Winter clothes drying routine

[teaandtoast2]

It's been fine over the summer drying clothes on the line outside but in the winter we don't have enough radiator space, and things don't dry quickly (we only have the heating on if it's really really bitter, and even then just an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening).

We don't have a dryer but we are now a family of 5 (kids aged 5, 3 and 3 months) - we pretty much do a quick 15mins wash most days.

Anyway send me your winter drying tips!

Thank you xx

I use a clothes horse and put it infront of a radiator. You can also get heated ones but I've never tried these.

We have a Lakeland heated airer it dries a whole load of laundry overnight and costs pennies.

A double or even triple spin

2 airers in front of radiators on the landing (like you, only on for an hour or so when it’s very cold.)

I need two to give things time to dry, so empty and fill on rotation. Also I use a higher spin speed in winter.

DH announced he was knocking down that bit of landing soon 😨, goodness knows what I’ll do then. I’m loathed to heat the spare room just for the washing.

Up high where all the warm air is! We have two of these wooden ceiling maiden thingies.

https://amzn.to/3PAYhkJ

Clothes horse infront of radiator also!

When drying washing indoors it's not just about getting the washing dry - you have to think about where is the water from the wet clothes going. E.g. if you just stick wet clothes on radiators or a heated airer and don't have windows open, the water gets turned to water vapour and then is in your house, causing damp. So I would recommend getting a dehumidifier. It puts out warm air, so you can put it next to the wet washing and it will both remove water vapour from the air and draw out the wet from the clothes, but the warm air on the clothes helps with drying as well.

Ceiling mounted drying racks if you have space (we have two, also a family of five.

Dehumidifier also helps. I often put the normal clothes airer in the bedroom which has a ceiling rack, turn it on and shut door so it works most effectively. When it's v cold I also work in that bedroom as the dehumidifier gives off some heat

Don't have a heated airer but thinking of getting once this year.

Can you get a dryer… might make your life a lot easier.

and less washing around the place…!

If you have a line outside, why can't you use it in the winter too? Obviously not if it's actually raining but if it's dry weather, washing will dry. You might need to leave it overnight on an airer to finish off.

I put mine on hangers on rails in the airing cupboard and let a dehumidifier suck all the water out. Only works if you have a big cupboard though

We bought a heat pump tumble dryer. It costs pennies to run and has absolutely revolutionised our lives.

A Clothes horse in the utility room, which can be carried outside (with washing) on breezy days, and brought back inside if it starts to rain.

I dried everything outside last year, and only finished a few things off on an airer. I washed when it was dry, got it out early and in early and got my OH to put a line in the windiest part of the garden.. as opposed to the sunniest where it usually is.

I accept it's harder for larger families of course, but please don't rule out line drying altogether.

We got a Lakeland heated airer last winter and I'm so pleased with it. It changed drying clothes for us last winter. I really recommend.

This, plus we use a dehumidifier next to the heated airer, to soak up damp air. Cant recommend Lakeland's heated airer enough. Game changer. Clothes dry by the next day.

Dehumidifier in the room where the washing dries.

Another reason I hate winter.

Extra spin in the washing machine then on an airer next to a dehumidifier in a closed room. Dries within 24 hours or so, faster if the radiators are on. Our dehumidifier uses about the same amount of electricity as running the fridge/freezer.

In summer I dry inside on hangers and clothes horse else the clothes go crispy !
In winter I hang them outside.

Live in Saudi though

My dream. I'd spend all day washing just because I could! I'd happily live with crispy clothes.

We have a dryer which I use for socks, towels and bedding. If the heating is on I use a clothes horse in front of them or we have a dehumidifier that has a clothes drying function which is fabulous.

Our garden is too sheltered to get any breeze, so there's little,point hanging outside in damp/cold weather.

I use a dehumidifier next to a clothes horse. In a small room with the door closed. It's a basic one, so I'm tempted to upgrade to one with clothes dryer setting on it.

Hmm we just have the heating on a lot more I'm afraid, that's more to keep the little ones warm so then if it's on anyway it's perfect for drying washing. Hang on radiators and then on airers next to radiators in our bedroom too (it's a very big bedroom). Put the dehumidfier on in there too which also speeds it up.

We do have a dryer and we do use this but I find stuff shrinks even when it says it's tumble dryer safe, so we only use it for things like PJs and socks and cheap underwear etc that don't matter so much. Plus it only takes a small load as well.

This - I wouldn’t be without mine.