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Original poster

How do you dry clothes?

132 replies

mrsjimhopper · 16/10/2022 10:25

Tumble- dry towels pants socks joggers and bedding and most t shirts.

Everything else on an airer. It can take DAYS, especially as we have no heating on.

I hear of people who tumble dry everything- what is this witchcraftery that leads to no shrinking?

I'm trying to be energy efficient too hence (no central hearing on and I'm trying keep it off but we do have a nice big log burning stove and we aren't cold at all)

Tell me your secrets!

OP posts:
walsne · 16/10/2022 10:26

Put a fan on next to your airer, I found this helps speed up the process

Newmum0322 · 16/10/2022 10:27

I do exactly the same as you! Except I have my heating in so it dries in the day… and there’s only three of us so it’s not too excessive!

Any tips on how not to shrink everything else in the tumble dryer much appreciated…

SheWoreYellow · 16/10/2022 10:28

Open a window a bit to let the moisture out or use a humidifier. Also, dry clothes as high up as possible, so on a ceiling airer or our landing is warm.

Ragruggers · 16/10/2022 10:30

Can you put the clothes dryer in the room where the wood stove is when you go to bed.In the morning it should be dry.

StarlightLady · 16/10/2022 10:48

Rotary line in the garden where possible. Clothes horse (do people still call them that?) in the spare room on damp days. No tumble dryer, nor do I feel the need.

Original poster
mrsjimhopper · 16/10/2022 11:02

Some great ideas thanks.

@walsne a regular fan like you would use in the summer?

@StarlightLady good for you! It's bright sunny wind and cold and the clothes still won't dry so how do you get them dry? share yourself secrets with me please!

OP posts:
crazeecatladee · 16/10/2022 11:07

@mrsjimhopper things will dry on the line outside if it's windy - even when cold/frosty (you wouldn't get frost if its windy I know) Best of all is when they freeze solid. You bring the things in doors, they defrost and low and behold, the water's gone. the magic of science!

ThreeB · 16/10/2022 11:07

I hang things from the curtain rail in the sunniest rooms. Shower rail for trousers but make the most of the washing line even in winter as long as it is sunny

SignOnTheWindow · 16/10/2022 11:09

A dehumidifier next to the airer dries my clothes reasonably quickly and has the added benefit of making the atmosphere feel warmer by removing moisture from the air.

On a sunny/windy day I hang the washing outside for as long as possible . If it doesn't completely dry, I can finish it off on the airer.

Frazzled2207 · 16/10/2022 11:10

Today my things are drying nicely out on the line- north west England, sunny and a bit of a breeze. They will take most of the day tho.
I have a conservatory which is good for drying things
for emergencies I switch on the heated airer or put some stuff on radiators- the latter less often as for obvious reasons we’re trying to have it on less

I do have a drier but this autumn it had only been used once, and that was just for finishing off the towels for 20 minutes

Underscore21 · 16/10/2022 11:10

One of those Lakeland tower heated airers plus a dehumidifier.

HighlandPony · 16/10/2022 11:12

Everything goes in the tumble. I’m not fucking around running in and out all day hanging up washing when it’s dry and bringing it in when there’s rain or hail or snow. And my house is too wee to dry inside

KlopflopKop · 16/10/2022 11:14

What speed is your washing machine and what speed do you spin it at? You probably need to double spin it before you hang it up to dry. Particularly if it's not drying properly outside.

MegaClutterSlut · 16/10/2022 11:16

I use a dehumidifier. 2 clothes rails to hang tops and jumpers on then put then straight in the wardrobe when dry and airers with trousers spaced over 2 bars so it dries quicker

Original poster
mrsjimhopper · 16/10/2022 11:16

@crazeecatladee I didn't think of that I will try drying outside more.

Garden is tiny and north / east facing and surrounded by trees (forest) on one side and house on the other.

@HighlandPony totally agree hence why I dry towels in the tumble dryer. I work five days and spend hours doing laundry.

OP posts:
Malfi · 16/10/2022 11:18

I don’t have a tumble dryer. In fact, I don’t know anyone who has one. I hang washing outside on the line. If it’s not dry by the end of the day, it comes inside on a rack in the kitchen.

Chasingsquirrels · 16/10/2022 11:18

Clothes airer in the conservatory, year round.
In the summer they dry in a day.
Spring, Autumn & sunny Winter days take a couple of days - I did several loads on Friday afternoon/evening and apart from the hems of trousers etc they are all dry now. I've just cleared most things off.
Non-sunny Winter days take longer, and I might do sheets in the tumble drier. I do have a dehumidifier in there in the winter, on a timer for 2 hours overnight and the windows are no longer wet when I get up.

Peachyscream · 16/10/2022 11:20

I'll hang big items of laundry outside, then when it starts raining they come back in and i drape over the banister or on doors. I have a toddler, tiny little clothes are annoying to peg out and bring back in, so they go on the airer. That Peggy thing is where most of the socks and pants go. Drying stuff inside is a pain and I don't have a tumble dryer, but am looking at getting one. Just can't find one that will fit in the gap I have between cupboards.

Original poster
mrsjimhopper · 16/10/2022 11:20

@KlopflopKop it's a 1200 spin.

The problem is the higher the skin the more crease it gets. I do put the jeans in for an extra whirl and the same for joggers and tees as the tumble dryer helps to get the crease out!

OP posts:
MintJulia · 16/10/2022 11:22

Do my washing in the morning (or overnight). Spin dry then out on to the line. If they aren't quite dry by 4pm, I move them to the airing cupboard. Dry by morning.

If it's raining I just leave it a day.

Nospringchickendipper · 16/10/2022 11:22

I hang my washing outside as long as it’s not raining.
I try and get it out in the morning and when I bring it in I hang it up in the utility room overnight .

Heavenknows22 · 16/10/2022 11:24

I’ve got my clothes out in the garden on an airer today as it’s windy and sunny here. I put some things on the radiator if I’ve occasionally had the heating on. I avoid the tumble dryer but it’s there for uniforms if it’s raining all weekend.

kcloverlet · 16/10/2022 11:25

Summer - everything on washing line except for a few towels tumble dried. My partner likes his towels crunchy and I like mine soft.

Winter - if it's not raining then everything goes outside on the line. If it's still damp at the end of the day I'll pop it in the tumble drier to finish it off. If it's raining all week and I won't get to dry outside then everything goes in the tumble dryer. I never understand the shrinking clothes thing - I've done it for years and mine never shrink. Our house isn't massive and it's a huge pet hate for me having washing drying all over the house. It never smells as nice either.

VerifiedBot2351 · 16/10/2022 11:25

I can’t be arsed to hang stuff outside, so I have airers in the conservatory, with a dehumidifier. I tend to finish most stuff off in the tumbler. For years we didn’t have a tumble dryer, and it was a nightmare.

RascafríaMom · 16/10/2022 11:26

Small apartment in Spain. We have a foldable clothes line that we use to dry clothes inside. It generally takes 24 to 48 hours. We can't have a line outside our window as we have the child fall protection on them and we lack the space for a dryer.