Drying clothes without using the dryer

[RedRobyn2021]

Are you still going to use your dryer?

We live in quite an old property and I worry about causing damp/mould

Anyone on here with young children who don't use a dryer? How have you found it?

Before our daughter I never had a dryer, I just opened the windows every day and I was out five days a week at work.

Now between me and my partner we are home 5 days a week and will need to heat the property and I feel like it would be unfair to my daughter letting it get as cold as it did before we had her.

Really worrying, hoping for ideas, solutions and to hear what others are doing?

yes I have one of those, are they called Sheila maids? they're great, my mum has one above her fireplace, I've also seen them over baths in smaller houses, with the window open and obviously not used if someone is going to make the bathroom damp which could be tricky.

@Franca123 knickers in the oven! I love it!!

We don’t have space for a drier so never had one. We’ve always just used a clothes horse in winter, however without the heating on it takes too long to dry. Last year we had a heated airer for when there was no heating on, but this will be too expensive to run this year and we would have to replace it as ours broken.

Heated airer from Lakeland and a dehumidifier here. They work together to dry things quite quickly. This year will be perhaps trickier as we are expecting another baby in a couple of weeks.

If you have a garage, car port, shed or greenhouse, rig up some washing lines in there and you can peg out whatever the weather.

The pulley racks are brilliant if you have high ceilings.

We have a stand alone spin dryer which spins quite a bit of water out of the washing even though it's been on the fastest spin cycle in the washing machine, so use that then hang out (lived in Scotland and NE England and hang washing on the line all year round - just keep an eye on the forecast for a dry day).

If it's still not quite dry it can go on a drying rack overnight.

I have 2 young kids and never had a dryer.
We have the Lakeland heated airer and it's great, not sure how much energy it uses though but a lot less than a dryer. They do take up a fair bit of space though if you get the large one.

We dry outdoors all year round. If it's dry and breezy - even overnight - the washing will dry (or mostly dry). We'll then bring it in for airing on the clothes horses. Even a couple of hours outside reduces the drying time needed indoors by loads!

I've never had a tumble drier. 2 kids, one of whom does a sport every day, as well as all the usual school uniform. DH has uniform for work which needs washed in between every set of shifts.

I have a four slat pulley in the kitchen. It's brilliant for underwear and small things as well as sports wear. I have two airers which live in the upstairs landing and hall downstairs. And a heated airer which takes about 3/4 of a load and I have on in the dining room where I work from home. Windows open everyday for at least half an hour when laundry is drying inside.

I have lines in the garden. Washing out even in winter if there is a breeze.

In winter beds don't get changed weekly as much and towels have to be aired and used at least twice before being washed.

There are days in January when I despair.

Yep. Another vote for a Sheila pully thing. Another thing I wouldn't be without. Fits a whole drum full on it.

I have a tiny utility room and have stung a washing line across it high up. I have a dehumidifier in there and if I can’t get stuff dried outside I will use this. Open the window, dehumidifier on, shut the door from the utility room to the rest of the house.

I have a PSA for you all. I tried it the other day and it works. I read months ago that you can dry washing on a drying rack with a normal household fan. So when it rained this week and I had a ton of washing to do I tried it. It works. It look approx one afternoon to get it mostly dry and then overnight it dried completely. Ordinarily it would stay damp for two days and then start to smell before drying completely.

I use the washing line in the back garden all year round.

I can't believe you have a spare bathroom which barely gets used!! We fight over our tiny one.

Could anybody recommend a particular brand of dehumidifier please?

Meaco seems to be the main one. That's what I have works well. But it doesn't cope with low temperatures so do need to heat the room a bit.

Thanks @Franca123

Although the prices have gone up from when I bought mine. But then what hasn't! Mine must be nearly a decade old and still going strong.

I might be wrong but it's always felt like we should have the window open or the dehumidifier on - not both or you'd be paying to be drying the outside air. Does anyone else know if I am being daft?

I keep the door shut. I try to get the air warm and dry in that tiny room.

I could dry thick inserts for cloth nappies overnight by using the dehumidifier, a Sheila maid and low heat in the tiny utility room. I'm pretty sure of my system!

No tumble dryer here. Heated airer in the conservatory with a window slightly open especially in winter as the room can get damp otherwise.

I read a brilliant hack on a different thread a couple of weeks ago. Get one of those polythene greenhouse type things to put your airer in. It can go out in the garden in all weathers.

Yes can vouch for a Meaco dehumidifier too! 👌🏻

I wonder this as well to be honest. The window is tiny and only open a bit and the dehumidifier is nearer the wet clothes. Maybe I should shut the window.