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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Clothes Airers

36 replies

Duchess87 · 04/09/2024 08:50

Hi my dd is off to uni & I’m wondering about washing quite a few of her clothes can’t be tumbled dried , tbh things like her jogging bottoms I drip dry hung out in the garden , hoodies will shrink in the tumble dryer as well

I know that a lot of halls don’t allow clothes horses due to damp

How do your kids manage please? Do they have airers I’ve heard that the rooms get very hot

OP posts:
porridgecake · 04/09/2024 08:55

Get her a small dehumidifier to switch on while her washing is on the airer. It will be dry in no time and the room will not get damp.

Original poster
Duchess87 · 04/09/2024 09:11

Thankyou , I was thinking that as we’ve got a big one at home
Any recommendations please ?

OP posts:
porridgecake · 04/09/2024 09:16

It has been years since my dc were at university. I suppose reading reviews is the best way. They are much smaller these days which is great for small spaces.

Original poster
Duchess87 · 04/09/2024 09:53

They are very good mine is brilliant but I’m just wondering if they’ll dry the air out too much what with the room being small & the central heating

OP posts:
babyzoomer · 04/09/2024 09:54

I am hoping an over the radiator type one will be enough for my DC's non-tumble dry clothes, or I have got some over the door hooks (not the main door, but e.g. wardrobe door) so they can be hung to dry. It's not ideal is it, and the rooms are so small.

Seeline · 04/09/2024 09:59

They have to use the tumble dryers.

Most halls do not allow heated airers, and many do not allow any type of airer. They will be confiscated. Students will be in breach if their contracts, which could result in severe consequences.

The rooms are just not big enough to dry more than one or two small items. Over radiator airers often do not work due to the type of heater provided and/or its location. My DDs last year was under the (fixed) desk.

CrochetMadRosie · 04/09/2024 10:26

DS's accommodation stipulates no dehumidifiers - it might be worth double checking if you're thinking of getting one.

I'm hoping he can hang a few t-
shirts that don't tumble on a hanger in his en-suite if necessary, but I know most won't have one so that might not help!

Seeline · 04/09/2024 10:31

@CrochetMadRosie the en suites don't really get dry enough to dry clothes in in my experience!

The best advice I can give is don't take things that can't be tumbled.
My DCs had ordinary airers, used just for that - airing things that weren't quite dry after the one cycle in the tumbler (too expensive to do more than1 cycle!).

Original poster
Duchess87 · 04/09/2024 10:31

I fully understand why their not allowed but I think a lot of my DD’s clothes will be ruined in a tumble dryer

OP posts:
Seeline · 04/09/2024 10:33

@Duchess87 by the time they've thrown all their laundry in the same wash a couple of times, they'll mostly be ruined anyway!
My DS swore by colour catchers, but all his white T-shirts are definitely grey now Grin

StuckOnTheCeiling · 04/09/2024 10:34

I have an airer which hangs over a door. Could be useful for a small uni room.

Comefromaway · 04/09/2024 10:35

Seeline · 04/09/2024 10:31

@CrochetMadRosie the en suites don't really get dry enough to dry clothes in in my experience!

The best advice I can give is don't take things that can't be tumbled.
My DCs had ordinary airers, used just for that - airing things that weren't quite dry after the one cycle in the tumbler (too expensive to do more than1 cycle!).

Not really possible when you are studying dance or sport!

My daughter took an airer with her to dance college which was put up in the kitchen with the window open for ventilation. She's now going back to uni to study sports science and is taking a heated airer. She checked and they are allowed.

My son doesn't have this issue but told me others in his halls had heated airers in the kitchen.

Seeline · 04/09/2024 10:46

@Comefromaway I've never seen anywhere where airers are allowed in a kitchen! Apart from it being a shared facility, and not wanting to impose your laundry on other residents, it would be a major fire hazard! They would have been removed by cleaners in both my DCs halls.

TenSheds · 04/09/2024 10:53

Duchess87 · 04/09/2024 10:31

I fully understand why their not allowed but I think a lot of my DD’s clothes will be ruined in a tumble dryer

Or the dryers will be damaged by the clothes, if metal content etc! Virtually none of my DD's clothes are tumble dryer suitable. Yet to check halls permissions re airer.

FunLurker · 04/09/2024 10:57

My DD had a airer, they weren't allowed humidifier or heated airers, she said at night they all use to put um outside their doors, unless they were having a party.

Comefromaway · 04/09/2024 11:56

Seeline · 04/09/2024 10:46

@Comefromaway I've never seen anywhere where airers are allowed in a kitchen! Apart from it being a shared facility, and not wanting to impose your laundry on other residents, it would be a major fire hazard! They would have been removed by cleaners in both my DCs halls.

Neither of the 4 different halls I have experience of have ever seen a cleaner apart from at the very beginning and end of the tenancies. (Fresh, Unite, Campus Living & Unipol).

Seeline · 04/09/2024 11:59

Really? None of mine were at posh unis, or in particularly posh unis, but communal areas - kitchens, bathrooms etc were cleaned. Although, if the kitchens were in too much of a state, they wouldn't be cleaned until the students sorted out the mess.
These were all uni-owned accommodation so maybe that makes a difference.

CrochetMadRosie · 04/09/2024 12:57

@Seeline Ah, ok. Thank you.
I was thinking things like sports tops that can't be tumbled but dry fairly quickly might be ok... maybe not then!
Sure he'll work it out.

Comefromaway · 04/09/2024 14:06

Stairwells and common rooms (the ones for the entire block not the communal kitchen) are cleaned. The cleaners don't enter the flats themselves. Occasionally a maintenance contractor might if they need to repair something.

The institutions my two attend/attended don't actually own their own accommodation but use partner providers although ds's in 1st year was exclusive to that uni and on the uni site itself.

lanthanum · 04/09/2024 15:02

I'm going to have to work out what can and can't be tumbled, so I can advise. I haven't used a tumble drier for 30 years! I've not seen any rule about airers for DD, but apparently the tumble driers are free, presumably to encourage them to use them.

Comefromaway · 04/09/2024 15:06

If it has the square tumble dryer sign on with a cross through then it shouldn't be tumbled.

Most sportwear/lycra comes under this as does things like jackets, wool & viscose. I also find that if you tumble dry anything with a transfer it peels.

Angrymum22 · 07/09/2024 22:28

Most of DS’s sports kit dries very quickly in a tumble drier. He only has a couple of jumpers that can’t be tumble dried but I have advised hanging them on coat hangers to air dry. They are not allowed clothes airers in hall. I can understand why, in small rooms damp becomes a major problem. I only use a couple of radiators to dry clothes on at home in areas with plenty of ventilation, the hall and spare room where doors and windows are opened regularly.

I think that they just have to take clothing that is easy to maintain and they are not too precious about. Cheap clothes that they don’t mind wrecking and are easily replaced.

PatriciaHolm · 07/09/2024 23:18

Comefromaway · 04/09/2024 14:06

Stairwells and common rooms (the ones for the entire block not the communal kitchen) are cleaned. The cleaners don't enter the flats themselves. Occasionally a maintenance contractor might if they need to repair something.

The institutions my two attend/attended don't actually own their own accommodation but use partner providers although ds's in 1st year was exclusive to that uni and on the uni site itself.

Edited

DDs Uni halls flat in Cardiff last year definitely had cleaners in the flat, they did the kitchen and bathroom. DS has been told his will too (different Uni), and includes his bedroom. So it definitely depends on Uni.

WriterOfWrongs · 07/09/2024 23:22

There’s going to be a cleaner at DD’s halls on campus to clean some of the areas (kitchen & bathrooms).

I’m not sure whether to get her an air dryer, will probably wait and see.

Copperoliverbear · 07/09/2024 23:26

Heated clothes airer