Relative told my to get rid of my dryer.

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probably the most pointless post today...

I get, dryers are expensive. I'm not denying that and many people are trying to save energy, if you can do without a dryer - excellent, I wish I could use mine less. Mine is a relatively new and should be a more energy efficient model compared to older models . Not sure how much it's costing exactly though. I line dry as much as I can. Getting a smart meter in soon so be interesting to see.

Relative is generally hot on not using much energy anyway, even before all this energy crisis. For years they've not turned on heating or used a dryer (despite owning one). Over the years she's come over when it's tipping down with rain and told me to turn the dryer off and put the washing out on the line - in the rain. Or on another occasion she came over when I was recovering from major surgery and told me to stop being lazy and put my washing out on the line despite that I wasn't meant to do be doing much, it was easier to shove everything in the dryer.

now she's telling me I won't be able to afford it this winter and get rid - if only. She seems to hate on dryers.

for me a tumble dryer is a life line, due to the lovely weather we've had I've not been using it much but come winter I will be for sure.

I have two kids, they are both disabled and create a lot of laundry. drying everything indoors on airers is not feasible, for one the amount of laundry I have to do each day (full load at least every day) and we don't have a lot of room and already have a damp problem. Our heating system is on the blink - need a boiler so it would be impossible to dry and would remain damp and smell.

I don't put everything in the dryer. Many things aren't suitable or I don't want to shrink so I use an airer for quite a lot of it, just not all. It's ideal for pants, socks, PJS etc. things like school shirts etc I air dry!! Jeans I usually put on airer for a day or so then finish off in the dryer!

I get the whole 'well we coped without years ago'

but yes anyone else rely heavily on a dryer? And would find it impossible not to use one? Even in an energy crisis??

it's probably the worse thing that could go wrong in my house. Last year my old one went wrong on the coldest days of the year and no dryer for a few days was hell, nothing was drying. It's up there with the machine going wrong!

and yes I must be boring to post about tumble dryers 😅

I use the dryer every single day and will need to continue to do so no matter how much it costs.

Ds2 (12) is a bedwetter. He's under a consultant and on medication but he still wets daily. I have a full load of urine soaked bedding every morning to wash and dry. The medication has meant that he now wets once a night instead of twice (for several months he was wetting twice a night every night, it nearly pushed me to breaking point).

Our airers and line are already full most of the time with normal laundry from a family of 5 (with three sporty muddy boys). There's just no space for me to hang up an extra full bedding load dally, especially in the winter. In the dryer it goes.

I'm also a very good organiser of laundry - in fact, I'd go as far as to say it's my hobby 😂.

That said, I've only got one set of bedding, therefore I don't have the luxury of being able to wait for a good drying day. I try to wash my sheets once weekly, but in inclement weather it's just not possible.
Also, my clothes line is only long enough to take either my fitted bottom sheet, or my duvet cover, or my 4 pillow cases.
On a sunny day, I can get them all out and dried. But, if the weather isn't playing ball, I've got no choice but to use my dryer.

I wish it could be different, and that I could be more environmentally friendly - but I don't have the money to buy a second set of bedding.

We’ve had a tumble dryer for about 6 years and probably is used less than 5 times a year. We dry outside when possible or on clothes horses. No damp in house or lung problems in the 17 yrs I’ve been drying on radiators/clothes horses.
Tell your relative to take a running jump. We are only a family of 3 so not as much washing as you will have.

I tend to only use mine for bedding or when I've been lazy and not done any washing for a while, last time I used mine was March as the weather has been so good.

I'm planning on only using it weekly this winter

Bollocks to that! I live in Scotland and no way could I manage without a dryer in the winter (and most of the rest of the year if I'm honest)
I really would like one of those ceiling pulleys for drying clothes though.
Airers just get knocked over by the clumsy, hairy dog and then everything needs rewashed (due to the aforementioned dog hair)

I don’t have a dryer, never have had one BUT it’s none of my business if my relatives or friends have one. Your relative is being unreasonable (unless they pay your bills).

I think most people over use their dryers and should absolutely hang their washing out to dry. I also think most people need to step up not just for themselves with the price rises but because of the climate crisis. If it’s not raining then one doesn’t need a dryer.

But YOU had me at 2 disabled children. If you can afford it, the you shouldn’t feel guilty to use it to make your life easier. And re climate crisis. I use way less energy than anyone else I know but I will cut down even more to ensure that you can keep using your dryer. Tell your relative to STFU and keep their nose out.

My thoughts exactly!! It's none of her business. I don't have a clothesline, and if I did, all the birds we feed in our garden would crap all over the washing! I work FT, as does DH, and currently we have 3 adult children living at home.

Like hell will I give up my dryer!!

However, I do get you on the relative front - I called with an aunt for the first time since Covid, and was told that I needed to go to the gym with my kids (I've lost a lot of weight since she last saw me!) and that I looked better with my glasses on because they hid my eyes.... she's in her 80s and she has always been blunt/rude, so I just laugh! She's right about the glasses thing too!

That's tough! My DS was a bedwetter until he was 9/10 - I totally chickened out and kept him in pyjama pants. We'd tried everything, and he would still wet himself, and sit in it for hours!!

One day I met his childminder in Tesco and was so embarrassed to have the PJ pants in my trolley, so we went cold turkey and it took a few nights until he was dry.

I totally feel for you - it drove me to distraction! I do hope you can get this issue sorted for your son. It must be so hard on him and you both x

No thanks, life is too short.

Our original tumble drier died (RIP) a few months ago, and I tried to look on the bright size of how much electric we’d save while waiting for the new one.

Was it worth it? Fuck no! Constantly checking the weather to see if it was due to rain (and we’re in NI where it rains A LOT), dashing outside when it started to piss down, having random bits of clothes hanging over radiators like a Victorian tenement. Waiting days sometimes for some things to properly dry, and when I did get anything dried outside it was all crispy and wrinkly.

New heat pump drier arrived- hurrah! Lovely soft fluffy clothes that come out all warm and non-wrinkled.

I’m going to try and plan the laundry better so we’re minimising the amount of washing we’re doing, but there’s not a chance in hell I’d stop using it altogether.

Seems you care about your energy bills a bit but don't give a toss about the environment.
Insofar as is is practicable, try wearing your clothes more often before washing them, wash the bedding and towels less often, etc?
We've never had a dryer and manage fine without one.

Also in NI - don't know how anyone manages without a tumble dryer!

What a weird rant

I’ve never managed to fully dry washing outside in winter. Even on a ‘good’ day it needs some sort of heat whether that’s the dryer or bringing it inside with the heating on. Not convinced that having to put the heating on is any more cost effective. I don’t use the dryer half of the year but it’s necessary in the winter and it vastly cuts down on ironing. In terms of priorities it comes above many other things

How do you dry you washing in winter months?

She sounds unhinged. As for the good old golden days of yore, when mortality rates were higher, life expectancy was shorter and no one used dryers, actually they did. One of the houses I lived in had a laundry room which was probably fitted out in the 1920s or 1930s. It had a ceiling drying rack and...large electric drying cupboards along one wall.

Time to turn the tables OP. Start a hate campaign against her dishwasher. Put pictures of dishwashers up in your house with red prohibited signs drawn on them. Go over to hers and tell her to take her plates out of the dishwasher and put them on the lawn to be washed naturally by the rain.

I went round to a new acquaintance for a coffee and she had laundry hanging everywhere. I couldn't live like that. My washer/dryer is upstairs snd I only do three loads a week but I use the dryer. I hate how clothes and towels get stiff hanging on the line. I used to hang out the sheets in my old house where the laundry was downstairs and I had a large garden. Not an option now.
Live your life your way and tell your relative you are happy with how you do things and don't need any advice. As for 'in my day' talk - yea well they didn't have mobiles or computers or many things that have made life easier. It's called progress.

tell her two words and the second one is off. Its not her business.

I guess you could use it less if you start to find it expensive... less drastic than getting rid of it!

I'll continue to use mine. We prefer clothes dried in the dryer - they come out softer, and it's more convenient, and they need less ironing. If this is the case for you you might be saving on ironing costs!

On my smart meter equivalent I notice 'expensive' days, where I have used oven and/or drier and/or charged the car (not a big battery) - they cost in the €4 range. If I don't use any of the above it's in the €2 range. There are many more cheap days than expensive days. Our electricity is capped at a 4% rise though, so we are lucky in that respect.

Relative needs to wind their neck in and be made less welcome in your home.

Both of my boys have disabilities and generate a lot of adult sized laundry - one has his own laundry basket, in the bathroom., as he generates so much extreme laundry. I wish I could get by on one load a day but it's usually more like 3. If anyone lectured me about my dryer usage, I wouldn't be polite.

2 adults 2 children here. Never had one. Never by choice, generally lack of space or money to buy one! I would love one.

we do manage without but winter is a lot harder.

My husband and I moved a year ago and don't have one. Considering it though for winter as even though I am been on saving money I feel like I'm constantly hanging washing up and taking it down, we both work full time and he often says he thinks it smells slightly damp, plus it's probably not brilliant for the old house we live in.
I think you should thank her but ultimately do what you need to do!

We're in a drought it's rained twice here in the last two months, how can you possibly need the tumble dryer on? Fair enough in the winter.

So weird. Even if it does turn out to be a luxury this winter, there’s no reason to get rid of it. Presumably at some point fuel prices will come back down again….

You driving a car 1 mile or riding on a train for 5 miles produces more CO2 than my running a heat pump tumble dryer for one load. The environment isn’t going tits up because I (and others) need a tumble dryer.