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Original poster

How are poor people getting their clothes dry this winter?

119 replies

9thFloorNightmare · 27/01/2023 21:46

I don't have a tumble drier. I hang the clothes on airers and leave it by the radiators.

Past winters, I would live the heating on most of the time and the clothes dried quickly but now that I am living in a place with a pre-pay meter and with the energy prices the way they are, I am leaning to 'heat the human, not the home' and the heating goes on for a few minutes a twice or 3x a day just enough to take the edge off / come out of bed / out of showers etc.

Up until December the heating was on more often and for longer and as long as I kept checking the clothes (changing position, creating room between them, removing the ones already dry etc) it was fine, but now in January, I noticed that I'm having to top up my pre-pay meter more often so I decided to be more careful and the result is the clothes are not drying quickly enough and I'm running out of things to wear, especially my go-to's.

I'm planning to get a new washer/drier for next winter (I don't have space to have it separately) but meanwhile, what can I do? What do people do??

Sometimes I find myself longing for the heatwave when everything got dry in 10 minutes or less (joking!)

OP posts:
Heathcote294 · 27/01/2023 21:55

I've been putting my clothes on hangers and then hanging them on the curtain poles, they dry beautifully. Some days i open the windows to get some breeze circulating. Doesn't look great but i dont hang them in the kitchen or living room so its not too annoying.

I've also cut down on the amount of washing I do. I dont wash jumpers very often, will wear a t shirt underneath and wash that instead. They dry quickly.

XenoBitch · 27/01/2023 21:57

Extra spin cycle in the washing machine, and hanging up in a way that nothing is touching itself or other items.

FTMFML · 27/01/2023 22:02

I've cut down on washing especially thicker heavier items to dry... other than that we at a loss!

CatOnTheChair · 27/01/2023 22:03

Do you have any outside space? We are still partially drying outdoors.
If there is no rain forecast, the washing goes outside for a couple of hours. It makes a difference - even if it is freezing or the ground is damp.
Then finish off on airers indoors.

tornadoinsideoutfig · 27/01/2023 22:03

I wash less. Wool jumpers rarely need washing, I bought mine second hand, fleece dries quickly, avoid wearing any thick cotton unless you can wear it for at least a week between washes. I have small cheap bath towels, no bath sheets, washed weekly. Bedding washed monthly, polycotton dries quicker than 100% cotton.

I try to wash early morning on a dry day, high spin speed, outside until near sunset, then in over the bannister or drying rack for when the heating is on (two hours at 14 degrees). It was a struggle when it was rainy but warm earlier in the month.

Original poster
9thFloorNightmare · 27/01/2023 22:04

Heathcote294 · 27/01/2023 21:55

I've been putting my clothes on hangers and then hanging them on the curtain poles, they dry beautifully. Some days i open the windows to get some breeze circulating. Doesn't look great but i dont hang them in the kitchen or living room so its not too annoying.

I've also cut down on the amount of washing I do. I dont wash jumpers very often, will wear a t shirt underneath and wash that instead. They dry quickly.

Thanks, I will try that.

I am washing the heavy ones less too, but DD uses a lot of hoodies and hers definitely needs to be washed more often. We don't have a lot of clothes so I have no alternative, need to wash and pray it gets dry on time. I'm already wearing more often without washing then what I'm comfortable with but also is an eye opener as to how wasteful (or indulgent) I used to be before having a pre-pay meter

OP posts:
middleager · 27/01/2023 22:05

We don't have heating on in the day, though both wfh so can put washing out on airers or in breeze. My porch gets the sun, so on sunny days the airer goes in there, or clothes go on hangers and I follow the sun.

Other tips:
We wash less, kids wear same uniform most days, wash bedding less etc. Bedding goes over doors.
Extra spin on washing machine
If it's a nice day, clothes go outside.

It will be Spring soon, which will help.
I feel lucky compared with my nan's generation, who lived in cramped back to backs, with mangles and squalid conditions. Not that the current shitshow re fuel is excused by comparing to the post Victorian slums!

Original poster
9thFloorNightmare · 27/01/2023 22:06

XenoBitch · 27/01/2023 21:57

Extra spin cycle in the washing machine, and hanging up in a way that nothing is touching itself or other items.

I do a spin cycle after every wash, so you mean an extra one after?

Unfortunately I don't have much space for more clothes airer, things will have to touch...ah, maybe it will touch less after I started using hangers on curtain poles

OP posts:
Original poster
9thFloorNightmare · 27/01/2023 22:08

CatOnTheChair · 27/01/2023 22:03

Do you have any outside space? We are still partially drying outdoors.
If there is no rain forecast, the washing goes outside for a couple of hours. It makes a difference - even if it is freezing or the ground is damp.
Then finish off on airers indoors.

I was doing it too, but after some days of heavy rain and wind when I was not at home, I found my clothes (and towels / bed sheets) wet and on the floor 😖I think this 'traumatised' me because I stopped drying them in the balcony since - might start again but check the weather / plan beforehand

OP posts:
tornadoinsideoutfig · 27/01/2023 22:10

If your daughter wears a lot of hoodies then they should each last a long time between washes. Is she wearing a t-shirt underneath? You shouldn't need to wash more than one a week at the most.

QueSyrahSyrah · 27/01/2023 22:10

Do you have any outside drying OP? So long as it's not raining obviously, even when it's very cold it helps.

We had a load out last Sunday here, only 4 degrees but most things were well on the way to dry when we brought them in after 3 or 4 hours. I was surprised, to be honest!

SpinningFloppa · 27/01/2023 22:10

I just use the heating, yes it cost a fortune but I have 4 kids and the clothes wouldn’t dry on airers my house is cold takes 2/3 days to dry on airers and I would need loads of them.

Original poster
9thFloorNightmare · 27/01/2023 22:11

tornadoinsideoutfig · 27/01/2023 22:03

I wash less. Wool jumpers rarely need washing, I bought mine second hand, fleece dries quickly, avoid wearing any thick cotton unless you can wear it for at least a week between washes. I have small cheap bath towels, no bath sheets, washed weekly. Bedding washed monthly, polycotton dries quicker than 100% cotton.

I try to wash early morning on a dry day, high spin speed, outside until near sunset, then in over the bannister or drying rack for when the heating is on (two hours at 14 degrees). It was a struggle when it was rainy but warm earlier in the month.

great tips

I will build up a fleece wardrobe next time I have to buy winter clothes

OP posts:
CatOnTheChair · 27/01/2023 22:13

My understanding of an extra spin is when the machine finishes its cycle (which includes a spin cycle), you put the machine back on for just a spin. No extra water, as high a spin as the clothes will handle. You can see extra water coming out, which makes them dry faster, as they are already drier.

2Old2BABPpresenter · 27/01/2023 22:13

I hang heavier items on hangers in my conservatory and have bought octopus hangers from ikea for pants and socks. These hang off the huge airer I bought. I would be very reluctant to go back to a washer dryer, I had one years ago and it was rubbish at washing and drying (took ages to dry anything). Could you possibly stack your dryer on the washing machine at all? I’m sorry you’re struggling it’s bloody pants with energy prices at the moment, I’m on a meter too.

Hawkins002 · 27/01/2023 22:13

Clothes horse, or outside washing line

Original poster
9thFloorNightmare · 27/01/2023 22:14

tornadoinsideoutfig · 27/01/2023 22:10

If your daughter wears a lot of hoodies then they should each last a long time between washes. Is she wearing a t-shirt underneath? You shouldn't need to wash more than one a week at the most.

Even with t-shirt underneath and two deodorants, it doesn't help sometimes...I think because she goes out cycling or on land walks...and she doesn't have many so that is a struggle but when I buy more for her I will buy fleece

OP posts:
FuppinNora · 27/01/2023 22:14

Put the clothes horse in a room that gets sun, open the windows a crack at least. Airer outside during day if at all possible. Extra spin makes a huge difference. Hoodies turn the hood inside out after been hung for awhile - it's always the last to dry. Leave every 2nd rung free if possible.

I haven't tried this but a sheet over airer and a blow heater but not sure how logical that is as I think blow heaters are costly to run.

IncessantNameChanger · 27/01/2023 22:14

I'm not sure I'm poor, Im financially challenged 😁

With four kIds, I wash less often, rewear more, hang washing out if there is any chance it will dry even a bit, use the highest spin. Finally I appreciate you don't have a drier, but I put things in the drier for 20 minutes then stretch it whilst it's hot and hang in my side window. As long as its got a inch between each hanger it will dry. Doing a smaller load and drying before doing the next load. But mostly washing less per use

FatAgainItsLettuceTime · 27/01/2023 22:14

You might find it cheaper to use a laundrette dryer than to heat your house for drying clothes.

We used to take wet washing to the laundrette, could get 2 loads in one tumble dryer because they are massive and for £3 and about an hour of reading my book with a thermos of coffee I'd have a couple of loads of dry washing.

MyMachineAndMe · 27/01/2023 22:15

We don't wash our clothes as often in winter. We hang it out if it's dry weather, we hang it on the airer after spin drying it, we put some stuff on coat hangers on the curtain poles.

Nevermindthesquirrels · 27/01/2023 22:15

My neighbours are really struggling and they've just bought a heat pump tumble dryer on instalments. The instalments are cheaper than heating and the tumble drier itself is very cheap to run.

Sunriseinwonderland · 27/01/2023 22:15

I do a weekly load of washing then take it down to the laundrette. It's a pound for the dryer.

Dartmoorcheffy · 27/01/2023 22:16

I wash at home and take it to the launderette to dry. It's cheaper than tumble drying at home. You can dry 4 wash loads in one dryer, for £4.

Original poster
9thFloorNightmare · 27/01/2023 22:19

2Old2BABPpresenter · 27/01/2023 22:13

I hang heavier items on hangers in my conservatory and have bought octopus hangers from ikea for pants and socks. These hang off the huge airer I bought. I would be very reluctant to go back to a washer dryer, I had one years ago and it was rubbish at washing and drying (took ages to dry anything). Could you possibly stack your dryer on the washing machine at all? I’m sorry you’re struggling it’s bloody pants with energy prices at the moment, I’m on a meter too.

The only place for a dryer would be outside the kitchen but I heard it causes condensation?
I heard of someone who installed a drier in their balcony, apparently they had to drill a whole through the wall to connect it to the socket, but the way my balcony door is located would be impossible to have a drier there I think. And it sounds like a hazard.

I heard washer/driers are rubbish, researched them years ago, was hoping they had improved the technology;(

OP posts: