Reluctance to use a tumble dryer is a British quirk

[User3735]

I've noticed that there is a lot of shame around using a tumble dryer, and even people who have one are reluctant to admit it, and make excuses why they have one and say they use it rarely. The claims of them being extortionate and terrible for the environment seem exaggerated to me whenever I look at the latest energy uses and cost. According to Which, the average tumble dryer costs around £150 per year to run (and less than £60 per year for a newer heat pump dryer). Yet people will buy expensive heated airers, rails and dehumidifiers to probably a similar value.

I have observed this tumble dryer reluctance from people from all financial backgrounds. The only pattern I have noticed is those who had one in their home growing up are more likely to use them, and those who didn't think they are to be avoided at all costs. I wonder if they did cost significantly more when they were new, and it is a misconception of running costs?

I have always had one, and when they have broken I have replaced asap. Our current dryer broke down this summer, and I put off replacing while the weather was better, but I now seem to have been influenced by the tumble dryer haters and I have a strange sense of satisfaction of powering on through winter without one. Whilst I get an utterly pointless sense of satisfaction that I am winning, the time spent shaking out, hanging and turning clothes takes up quite a ridiculous chunk of time compared to tumble drying and I am very time poor. Given our wet climate and issues with damp, I really can't understand why so many people are against them?

I'm in the south east and not put heating on either. I don't really put it on much atall. anyway. My clothes are drying fine. If I have them inside I have a small window open in the kitchen. I often have a window open a bit in the living room in the winter too. We like fresh air 🤷

And while I'm not claiming damp can't be caused by drying washing inside especially if you don't open a window and put wet washing on hot radiators. But I don't have a problem with damp and neither do any of my close friends.

I don't live in the countryside, but near it. I've never smelt fertiliser in the air in my life, and people who live in the countryside here also mostly dry their washing outside.

I think lack of tumble dryer and no ironing is why my clothes last so long. My gym teacher was asking me how I had a white running top from 2013 that still looked new the other day. Gentle washing machine and chuck it out in the sun is why.

You’d hate mine then. All my reusable period pads hanging out to dry!!

I think for most people it's not a choice - it's just needs must. If I had space for a tumble drier I'd have one.

And while I'm not claiming damp can't be caused by drying washing inside especially if you don't open a window and put wet washing on hot radiators. But I don't have a problem with damp and neither do any of my close friends.

Neither do I and I have dried washing inside in winter for decades. Someone upthread mentioned condensation on windows from damp washing, which is something I've never experienced.

If you like them, fine, but they aren't a necessity.

I use mine a few times a day due to many kids and multiple changes of clothes a day. But I don’t care if you judge. Just as long as you are consistent and judge people who own Range Rovers, go on long haul holidays, and numerous other things that hurt the environment more.

I couldn't care less if I can see my neighbours' washing or if they can see mine. You must find life rather stressful if you can't cope with anything "ugly"! The air in the town I live in most certainly does not smell of car fumes - you seen rather over sensitive (not to mention weird)

Do you live somewhere horrible, it sounds like it, have you got queues of cars outside your house.

It looks like you can’t afford a dryer. Letting people see your underwear and other intimate clothes drying is perceived as undignified, so if you would do that you must be poor (or not have any self-respect). In general it is something you see in housing projects and trailer parks. I’m not saying it is fair or right but I’d be surprised if the many Americans who use this forum hadn’t absorbed that perception growing up.

I love my dryer. Did not have one in our family growing up (in America, no less) When we first moved to the UK, we spent 4 miserable years in a damp and mouldy rental home without a dryer (no wonder it was full of damp and mould 🤔) But never again! I've had a dryer for 8 years now and would never be without. Life is too short for scratchy towels.

I don’t know how I coped without one - Brilliant when it’s wet outside, and when pollen count is high (bad hay fever).
Man made fibre and delicate things go on a clothes horse I used to have things drying over radiators, on a clothes horse and hanging over banisters. No more - I love my tumble dryer.

Well, for a lot of people they can't afford it.

No shame here 🤷‍♀️
I use mine 365 days a year

I know they dry you so much better than when fluffy.

I use ours for towels and sheets. I have no idea how people dry these in winter without a drier. Especially towels. They must take forever to dry indoors if it's grey and wet outside.
I tumble old clothes like PJs and older jeans/t-shirts but generally I hang clothes as I don't want them to shrink or age prematurely.

I love mine.
Technically I don't have space for one if I was a normal person who only kept big appliances in socially acceptable places.
But fuck that it's in my bedroom 🤣🤣
Much better than having clothes hanging everywhere making my home damp

I dry DD's period pants on the washing line. That's what gardens are for.

This is peak Mumsnet (as is this thread in general!). Many people don't have a kitchen big enough for a tumble drier, don't have a separate part of the garden for drying their washing with special high hedges and are overlooked by the neighbours! I live in a 2 bed terraced house with a small kitchen and small garden. But I should hide my washing from my neighbours! 😂

Same for me.

Got to be honest, I don't ever hang underwear outside. Partly because I don't want it blowing away but partly because I do feel a bit weird having my underwear on show (it doesn't take long to dry indoors).

If the weather is nice I do hang other clothes outside though. My neighbours know (more or less) what my house is worth - they'll decide whether I am poor based on that. They also hang their stuff outside.

My Dad's yard would have been awesome for getting stuff dry but he was really uptight about how it absolutely wasn't allowed (even though to see the stuff his neighbour would have to lean out of the window on his top floor).

Wasn't there a thread (years ago) where a poster had had a neighbour object to her hanging her washing out?

Not sure what counts as forever but I hung some towels up early this morning and put them away while dinner was cooking.