Drying washing in winter?

[Notfeelingmeatall]

I live in a smallish house - no conservatory or utility room, or anything like that. No dryer.

Anyway, on sunny winter days, I try and peg out my washing, though it barely dries it at all. So I still inevitably need to finish it off indoors. When we have day after day of rain, I still have washing that needs doing! So I put it all on a clothes rack around a radiator.

Recently, I read that you shouldn’t really do this. It’s known to cause damp and condensation in the house. Since winter set in, I’ve already had problems with damp and mould (appearing on outside walls only!). When I flagged it with the letting agency, I was told it was due to condensation, and there was nothing that could be done. I’m convinced this is not the case, as the damp is on the outside wall of my bedroom, and nowhere else. Not even the kitchen where I dry my washing, and where there is steam from cooking.

AIBU to continue to dry my washing this way? I don’t know what else I’m meant to do when I don’t have a dryer!

[Veronicat]

Get a dehumidifier with a laundry setting and plug that in . We use one in our old damp house and it works wonders.

[Veronicat]

And make sure your window is open a bit too.

[Andiwilltrytofixyou]

I hang mine on a rail in front of radiator (hang them as I hate ironing but also means more clothes can benefit from the heat!) But also use a small dehumidifier in the same room.

It stops damp and massive reduces drying time. It's by far one of the best things I've ever invested in for the house.

[JuneSpoon]

There are heated clothes dryers you can get too though I don't know anything about them. There are also little gadgets that spin the water out of your washing before you hang it up. Is there a possibility of buying yourself a dryer?

[ItWentInMyEye]

Plug in heated airer. It's changed my life! Honestly, it fits a full load on, costs 6p an hour to run so cheaper than putting the heating on till it's all dry, and it folds flat so you can lean it against a wall or something when not in use. To be honest I use mine every day so it's never away! I've recommended it to everyone I know.

[Thesearmsofmine]

I dry mine indoors too, I make sure to have a couple of windows open which helps with condensation,

[purplelila2]

Is there no way you can get a dryer?
Its really worth every penny.

I tried everything as we also live in a small house but nothing worked the heated airers didn't do much and took far too much space .

[Waveysnail]

Friend swears by heat pod thing. A heated air with a cover. And a dehumidifier

[Caspianberg]

its fine to dry laundry inside, you just need to make sure house doesn't get damp. You should open all windows every day even when cold for 10 mins, and especially in room where laundry is dried. You can also buy a dehumidifier to use in laundry drying room.

Most washing machines have an extra spin cycle option which you can do to reduce how much water is left in the clothes also.

[BobbinThreadbare123]

I've got a small heated airer from Lakeland. Costs 4p an hour to run. It dries hefty stuff like jeans and jumpers very quickly. It's also not so hot that it would hurt if you touched it (ie safe for kids).

[Notfeelingmeatall]

@Veronicat

Good point about opening the windows! Might be better in the spare room with the door shut, so I don’t feel the draught!

Do dehumidifiers use a lot of energy? I reckon I already use too much as it is, as I need the heating actively on all the time when I’m in the house

[ChateauMyself]

If you’ve got the room - a spin dryer. Spins at much higher speeds than a washing machine. Takes most of the water out. Finish on heated dryer/dehumidifier.

Stops condensation/mould problem.

[Notfeelingmeatall]

@purplelila2

I’ve no space for a dryer I grew up with one though, so I find washing such a big task without one! Lol

@Caspianberg

I didn’t know that about the extra spin cycle! I’ll give that a go with the washing I’ve got on today.

Thank you all for the tips

[madcatladyforever]

I haven't got a dryer and i'm not getting one, no room for it. I do all my laundry at home once a week then take the whole lot down to the laundrette to dry it. It's only half an hour of my day and the dryer is cheap.
I used to hang all my laundry on hangers from doors all over the house, I never had any damp or condensation problems and they dried overnight but things like sheets you can't do that with.
The dryer makes them much fluffier anyway and they smell nice too with a couple of dryer sheets.

[Skysblue]

Dehumidifier! Have a look at the ones made by ebac (made for uk climate as opposed to tropics) or similar, amazon has loads. Ours has completely got rid of our condensation problem even though we also have to dry laundry inside. You don’t have to have it on all the time we have oursnon a couple hrs a day. Noise/energy are a little more than a fridge but not much more, and cheaper than a mould problem.

[PiggyInTheMiddle19]

I dry indoors and no damp issues.
My last place was a tiny flat. No outside drying area. Literally Only Space to fit an airer was in bedroom. And had no issues there. But opened windows daily inc in winter to circulate air.

[BriefDisaster]

I second the heated airer they are amazing I use mine most days.

I also always have a window cracked open when drying washing inside.

[LakieLady]

I hang washing to dry from the curtain rails upstairs and on an airer, but I'm lucky enough to have a spare room. I always crack a window open and have no problems with mould/mildew. My washing machine gets things pretty dry though, it spins at 1200 rpm.

I think tumble driers are a waste of leccy and bad for the environment, and I certainly wouldn't sacrifice a cupboard to fit one.

A friend has one of these and raves about it

www.lakeland.co.uk/24671/Dry%3ASoon+Standard+3+Tier+Heated+Airer+Cover

[Notfeelingmeatall]

I might have a look for a heated airer, that sounds like a good idea.

I’m almost certain the damp I’m getting isn’t to do with condensation (yet!). I think there may be a leak in the roof coming down between the brickwork outside and plaster on the inside.

[SimonJT]

I have always dried washing indoors, never had any condensation issues as the flat is always heated appropriately and ventilated appropriately.

Any home will become damp if it’s cold and not ventilated, even if you don’t dry washing indoors windows should be open for at least 20-30 minutes per day, or open a tiny bit all the time.

[Alpacathebag]

I also say dehumidifier. Ours is fantastic and helps to dry clothes in about half the time it used to take.

Ours is a meaco one with intelligent humidity sensor, got it from Amazon.

[FloridaNewbie]

I had this problem and my landlord told me to go to a laundrette I didn't

[SciFiScream]

Heat rises so find the highest point of your home where you could dry washing and pop airer there. Try also to benefit from any solar gain (heat coming though the window. Not much at this time of year I know). You can have that window open locked potentially?

Dehumidifier will dry the air, which makes your heating more effective as it's cheaper to warm dry air than damp air.

I'd always recommend a dehumidifier over a heated airer. Slightly cheaper to run and solves the problem of damp air whereas a heated airer adds to the problem of damp air.

If you do get a dehumidifier don't crack the window open!

Plus one for extra spin cycle on washing machine. Made a massive difference for me. I looked into getting a spin dryer but was put off by the fact items come out very creased.

I take bedding and towels to laundrette to dry.

[Notfeelingmeatall]

FloridaNewbie

They just aren’t bothered, are they? Yet they’ll be quick to take it from your deposit if the house is left with mould.

There is black mould that keeps forming around the windowsill in my bedroom, and this awful, green mould that appears when anything is placed against the outside wall. I’ve since removed anything that touches that wall. Oh, and I don’t dry my washing in the bedroom!

[stripeypillowcase]

to prevent damp you need to heat your home and air it regularly. all that moisture you produce by breathing, sweating, cooking, drying laundry has to go somewhere.

it's actually better to open all windows for ten min mornings and evenings as far as they go than to always have them open or using the vents.
yes to heated airer and/or dehumidifier.

or does your bathroom have a fan? put the airer in there (over the bathtub?), close the door and leave the fan running.