To wonder how on earth anyone copes without a tumble dryer?

[Bumbles55]

Ours broke yesterday and I feel like I’ve lost a limb! Having to wait an entire day or more for washing to dry (and having to put the heating on full blast 24/7 in order to facilitate this) is torture. I’m so used to washing uniform etc at night and being able to quickly chuck it in the tumble dryer in the AM whilst we get ready. Washing loads take proper pre planning now! Despite it being only DD and I at home we easily get through one full wash per day so the house is already absolutely covered in clothing drying on radiators etc.

The new one won’t be delivered for 2 weeks - unsure how I’ll survive in the meantime 🤣

It’s typical MN! I wish my life was simple enough to get worked up about at how often people decide to put a wash on in their own home🤣

I've never had a tumble dryer due, family of 4. I have a utility so have 2 airers up pretty permanently. Dry washing overnight then fold and place in airing cupboard which dries everything nicely. Sheets and towels I will line dry , and again finish in airing cupboard.

House is 1980s so fairly well insulated, if it was say a drafty Victorian, or I didn't have a large airing cupboard I probably would get a tumble dryer. But quite happy at the moment to not use the extra energy required.

I don’t have a tumble dryer, but I hear you @Bumbles55! I’m in NI too and dread the autumn/winter months of trying to get stuff dried. I see posters on here talking about getting their laundry hung outside and it’s like another world. The air is always damp here and washing would come in wetter than it went out. And the temperatures are definitely lower overall which doesn’t help. Mine is out on the whirly today for a few hours as it’s unseasonably sunny, but it is very likely the last time I’ll be able to do it. We don’t have space for a tumble dryer, so it’s a question of picking a room we won’t be using as much, hang the washing on airer, plug in the dehumidifier and wait.

But we could say that about much of MN. Take away all such threads and there'd be not much left. In any case nothing on this thread counts as worked up. Worked up is when someone inexplicably posts an outburst of aggressive expletives in response to a fairly benign post. For example a response I got to a moderate post was 'Jesus Fucking Christ.' Poster not doing their own health much good.

Changing tops everyday makes sense but surely you don't need to change your trousers/skirt everyday? They don't get sweaty like tops do

I've never had a tumble dryer, I just do a load most days, hang up on airers, and the next day they're dry. I always have the heating on in winter but that's to heat the house, not dry the clothes.

Growing up we didn't have a tumble dryer either and there were 7 of us in damp England. Mum still managed but we definitely got more than one day wear out of clothes back then (mum still wears clothes for several days before washing but she doesn't really sweat much so her clothes don't get smelly, even her socks are fine for days)

Have never had one 🤷‍♀️

I just plan. A dehumidifier is useful

Out on the line today blowing in the cold winter sunshine.
I can’t afford to put my dryer on so washing goes on the radiators and the windows in each room get opened each day to let fresh air in.
family of 4, 1 load of laundry is done every 2-3 days, we dont generate that much. (Work stuff and school uniforms mainly)
it’s fine.

I only use the tumble dryer for sheets and towels. I have a covered heated airer for clothes. If that broke, I would have to buy another immediately it’s absolutely brilliant

It’s weird that you started this whole thread and didn’t mention that you have a medical condition that means you are creating far more washing than the average person…

I've never had one and coped even with a baby/child during vomiting bugs and potty training in which we needed to do several loads a day!
Dries on the line outside in summer. Takes a couple of hours on the radiators around the house during winter. Always do an extra spin after washing and dehumidifier on also helps. Can easily dry several loads a day without a tumble dryer.

I’ve been asked upthread if I’ve considered using deodorant rather than washing my own clothes more than once a week. In my eyes that is most definitely an aggressive, worked up and ignorant response.

I think when people question how much washing others do, it’s usually out of concern for the environment rather than any sort of superiority- that’s a weird way to interpret it!

I'd call that a rude response, or perhaps smart ass, or just a waste of time, but there's no anger there, no sign of anyone getting worked up.

I wouldn’t say that washing my uniform plus whatever activewear I’ve worn that day (not allowed to wear uniform outside of hospital + I’m very outdoorsy) is more than the average person. Add DD’s farm wear on top of that and any other bits like pyjamas, casual clothes etc and yes, that is a full load more or less each day. It’s called being hygienic according to our lifestyle - everyone lives different and we’re not all going to have the same washing needs.

Of course though this is MN though where everybody seems to work from home, doesn’t have messy animals and smells like roses 24/7!

YABU. I live in a townhouse with a tiny garden but still manage, year round, to dry our clothes outside mostly. I only use the tumble dryer for our superking size bedding which is too big for the patio.

I have always had a tumble dryer.Can i just ask people who don’t , how do you cope with towels because if not tumble dried they are all scratchy and rough .

Various methods used in different houses by people I know.

You plan ahead. (Wash what you need well in advance) (Dry on ordinary airers inside with no heating, but my flat is warm and dry without heating, not all houses are and clothes will never dry) move washing around and space out well to ensure air flow. Turning washing over and inside out during the drying process so the wettest bits are to the outside speeds up the process. Use solar power and dry in a sunny window.

You get a heated airer (use sheets/towels as a tent. )

Dry in the conservatory with the windows open and door to house closed

You dry on an airer next to a radiator, hook sheet over the back of the radiator to make a heated tent.

You use an airing cupboard (mostly gone with the ark) to finish airing.

You line dry outside.(Yes even in winter) And air inside. (Wash when it is fine, longer programs on machines and both working reduces this ability)

In an emergency dry over the oven door. (Only electric heating)

Hang it on clothes hangers hung all around the house of furniture door frames curtain poles.

This I don't even own an iron.

Spin clothes twice in machine and they dry much quicker. ( I can remember the old spin dryers and they were much better than automatic machines) And leave plenty of space on an airer

We tumble dry everything, but if wasn’t bone idle, I’d actually dry towels outside as I love them all stiff.

Did you take them out and shake down while still warm. Offer it happens if stuff sat in dryer after finishing. Or. if dryer overloaded to the hilt

Wow very bitchy comment to a simple question,bet your fucking lovely in real life .

I'm perfectly fine just done deal with princessy behaviour lol

This. ^ And towels that are NOT tumble dried are NOT scratchy and rough. I think @RealEagle and anyone who is experiencing this, need to invest in some better quality towels!