieBobs]

Loving the "extra spin" cross posts

[Anatidae]

Generally snow on the ground here for six months of the year so no pegging out.

Tumble dryer (a condenser one will go anywhere) or on the dryer. We never have issues with damp - uk houses seem to have very poor ventilation.

Get a condenser dryer and a Dehumidifier

[M5tothesouthwest]

First off, 5 is too late to bring outside washing in at this time of year. The air temp drops quite quickly mid afternoon and that makes the washing damp again (if it’s dried in the first place!). I’m in the South West and find that 3pm is about when I need to bring the washing in - if you’re further north, you’ll need to do it earlier. So for me, weekday outdoors drying is out of the question as I don’t get home from work until after 5.
A Lakeland heated airer has been my saviour!

[ProseccoMamam]

Radiators and a maiden (or three). Windows should be ajar anyway otherwise you’ll get damp from the kettle boiling and the shower. Turn vents on if you have them. Also the plastic vent things in on your windows should be open all the time-they help more than you’d think. I don’t dry clothes outside and I’ve never had damp.

[littlemissneela]

Is a Lakeland heater airer and a dehumidifier really cheaper to run than a tumble drier?

I used to hang my washing on a Victorian style airer above our stairs. It had a huge space above where all the heat went, so drying it there was perfect. I don't have the same space here, so I am using my condenser tumble dryer.

[Duvetlover]

I cheat- I wash and then drop to dry cleaners who tumble it dry, fold it and I get it home the same evening or next day. I usually get two loads a week done for €10. Bonus I have no damp clothes cluttering up a room.