Drying laundry when it's always raining

[YellowHpok]

Really trying to reduce my electricity bill and cut down on tumble dryer use. We do about 5 loads per week, but so far this week I've only managed to get one load fully dry on the line as its always raining.

How do other people manage it? I feel like I'm constantly watching the sky or my weather app. Loathe to air dry indoors due to damp risk.

When its spring/summer and the rain is on/off, I put clothes outside on a clothes horse, but bring the whole clothes horse inside when it starts to rain. Clothes dry quicker and cuts down on the moisture in the air.

I don't have a tumble drier, I live in NI and it's pretty rainy (clothes are hanging sodden on the line as I type). I dry outside as much as possible, but have an airer beside an open window if it's not possible. I also prioritise washing loads according to weather. If I change the beds I will wait until a dry day in the forecast to wash the bedlinen so it can go on the line, as it doesn't easily fit on the airer. It's rarely wet all day every day for more than a week so there will be a weather window at some point. Oh and I don't care if its left out overnight though my mother would never do that!

The lakeland heated aired has made such a difference for me. If a do a wash in the evening it will dry overnight (heavy items like jeans/heavy jumpers take a bit longer). I dry towels and sheets in the tumble drier and bring them out when still a bit damp and throw over the top of the heated surer cover to finish them off.

I either line dry or indoors. Always indoors in winter. I never use the dryer. Can’t say I’ve ever had an issue with damp? Don’t use the radiators just a clothes horse. Hang in the morning, dry by the next morning

Bane of my life too. Especially as we are currently renting and the dryer barely works!

I desperately need a quick three day heatwave so I can clear my laundry baskets!! Hate this damp showery weather.

My tumble dryer broke, so temporarily I dug out an old wooden clothes horse from the spare room. I'm starting to think I could do this longer term and drastically cut the dryer use, though.

Though how do you dry bedding without putting it on the line, in the summer when radiators are off. Doesn't it take days?

My husband built a laundry room off the workshop with a Sheila maid and a wall heater in case of cold days so no need to have washing indoors. It's worth considering putting one in a shed, eg?

Another shout out for the Lakeland heated airer here! On the landing at the top of the stairs with the window open a little. In winter there will be something drying on it the whole time.

Outdoor rotary line in the garden from April onwards and a check of the local weather forecast for that day.

Happiness is watching clean bed linen drying in the breeze. Misery is 4 sets of damp bed linen hanging around on a wet day.

Clearing out and using a drafty attic to line dry is my next great goal. Maybe I'll have a Greatest Showman 'dancing among the sheets moment' up there?

Also in (North) Lancashire, and have no choice but to dry indoors for about 98% of the year 😂

We have two Tower airers on wheels so they can be shifted around if needed, and they take a decent amount of stuff. We also have a dehumidifier which is used every laundry day. I've never lived in a house here that didn't benefit from using a dehumidifier anyway (whether hanging washing indoors or out), so it doesn't feel like a laundry only expense.

Another plus if that the heating can be turned down as the moisture in the air makes the house feel colder, and the dehumidifier blows out warm air.

I have a lot over the banister but I have quite a lot if banister being in a 3 storey house. I use those racks you hang in radiators and hang them over the stairwell. As the heat rises they dry pretty effectively. I also use 2 clothes horses but I'm Lucy to have room for them (just about!)

The Lakeland heated airers sound promising. I've just been looking up how much they cost to run and it's not bad.

My tumble dryer is (or rather was) a supposed eco dryer, so it needed to be on for hours to dry anything, even when half empty.

I find drying on hangers on our shower rail best, door closed and window open. Otherwise I wash after dinner and hang on the dryers overnight in the lounge, normally dry by morning.

I have managed to get two full loads dry since I started this thread 💃 one load on the airer next to the open back door (even when raining) and the other in the few hours it has been bright and dry this afternoon. I finished one load off in the tumble dryer for 20 minutes. Normally for 2 loads it would take about 6 hours in the tumble dryer.

Really like the look of those Sheila's, think I could get one in the utility. Airers on wheels sound amazing too!

This is the first house I've ever lived in that isn't damp and am very keen to keep it that way.

I have not don’t any since Thursday as it’s rained every day here, the BBC weather apps says better weather tomorrow so will wash a few loads tonight and get them out first thing. I never really put on machine unless the app says it’s going to be a drying day.

5 loads a week?! I've done 5 loads just today - 3 adults and 2 kids the past few days. I've dried it as much as possible on the line then finished it in the dryer for 10 minutes

My friend has got something called a Dri-Buddy

I have a heated airer and a dehumidifier
Cost wise. The tumble is always going to be more BUT the heated airer noticeably pushed my electric costs up as it was needing to be on for so long to dry clothes (dry in 2-3 days but I switched it off overnight)
The dehumidifier doesn't seem to massively be affecting my bill, and clothes are dry in 24-36hrs (again switched off overnight)

If I wanted to really speed it up I could use the airer switched on and the dehumidifier I guess. Hope that's helpful to someone!

I think you may need to choose which laundry can wait for the weeks when it is dryer. It always rains near a bank holiday, during Wimbledon, for example.

@darisdet I can wash a load of bedding in the morning, and put it away the same evening using the tall airers and a dehumidifier. (you can make almost a tent around the dehumidifier due to the height of the towers) Thinner duvet covers can often be put away early the same afternoon.

For single bed sheets I can hang that over the doors and they dry pretty quickly. For our double size bedding, if it's raining, it's slung over the banister and again, that usually dries quickly. The sheet I drape over the door and turn it over regularly to make sure all sides are dry.

We don't have a tumble dryer and manage fine using clothes horses, but I do make the most of a dry day and get as much washing done as possible.

@MrOllivander I don't understand how it takes 2 to 3 days for clothes to dry on your heated airer? Maybe you don't have a cover for it?? My clothes are dry in under 12 hours, although it can take up to 18 hours for heavier things like jeans or heavy jumpers.

Interested in a dehumidifier rather than a tumble dryer. Can anyone recommend an effective/economical/cheap dehumidifier?

Does everyone dry their towels outside or on Airers? It's the one thing I use my tumble dryer for.

We've never had a tumble dried - we love our Sheila Maid airer In this house we have one in the kitchen. In our previous terraced house, with a narrow garden, we had another one outside in the gap between our house & the next.

I live in Manchester - and I've dried 2 loads outside today - there's been a slight drizzle - but it's all fine now. I dry outside for most of the year