To rely on my tumble dryer.

[CAK111512]

Bit of an odd post. I use my tumble dryer a lot. I have two kids, we go through a lot of washing. I use my washing line as much as possible but when the weathers unpredictable I shove everything I can in the dryer.

Every time my mother in law comes over. She mentions the dryer. Saying things like you need to get rid of that darn dryer, I can’t believe you are using it again, they cost so much money, I’ve always coped without one, why don’t you dry it outside (whilst it was raining), telling me it will all shrink (I’m pretty good at laundry and know how to read labels and not what to dry in them). Telling me to save all my washing until it’s sunny. I kindly explain that during the summer months I use the line as much as possible but when it’s rainy I use the dryer. I cannot wait until a sunny day to so all my washing because I would have tons to catch up on.

Its sounds stupid but every single time she comes over, when when it’s not on she makes comments on it. Is it really her problem?

I do a full load, sometimes more every day.

Aibu to not be able to cope without a dryer? How would you cope within the winter months? I don’t like it all lying around indoors to dry, my house isn’t big enough.

We use ours when we can't line dry, live in a damp county so it would be pointless trying to dry outside year round.

And king size bedsheets are an absolute pain in the arse so they go in the drier with the woolly ball things.

If we're both out at work all day then are we hell going outside at 7pm to get the washing in when we've both been on our feet all day.

Thanks all. Before I had my youngest I used to manage quite well without one. I had to invest in one when we had DD.

I’m not sure if we are normal. But are a family of 4 who produced a huge amount of washing 🤣 it’s never ending!

Underworld345
How much does a tumble drier actually cost to run? We have one in the garage but never really use it.

Last time I was looking in a wistful sort of way (a couple of years ago now) the people who test domestic machines seemed to say they cost between 70p and £1 "per cycle" but didn't say how much a cycle really is. But they also said that a "heat pump dryer" (I don't know how that differs from any other kind) can cost as little as 25p per cycle to run. That was back then; they are probably even more energy efficient now. But the one in your garage will be using the old amounts, I suppose.

It looks to me as if they are well worth using if you value your time at more than about a quid an hour, because of all the time it takes hanging up clothes and bringing them back in and having to keep an eye on the weather and not being able to leave the house in case it rains and and and -- instead of just moving wet clothes from the washing machine to the tumble dryer and then forgetting about them and doing other more important things for however long it takes to get them dry.

OP, you are not being unreasonable to use a tumble-dryer, and your MiL can go and boil her head in an old fish-saucepan.

If we had room I would save up and get one even if it was just for towels, because it's the only way I've ever found to stop them being rough and stiff in a hard-water area. All that fabric conditioner seems to do is make them water-repellent, which is no good in a towel! I wash them and then take them to the launderette to dry them so they will be soft to use, and go on being wistful about having my own dryer.

Ow expensive are tumble driers then? Mines old probably 8 years old.

I would tell your MIL when she pays for the electric or does all your washing at her house doing it her way then she can comment or have an opinion until them keep the opinions to herself.
I live in the southeast and have underfloor heating, I use my tumble drier all the time unless it’s going to be ☼ all day.

My mil doesn't say much to us but they have never had a dryer either. But my mil only worked a few hours a week so could take advantage of every drop of sunshine.

I work so it's impossible to dry all our clothes on a line all year round.

I hate using the tumble dryer as I get really annoyed about paying for it, when the washing will dry for free on the line outside and this is far better for the environment than using the dryer. BUT. For more than half of the year, the weather is unsuitable for drying clothes on the line, and I end up having to have washing draped everywhere inside and it taking two days to dry, by which time there is another load waiting for the airer space. Then there is my time hanging it all up on the airer, then it probably needs ironing before it gets put away. If it goes in the dryer, a quick shake and it’s probably fine to put straight away to be worn again.

So, as much as I hate the environmental and financial aspect, you won’t stop me using my dryer when the weather is damp, wet or cold. My mum also thinks it’s fine to comment about my dryer usage, but she had less dc than I have now and also a far bigger house, so I tend to ignore her, but have started making comments back now which obviously she dislikes.

I livedin the north of Scotland with 3 children, no central heating, had my Exs uniform to dry and used terry nappies, i didnt have a dryer and i coped, you need to get your arse organised

Tell her to fuck off?

I am cooking our first baby and it's just me and my husband in the house and we constantly use the drier. Heat pump one so uses very little energy.

I live in Cornwall where it is damp all the time - I can't dry my washing outside half the time.

I grew up without one and I still dont have one. Things feel nicer air dried and when it rains, as it so often does, I just use a drying rack in the bedroom. People wash their clothes too often imo

Well it would be good not to have to use our tumble dryer in summer, but as summer is not often dry and sunny that doesn't happen.

I'd be tempted to say to her that if she one, she'd realise how convenient it is and that it doesn't cost much to run. Every time she says anything to you about it, tell her she should get one and try it.

I have one, almost never use it, I hate what it does to the clothes and you don't get that lovely line dry crispness and outdoor smell. But I wouldn't dream of commenting on someone else's use of one. (although I am a bit shocked at the amount of washing you do, OP!)

Using that darn thing again?

Yes I LOVE it!

Get rid of it

No it’s fabulous

We live in the rainy southwest so a tumble dryer is an essential! Plus, drying clothes indoors is a major cause of damp in UK homes, and damp homes take more energy to heat.

When it's properly sunny the whole load goes on the line, when it looks like rain might come I hang the bigger stuff and the stuff that won't go in the dryer, but tumble the socks and pants. I tend to do two loads back to back so I can tumble part of both loads.

In the winter, I hang most of the clothes on an airer and run a dehumidifier, but again socks and pants go in the dryer.

In my ideal house, I'd have a ceiling airer in a utility room with a mechanical heat recovery ventilation system going all the time to prevent damp. Plus a heat pump dryer for small bits (couldn't afford one last time we purchased and as we stack our washer and dryer we really needed a lighter vented one so we could lift it on top!).

Tell her to mind her own business, sometimes it's a necessity.

I use my tumble dryer for 90% of our laundry. The odd bit that is not suitable for the dryer goes on a hanger and gets hung in a doorway to catch any through draft from open windows. We live in a very small flat, with no outside space. There are 3 of us, me, 20 year old DS and 19 year old DD. DD has a work uniform and they will only give them 2 shirts so those are constantly drying somewhere. I have a condenser dryer, and it's in the hallway by my bedroom because that's the only place it would fit, no room for either a dryer or dishwasher in the little kitchen. Our bathroom has no windows so to dry anything in there I'd have to have the extractor running constantly, and there's nowhere else an airer would fit.

I do wish I had a washing line for sheets though, it's lovely to get into a nice clean bed with line dried sheets after a bath.

Did MIL work when her children were at home and she was doing lots of laundry? It’s the sort of thing my mother would have said. Not factoring in circumstances like no one is home to dash out to the washing line when it’s starts raining.

In fact a lot of advice received from mothers and MILs is based on their own experience of being home in the day to do the work. I’m sure a huge basket of ironing is much easier to do as a SAHM at 10am on a Tuesday, than at 10pm after a 9 hour day in paid employment.

I have hung stuff out on weekends in March / October on dry but cool grey days, then 8 hours later taken it in again still wet. Too much moisture in the air so the water in the washing doesn’t evaporate. How does MIL deal with this?

I had the opposite problem with my MIL. She went on and on for years wondering how I coped without one, even to the point of offering to buy us one. I coped for years in a small house with a baby etc etc without one and honestly didn't see the need. However, last year a second hand one became available so I took it for the garage. I must admit its handy for towels and bedding in winter or for last minute 'I need clean jeans' moments. I certainly don't use it all the time. Rarely in summer, and a couple of loads a week in winter.

I think there are two separate issues here.

1. Reliance on the dryer. They do use a lot of electricity and that's bad for the environment, but I guess we all make our choices. Maybe you are super green in every other way. I cope fine without a dryer, but it's only the two of us. Make your choice, and own it.

2. Your MIL's permanent commenting. It's frankly none of her business. So I suggest the use of the stuck record technique:

MIL: Oh, why are you using that dryer again?
CAK: I've decided to use it and I'm happy with my choice. Please don't mention it again.

MIL: But it uses so much electricity!!
CAK: I've decided to use it and I'm happy with my choice. Please don't mention it again.

MIL: Well, I managed fine without one
CAK: I've decided to use it and I'm happy with my choice. Please don't mention it again.

MIL: It's so bad for the environment, I'm sure that.... where are you going?
CAK:

Seriously - state your position clearly but briefly, keep on doing it - 3 strikes and out, leave the room. If she asks you why, say "I asked you repeatedly not to mention the tumble dryer and you didn't listen to me, but I don't have to listen to you." (You could add 'in my own home' for effect.)

FULL DISCLOSURE: I learned the stuck record technique on a training course I did about dealing with interpersonal difficulties... I have only used it a few times, but never escalated to the leaving the room stage. It did not stop the person concerned from asking me the same thing again, but it did save me from doing the thing they were asking me to do (which was not my responsibility)

It’s none of her business really is it? How to phrase that nicely though? 😂

I have a tumble dryer but try not to use it too much, it’s not great for the environment and it does cost money. I get washing dried on the line as often as I can and then in the winter when the heating is on, what feels like all the time, I can get it all dried on the radiators. I have an indoor clothes horse thing that I use when the weather isn’t good for outside but not cold enough to have the heating turned on.

Family of 6 adults here.
I had 4 kids and no tumble dryer and getting one was definitely a great move.
BUT I don't use it often even now with several of us in uniform so tons of clothes. I think I've used it twice in the last 3 months when it poured and the stuff on the line was drenched. I hang out first thing before work and get it in at the end of the day, as do the various adult kids.

I wouldn't be without one for the winter though, that would create impossible mounds of damp clothing!

Tumble driers are wonderful. My sil buys frugi clothes for her dd and will not tumble dry them because she says they will not have as much resale value. How screwed up is that....

I dry my washing outside as much as possible. I use my tumble dryer occasionally but never for clothes, they're on radiators in winter and an airer in summer. Socks and pants go in when the weather is rubbish. Always dry towels in the tumble dryer though. The occasions I do them outside I regret it.

Should add - I only don't do clothes in there as I fear shrinking them. Even washed and dried according to label doesn't seem to help. Hubby is tall and has no room in length for shrinkage! (My waist has no room for shrinkage either )

My sil buys frugi clothes for her dd and will not tumble dry them because she says they will not have as much resale value. How screwed up is that

Um - so, her dd gets to wear high quality organic clothes, she doesn't cost herself money or cause environmental damage by tumble drying them, and then she gets to sell them on and recoup a good chunk of her money.

I'm not organised enough to buy and resell (or wealthy enough to buy frugi new), but think this is actually quite smart, and certainly way better all round than buying Primark and then throwing it away after 5 washes and tumble dries leave it shapeless and worn.

I couldn’t bear to do what so many on here do and have damp clothes, towels, bedding etc. festooning drying frames and radiators all over the house. I would hate the mess and humidity.