To think putting clothes in a dryer is a complete waste of money unless it's raining outside

[emmeline25]

I have a lot of laundry to do each week. I bought a large washing machine and dryer so that I could do one load of washing a week. I do my laundry every Friday morning.

Friday morning, as I was putting my laundry on the line, my new neighbour mentioned that it was only 10degrees celsius today. I explained that as long as it's not raining, my laundry goes out on the line. When I got back from work my clothes were completely dry. It was only 10 degrees but the wind had dried them.

If I know it's going to be raining on Friday I put the wash on, on a different day. If the forecast is for rain all week I use the dryer. The dryer has been used about 10 times in the two years I've lived in this house.

Even in very cold weather , clothes will dry. It doesn't have to be a hot sunny day for them to dry. Yet among my friends and neighbours the dryer is used weekly and clothes only put out in the summer. Some of my friends use the dry on very hot days!!!

I lived in a flat for two years and had no choice but to use a dryer then. I hated it and ended up putting a communal washing line in the grounds.

I find when I do use a dryer, even on the lowest setting it can shrink and damage clothes. Clothes definitely don't last as long as when line dried. Driers also cost money. Okay it's only 30p-50p per load but still, if you can line dry I just wouldn't bother. I also absolutely love the smell of line dried clothes. I have always been brought up with line drying though.

So, AIBU to think if it's not raining and you have a garden with space for a clothes line, putting clothes in the dryer is a waste of money?

Not only don't own a tumble drier, but don't have a dishwasher either! Or a microwave. Or a hairdryer! Do I win a prize?
We also don't have,due to size of flat and income, an ensuite,a downstairs loo, a utility room or a garage.
I'm going to be drummed out of MN aren't I?

Getting a tumble drier changed my life. Guys don't waste time faffing about hanging clothes out, clothes are so much softer and smell nicer especially if you live in a rural area. Seriously buy a tumble drier you will wonder why you waited.

Some people are so sanctimonious (Looking at you OP)

I have a tumble drier and am evangelical about it. We're just back from a week away and I've managed to get 4 loads done and also at all dry and put away today. Yes, line drying might be lovely and all that jazz but the mere convenience wins for me, plus I've discovered how soft are meant to be. It's also cut down on my ironing, what's not to love?!

I must be doing something wrong, on the odd occasion I've used my drier the clothes have lost their nice 'freshly washed' smell. I've used those sheets and its better but not nearly as nice as line dried. What am I doing wrong?

OP, I find it hard to believe you can peg out 15kg of washing in just five mins. And if it does only take you that long, I have serious worries about the quality and effectiveness of your hanging technique.

It doesn't matter how many times people try to claim washing will dry on the line on a freezing cold day, it g

Oops - was trying to say it honestly never ever ever does.

I use my drier in summer. Hang some stuff on the line and dry others

Ive done 3 loads of washing and drying today. Normal clothes and then bedding. 2 loads yesterday and will do at least 1 every day during the week.

puppymonkey- yes it does dry. Even if it dries 50% , then that't 50% less drying I need to do indoors.

I think where you can make sensible energy cuts, then it makes sense to do so. It's not all or nothing! You don't have to be either perfect at something or not try at all.

So if you can get your washing dry outside, then it makes sense to do so. If you can't then use your dryer. We have a dryer, it gets used occasionally. If I can though, washing goes out on the line.

We hang washing out in the summer but hardly ever in winter. We both leave the house by 7.30am, so it's dark in autumn/winter. We get home around 6/6.30, so dark again. Our garden is very sheltered, so hardly any wind to dry the clothes. We do hang stuff out but end up tumble drying bedding, towels etc. There are three adults and one teen in the house, so the washing machine is very well used, and we don't have enough drying space for everyone to dry their stuff indoors.

I refuse to feel guilty about it. We're quite good about recycling, walking/cycling instead of using the car, but we're not perfect. Who is? Apart from the OP, obviously.

Sorry, love my dryer.

Like Space I don't really like the smell of line dried clothes.

If it is really sunny, then I will peg out, but most of the time, I will tumble.

And saying your clothes are "clean" all in together - No; you've got your underwear that's been up the crack of your bum swilling round with pot towels in water that is either 7 degrees below or 3 degrees above body temperature (I assume you wash in 30 or 40 degrees?) - not for me I'm afraid.

OP come over here for a nice long cold winter with 3 feet average of snow on the ground, temperatures averaging -5C, and the whole garden overhung with trees that block all the sun. Then tell me how pointless tumble dryers are.

Then you can enjoy a nice long spring with the air full of pollen that most of the family is allergic to. It's always so lovely to nestle into sheets that make you sneeze and wipe your face dry with towels that leave your eyes bright red.

50 per cent dry isn't dry though.

Bwahaha haha I have two children under 4 and DH and I both work full time in very challenging jobs

Quite frankly if a dryer makes life easier then so be it ...I'd never get any washing done without it

But so glad to know I'm not judged on my care for my children , my work role or my role as wife but on whether I use my dryer

puppy - but 50% dry means half of the water has gone. And so half the drying time indoors.

I have four out of five of our family still living at home, and in university holidays DD1 is home and it is all five. I usually have a load of laundry to do every day. If I left it a week you wouldn't be able to see me for the pile of dirty washing and it would be a particular problem with DD3's hockey kit.

I like to line dry where possible, such as most of the spring and summer. If we get a blowy and bright winter day then I will also put stuff out for a blow too, but really I am always very glad to have my tumble dryer to fall back on. It is there to finish off stuff that didn't dry properly on the washing line. It is there too when I have so much washing that I have run out of space on the washing line and clothes horse, but still another load to get dry. It stops loads sitting there damp waiting to go out and going dank and whiffy in the process. It is also very useful if we get a particularly wet summer, which does happen with reasonable frequency in the UK.

But as I said that's not dry which is what you want when you are drying washing? 50 per cent dry after all day on the line? And then you have to faff and do further indoor drying for the other 50 per cent anyway? Life is TOO SHORT.

I line dry when it's sunny outside and air dry on my banisters, hanging airers and clothes horse when it's not. But this is only possible as I have a 3 story house. I think a dryer would be useful if my family was larger or I was working etc.

Drying clothes indoors is really bad for creating damp.

Some people have to wash more than once a week you know .

If I have to do more than one load in a day (which I do when bedding or towels need doing) it won't all fit on the line during winter. Even the load I leave out all day will often require a short stint in the dryer to finish it off when it's not windy. I don't like drying on radiators/indoors as it adds to condensation/mould issues.

my machine is 8kg. I still wouldn't get away with anywhere near only 2 washloads a week and I'm certainly not a wash after one wear/use on every item kind of person.

It's kind of amazing how many people are getting upset at being "judged" for whether they use a drier or not.... Did you actually read the OP? There was nothing judgey about it. Why is everybody so desperate to take offence?