AIBU to ask you about drying clothes :)

[smoldragon]

Hi! Sorry this is a bit of a stretch posting on AIBU but I've been struggling with a design course identifying different problems, different people might have and possible solutions (existing or ideas).

My current pet peeve is drying clothes indoors. being a student, I live in a small pad. It's not ideal with space, condensation, etc. Transport to a launderette is troublesome and I have no outdoor space for a rotary or indoor space for a tumble.

I'd love to know if you guys have similar issues or maybe different ones but to do with drying laundry. Maybe its the ease of setting one up, or you find them really ugly? (Please tell me all the things that irritate you about drying clothes!) (Or maybe some things that you enjoy?)

Maybe you have managed to circumvent these issues or have found some awesome new product that has made it so much easier for you!

I are looking at clothes horses/drying racks particularly at the moment.

Any feedback is welcome. Thank you!

Do you have central heating? When I was a student I had a drying rack that hooked over the radiator to make more space for drying on the radiator, that stayed in place in my room all the time and I would hang my bath towel on there between uses. Then a clothes horse/maiden that folded flat when not in use so it could be tucked away. I used to be able to dry a full load in one room like that using a few hangers for extra space. Stuff like double duvet covers were tricky though (a flat sheet under your duvet means it needs washing less frequently and polycotton dries more quickly than high thread count 100% cotton). Make sure you open the windows.

I now have a bit more space, but still nowhere outdoors for drying and no space for a tumble dryer. I don't have central heating either. I recently bought a washer dryer but the drier function is for emergency use only due to the energy usage. I give everything an extra spin before taking it out of the washer, then hang it on a maiden, or on hangers. In dry weather I open the windows, in winter I run a dehumidifier.

I can highly recommend one of those little gadgets for hanging lots of pants and socks up. It has clothes pegs on it and can be hooked on a curtain pole or light fitting or shower rail. Such a space saver!

What I want in an Ideal world.

a self contained room/utility room where I can have the washer and dryer, a space for two drying racks, a sink a window and room for a good dehumidifier. I can put everything on racks and turn the dehumidifier on to drain into the sink and go out. If I need something fast, I can tumble. Mostly it’s all in a room I can shut the door on.

in the summer I’d line dry so want an easily accessible washing line not on the grass.

what I have.

a condenser dryer in the airing cupboard in DCs room. In the winter DCs room can be toasty without needing the heating on as I’m good with being cooler and using a jumper etc.
a heated airer I move around the upstairs and a dehumidifier if my humidity monitor goes too high. To just use the heated airer id have to wash and dry a load every single day but it’s not always possible so I have the dryer. Like today, it’s pissing down. The heavy stuff is in the dryer, a washing rack with synthetics is sat on top of the dryer (it’s hot up there so make use of the heat right?) smalls are on sock pegs and the heated airer is in the hallway with the stuff that’ll shrink if it’s tumbled.

Another vote for the Julu laundry ladder- expensive but worth it IMO.

We have ours above the radiator in the utility room- when the heating is on in the winter I chuck a sheet over it and it dries more quickly as it traps the heat. In the summer I can direct a powerful fan at it as the air movement helps to dry more quickly. Plus I can shove it outside for a couple of hours on those days where it might rain (much easier to take the whole rack in than have to rehang all your clothes!). If it's a properly sunny day everything goes on my rotary dryer outside. The tumble dryer is only used very occasionally- mostly when I need to wash bedding and it's wet outside but the heating isn't on.

However, we do have an extractor fan in our utility to remove the moisture- it runs continuously on a trickle speed and boosts when the humidity rises. If you are going to dry washing inside then you need to remove the moisture either through a fan, a dehumidifier or an open window. If we had bigger bathrooms in this country they could be a good place to dry clothes as they usually have an extractor fan. Or even having drying cupboards with hanging rails and an extractor fan would be good in homes!

Essentially both heat and air movement help to dry clothes, heat is more expensive to produce but air movement will be noisier.

I was thinking of one my brother had in his flat that had high ceilings. It was fitted above two enormous windows and caught the sun and breeze, so things dried quite fast. I was very envious of that pulley maid!

Here at home we're lucky enough to have outdoor washing lines which get used whenever possible. In winter I'll hang things on a rack in the bathroom and use a dehumidifier. We don't have central heating here so I'll also give things an extra spin and then put the rack in front of the open fire when that's lit. That works well but can leave a tinge of wood smoke smell.

Outside on sunny/breezy days. For wet weather or in winter DH has adapted the airing cupboard. It was set into a sort of alcove so he moved the door out to square it off and installed some wooden slatted shelves which lower down when not in use. A whole load of washing dries overnight.

Put one over the stairs.

Omg why didn't I think of this?? I'm currently stood in my bathroom looking at the massive open space above my staircase thinking it would be perfect for another pulley maid and because the stairs open into my living room all the heat goes up them - clothes will dry even faster!!

You know that feeling, on a sunny day with a light breeze, when you've got three or four loads of washing dried outside and you feel like you rule the world because it can be such a huge accomplishment. It seems primal to me, humanity must have spent thousands of years fretting over getting clothing dried. How long has it been? The thought is somewhat dismaying.

Have a look at the bathrooms in the well off homes in China and Japan. Lots of videos on YouTube. They are super effective. Grey water recover means that bath water is saved for on the wash part of the cycle then rinse with clean. The washers are in the bathroom. They have retractable drying racks above the bath to catch drips and a built in heater and dehumidifier to dry clothes super quickly and efficiently. All of it makes total sense.

I have a tumble dryer and a large drying rack in the spare room. Added in a dehumidifier and it does it in no time.

You know that feeling, on a sunny day with a light breeze, when you've got three or four loads of washing dried outside and you feel like you rule the world

Yes! It's a great feeling. I used to love hanging out a wash in the garden, when I had my own, making it all lovely and neat and then sitting down with a coffee and it would dry in a couple of hours.

There is a lot about my flat that I love, but this really matters to me, I really miss it. It's one of the main reasons I will eventually move. The gutting thing is we have the perfect drying space here too. Just can't use it.