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Original poster

Drying clothes without using the dryer

180 replies

RedRobyn2021 · 27/08/2022 15:34

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?

OP posts:
chillipenguin · 27/08/2022 19:21

Never had a dryer. Wish we had when LO was younger tbh. We're just going to keep using the airers and maybe get some thinner towels in so they dry quicker.

JesusMaryAndJosephAndTheWeeDon · 27/08/2022 19:28

Never had a dryer until this year and have only used it once to test it. I do often give the washing an extra spin before I take it out.

I dry on a clothes horse/maiden.

When I had central heating I would dry on the radiators but since living in a house with no gas I have used maidens. I always have the windows open a crack 24/7 unless the weather is really extreme, and I would do that for health reasons even if I didn't dry indoors.

In the depths of winter I run a dehumidifier to avoid damp but most of the year just having a bit of ventilation is sufficient.

GreatBigExpectations · 27/08/2022 19:38

I’m out of the house for 14 hours a day on my work days so I will continue to use my dryer where necessary. It’s old, so when it eventually stops working it will be replaced with a heat pump one.

RomComPhooey · 27/08/2022 19:41

OddBoots · 27/08/2022 19:07

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?

Show quote history

I agree. One or the other. There isn’t enough electricity in the UK to dry out the surrounding area here. I’m only interested in paying to dry the smallest room in our house.

FacebookPhotos · 27/08/2022 19:45

I dry washing on a normal airer in the box room. I don't have a dehumidifier so I leave the window on the latch setting almost permanently. No damp issues in 7 years of living here.

Jellybean23 · 27/08/2022 20:01

Definitely shut the window when using the dehumidifier. Similarly, you'd close the car windows when using the aircon.

Drying washing in a spare room is fine if the window is ajar, airflow is important there so as not to trap the dampness in the room.

Original poster
RedRobyn2021 · 27/08/2022 20:05

@MarmiteCoriander

We have a garden with a clothes line which I'm using at the moment when it's sunny and we have an airer with a little rope pull on the landing. But we couldn't fit all our clothes on it from a full wash.

OP posts:
Noonoo88 · 27/08/2022 20:07

RedRobyn2021 · 27/08/2022 20:05

@MarmiteCoriander

We have a garden with a clothes line which I'm using at the moment when it's sunny and we have an airer with a little rope pull on the landing. But we couldn't fit all our clothes on it from a full wash.

@RedRobyn2021 could you put your clothes on clothes hangers and hang them from said rope? That's what I do as like you I couldn't fit a full wash on one line

Original poster
RedRobyn2021 · 27/08/2022 20:08

OddBoots · 27/08/2022 15:47

Do you have one room you can use with the window open but the door closed?

No unfortunately not, only 2 bedrooms. We used to use the second bedroom for washing

OP posts:
paulmccartneysbagel · 27/08/2022 20:09

I am going to try doing one small load per day and hanging on the airer. If I overload the airer things will take ages to dry. And I don't want laundry hung all around the house.

I will hopefully only use the dryer for towels and bedding.

Original poster
RedRobyn2021 · 27/08/2022 20:13

Devo1818 · 27/08/2022 15:58

I am considering exactly the same, OP. 2 young kids and both work full time.

My concern is - do dehumidifiers or heated airers cost much less to run than tumble dryers?

Also, I already own a tumble dryer - so I would need to pay for a dehumidifier or heated airer. Which seems like I would be paying £80 in order to save £80 a year...

I'm thinking the same!

OP posts:
Original poster
RedRobyn2021 · 27/08/2022 20:17

Devo1818 · 27/08/2022 16:01

Reading through this, I think I will use the line as much as possible, and conservatory with the inner door closed and outer door slightly open with a standard clothes airer. Also wash clothes less often and use the tumble dryer when needed.

A few people on here seem to have mentioned the conservatory but mine is freezing in the winter, the clothes wouldn't dry

OP posts:
OddBoots · 27/08/2022 20:19

"According to the Energy Saving Trust, the average tumble dryer uses roughly 4.5 kWh per cycle." blog.domesticandgeneral.com/articles/cost-of-running-a-tumble-dryer/

So at 30.8p / kWh that is £1.38 per load or at 55.4p/ kWh that would be £2.49 per load

Original poster
RedRobyn2021 · 27/08/2022 20:20

dollyblack · 27/08/2022 16:04

I don’t have a dryer but do have a heated airer and a dehumidifier- i too am wondering about the costs of running those. That said we have no alternative as our garden doesnt get the sun in winter or passing breeze as v high walls.

We have a similar problem as our garden is north facing

OP posts:
Original poster
RedRobyn2021 · 27/08/2022 20:21

Hakeandling · 27/08/2022 16:09

I do think the answer might be to wash clothes less.
as children we usually wore the same clothes to school all week with spot cleaning and airing inbetween times.
our issue is towels. I need to get much stricter with everyone airing and reusing their own towel a few times

I could try but it's a pain with my daughter, she gets muck and food on herself all the time. She's only 18 months

OP posts:
Original poster
RedRobyn2021 · 27/08/2022 20:22

AntlerRose · 27/08/2022 16:10

Dont forget microfibre towels dry much quicker. We got some for camping and its all the kids use now

This is such a good suggestion

OP posts:
Original poster
RedRobyn2021 · 27/08/2022 20:26

JohnLapsleyParlabane · 27/08/2022 16:23

I got rid of our (inherited, so v. old) tumbler about 4y ago. I got a handyman to fit a pulley airer over the stairs, and invested in a dessicant dehumidifier. Bedroom windows opened for about 20 mins at least almost every day, and run the dehumidifier for a couple of hours once a week. No damp issues.

We have a pulley airer and I love it but it's not big enough to fit a full load of washing.

OP posts:
Original poster
RedRobyn2021 · 27/08/2022 20:41

TheDogsMother · 27/08/2022 17:08

In the summer it's gets hung out, in the winter it hangs in the airing cupboard. The airing cupboard is fairly big with the shelves taking up only half of the depth. DH invested some racks that drop down from the wall on the right so we can dry a whole load of washing overnight. It's a brilliant thing.

It is my dream to have a house with an airing cupboard. That and a pantry.

OP posts:
flapjackfairy · 27/08/2022 20:41

@QuebecBagnet
You are supposed to keep all windows shut if using a dehumidifier. Otherwise you are not controlling the humidity and allowing more damp in.

Silenceisgreat · 27/08/2022 20:49

Have just ordered a heated airer from Lakeland.

Unforgettablefire · 27/08/2022 20:53

I've a drier and it's ancient so probably guzzles electric. I only use it to finish drying a down coat as they need to be fluffed up. Apart from that I'll use the clothes horse in the spare room.
Can you get washing dry in the winter? I imagine it would stay damp? It's not something I've ever done but this year I'll try it instead of the radiators.

Marotte · 27/08/2022 21:14

Get a dehumidifier that also filters the air, they cost so much less to run than a tumbledryer. We use ours to both help our clothes dry and sort out condensation and pollution in our home air. So we move it room to room (eg in the hall next to the internal bathroom that has no windows and a poor extraction system we can't do anything about). We don't run it daily, just when there are towels or cottons drying, or the air seems particularly humid from baths/showers/the weather etc. Maybe once or twice a week.

RomeoOscarXrayIndigoEcho · 27/08/2022 21:50

For large items these are amazing. I can get a single duvet and single sheet on one.

Or a king size duvet on one only. If I've double spun the wash and used this any thing on it dries in less than 8 hours.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/JoomUr-Blanket-Hangers-Sun-dried-MattressWashing/dp/B0822LYJP2?pdrddw=zL5p4&content-id=amzn1.sym.497d4c70-b5c1-4495-b6bd-715afe1a9b35&pfrddp=497d4c70-b5c1-4495-b6bd-715afe1a9b35&pfrddr=SEDHWGNYE7ANW3SAT33K&pdrddwg=4NPeE&pdrddr=68b5748b-7c35-4919-9d9b-d8eb252bc7bd&pdrddi=B0822LYJP2&psc=1&ref=pddbasbiaarptbaas33sc

Drying clothes without using the dryer
Cynderella · 27/08/2022 21:56

RomeoOscarXrayIndigoEcho · 27/08/2022 21:50

These look genius but the reviews are mixed - trying to think where I could hang them ...

Sprogonthetyne · 27/08/2022 21:59

We're 2 adults and 2 children and have never had a dryer. Washing line in the garden for 9 months a year, when it's wet outside I have a ceiling mounted hanger suspended over the stairs on a pully. I leave the door to the bathroom open and put the extractor fan on, and that seems to keep the condensation in check.