to think using a tumble dryer in this weather is a pointless waste of money?

[dilemma456]

Message withdrawn

The thing about outside, though, is that my garden is so tiny a clothes line or twirly thing would have to go right in the middle. It would really omit the play potential. A nice footy training pitch for my dc is worth far more that 15 pounds per year to me.

Environmentally, I'd have to balance it against the fact that lots more clothes would get spoilt in a small grubby garden with kids around.

the main thing is that my tumble dryer is upstairs, so I can unload it straight into wardrobes while I'm supervising bath time. My mum dries in the garden, and there is a permanent trail of half unloaded laundry baskets going through the house.

YANBU. Although hayfever is a good and legitimate reason to not dry outdoors. The money (electricity bill) is not an issue, it's the needless use of fossil fuel or nuclear energy, when the sun is providing quite enough energy already.

After the last winter, and last couple of "summers", spending vast amounts of time outside hanging up the washing has been quite a pleasant novelty this year.

I just cannot understand why so many people (who live near me!) use driers when it is hot and sunny outside ie a HUGE solar powered tumble drier. Thumbs up to those who put using up precious fossel fuels more important than convenience! The government bang on about using energy saving lightbulbs, why not discourage the lazy overuse of tumble driers? Why do I know so many people use them? because the perfume from their fabric softeners attaches itself to my washing...I do not want mine to be perfumed, I use perfume free liquid and softener, as perfume affects my husbands asthma, and contributes towards my daughters migraines. I therefore have to dry my washing by hanging it up indoors most of the time...joy! by the way, 10 minutes when the washing is dry softens/irons really well

In this weather? You must be bleeding joking - it's been bloody raining every day just about!

I hate all the transporting the stuff outside, hanging it up, bringing it down again routine.

Much quicker and easier to bung in the dryer.

The hassle is worth much more than £15 a year to me.

Plus if you have a dryer - you need far fewer clothes / towels / sheets etc. My DTs have 3 sleeping bags between them - one on each and one spare for emergences because I can get them washed and dried in less than 3 hours.

I sort of agree, but I tumble dry all things belonging to my DS because it makes them nice and fluffy, not stiff like the washing line. As to the lady who is not allowed to hang out washing in her New York garden because it's unsightly, that's mental!

Oh dear, that £15 a year figure has really backfired hasn't it?

I'm a big believer in the washing line in summer, as it actually dries quicker than in the dryer on a v.hot day - but I hate my washing getting wet and I do give in on a day like this when the rain looks like it's coming any minute and - in the dryer it goes. Don't feel so bad now I know it's only gonna be £15 a year.

To be fair to OP, this thread was started two weeks ago when we still had a summer.

Energyrethinking - are you paid to go trawling through mumsnet and leave your interesting little fact gems behind?

Nice job if you can get it!

I use the dryer year round as dh's garden is a labour of love (the type of garden you see in magazines) and won't countenance a messy clothes line.

I don't care tbh, when I used to hang the washing out I hardly ever remembered to bring it back in before it rained.

I tumble me towels otherwise they are crispy witha certain rigidity

I'm another one who loves crunchy towels - seem more absorbant than fluffy ones

pointydog i hang mine on the airer - the come off with the first fold done free!

I've mentioned this on a previous tumble drier thread, but in my block of flats we're not allowed to hang washing outside. It's in the lease. So I hang clothes in the house, and towels, sheets etc I tumble dry.

Trouble is, if you're at work all the time, you don't have the same opportunities to hang stuff up, bring it in etc - definitely quicker to use the tumble drier (although I agree, bad for the environment)

ah I see 'crunchy' is the word of choice on this thread.

Yes, I remember the folded towel syndrome, stealth. You are right re absorbancy.

I used to live in a flat where we were not allowed to hang clothes outside.

YANBU.

We are moving to a house from a flat next wek and I can't wait to be abl to hang washing outside to dry

week

I am using a mix of the tumble dryer and the washing line today.

I am due at work this afternoon and need all the washing dried and put away before I go to work and the bedding is stripped

BIWI, on work days I hang up clothes to dry on the driers indoors. I don't think there's any time problem here.

OMG, if it's only saving about £15, I might just tumble-dry everything. I find it hard to get everything hung out before work, and risk it getting wet during the day, then spend time bringing it it in in the evening (then it's not always properly dry and you have to start draping it all over everywhere). We do one or two loads a day and I've started to think of a tumble-dryer as like a dishwasher: yes you can do it by hand if you like spending all day doing these tasks, but they are time-saving for very little extra money.

I also stick my washing in the dryer for a few minutes when it has dried on the line,then i just hang things or fold them, its far easier to do that then stand and iron everything,and like everyone else has said ,it makes the towels lovely and soft.

YABU - i use my tumble dryer becuase i am stuck in a horrid upstairs flat and have sever hms so cant phtsically walk down to my garden to use the free sun to dry on the line.

WHich brings me back to my favourite mantra, never judge until you know the circumstances.

£15 a year? bargain!

seriously, NKfffffffff1d676aaX124d88... the perfume from other people's tumble driers 'attaches itself' to your washing? Are you wearing a tinfoil hat?