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Housekeeping

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Original poster

How do you deal with washing in the winter...

51 replies

blahrahrah · 07/08/2010 21:47

...when you dont have a tumble drier?

With this recent spate of crap weather I have got behind and it is starting to pile up.

I have two airers and wash everyday, but it just never seems to dry. This is going to be a BIG problem in winter with a household of five and one in cloth nappies!

How do you dry sheets etc and not end up with a house with clothes drying everywhere/sheets hanging off doors and looking like a laundry? What if people come over??? Shock The house would look very messy! Blush

How do you get things to dry quickly?

(I come from a hot country so this is all new to me!)

OP posts:
mamadiva · 08/08/2010 10:27

I did buy a washer/drier thinking it would be handy but the drier part is crap so has been used maybe two or three times but the washing machine is great so that's something Hmm

We are quite lucky that the 2 bedrooms in our house have double door cupboards so any big items get hung over them (jeans, towels, bedding etc), the airer is used for smaller things and then we use a small round airer thing that you hook over a washing line for underwear, cloths etc. This seems to work for us although it does take a while.

Like the idea of radiator airers over doors rather than just on doors as it means you could hang stuff on the inside of room doors and no one would notice from the outside :o

bran · 08/08/2010 10:41

I have a rectractable line like this in the children's bathroom. It's quite a small room so in winter I put the radiator on high and it heats up very quickly. If the light gets switched on now and then the extractor fan goes on too which helps to suck out the moisture.

I also have a fold-up airer in the kitchen and a heated airer in our bedroom. The heated airer is particularly good for small things like socks and if I need to dry something quickly I lie it across the top.

themildmanneredjanitor · 08/08/2010 15:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LittleCheesyPineappleOne · 08/08/2010 16:07

I could squeeze one in but find it environmentally a bit iffy. I think I'd feel too guilty to use it. With my overhead airer all the washing dries in one place and it's pretty subtle really.

DaftApeth · 08/08/2010 16:33

I rarely use the dryer of my washer-dryer as it is crap and very expensive, imo.

I give most washes an extra spin before removing from the washing machine - except when we are having a heat wave! I do think it makes a difference compared to one spin.

I use the shower room with underfloor heating and heated towel rail to put the airers in when need be but most things dry in the loft rooms overnight becuase it is usually quite warm up there.

Sheets and towels are done separately and hung over banisters and doors to dry.

I always have washing drying somewhere but at least can now (since loft conversion) keep it upstairs and out of the way.

pippop1 · 08/08/2010 19:45

I have been known to dry odd items (e.g. school trousers) with a hairdryer if they are not quite dry enough to wear.

PlanetEarth · 08/08/2010 20:05

We have a pulley over the stairs (about the warmest place in our house, and a good drop for sheets). Also a dehumidifier, which helps.

peachybums · 08/08/2010 21:54

OMG blahrahrah do you live in my house? Im exactly the same, 5 of us and one in cloth nappies :(. I use airer for the nappies and some of those sock dryers with pegs on for the boosters. Everything else goes on the radiators but when its warm and raining i feel a tit with heating on and windows open!

Il be watching this thread as i need to do something as have little space due to living in a bungalow :(

minimathsmouse · 08/08/2010 23:40

I have a sheila maid airer over the stairs and up in the stairwell. Its the warmest part of the house as all the warm air rises straight up the stairs. It is fab, towels dry in a bout 7 hrs and lighter clothes very quickly. Sounds like Planet earth has done the same, we can't both be wrong!
I can't believe I'm looking at questions in house keeping, I'm off!

themildmanneredjanitor · 09/08/2010 08:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

moragbellingham · 09/08/2010 10:02

3p an hour for the Lakeland drier! That's good.
I don't use our washer/tumble drier under instruction from DH due to the expense. It is crap admittedly but the house in winter is festooned with washing day in, day out as I do a daily wash.
I have got this for t-shirts and shirts (a cheaper imitation of this airer.Along with four Minky/JL airers.
I have learnt to live with it as we have open plan downstairs it's all in view.

bubble2bubble · 09/08/2010 10:07

Lakeland heated airer changed my lifeGrin

Can fit 2-3 loads of washing on it. Love it, love it, love it..

Lemonylemon · 09/08/2010 13:25

I do have a tumble drier, but only use it for emergencies.

I have those things that hang over radiators.

www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/8504405/Trail/searchtext%3EAIRER.htm
but my ones have five rungs. I have these on every radiator in the house. I've also got an airer which stands over the bath and a gate radiator, which I can stand in my hallway. Little things like socks and underwear, just hang over the top of the radiator.

mousymouse · 09/08/2010 13:33

I have a clothes horse that fits over the bathtub and takes about one load. takes about a day to dry.
I have a washer dryer, but only use the dryer to fluff up the towels and in case I need something dry quickly.
I also have this from IKEA and this from vileda in case I need more. but I hate to have the flat full of drying clothes so I try to restict myself to a wash every other day so the one in the bathroom is enough.

peachybums · 09/08/2010 17:29

themildmanneredjanitor We really dont have space for one! our kitchen is so tiny, we dont have a utility room, we have no space in any of the bedrooms, we dont have a dining room either! I would love a dryer but we just cant :(. We thought about putting one on the top above the washer but the boiler is in the way and everywhere else has cupboards!

4plus1 · 11/08/2010 16:16

Tip for anyone building own house. Squeeze in a drying room somewhere. Ours is only 4ftx4ft but it has a radiator and slotted shelves from floor to ceiling. Its the most useful thing ever. Clothes are out of the way and dry really quickly.

mousymouse · 11/08/2010 18:11
Envy
GBR · 12/08/2010 17:16

We've got our boiler and hot water tank in our utility room, with a Sheila Maid (I think it's called - a rack that hangs off the ceiling anyway) and a rail for clothes hangers in there - everything dries within 24 hours as even in summer the water tank is in use for showers, etc. In winter with the heating on twice a day, stuff dries even faster.

I think it's the best room in our house!

magichomes · 13/08/2010 18:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mizu · 13/08/2010 20:14

We haven't got central heating either. In the winter we do a couple of loads and take it to the laundrette.

At the moment I am waiting til Sunday as the forecast is good. So Saturday night I will put a load on and then another Sunday morning.

Those Lakeland things look fab.

SayItOnce · 13/08/2010 20:17

Radiators, clothes horses and there are only two of us.
I live in Scotland so this is a year round issue.

I did have a washer/drier, but I avoided using it-too expensive, and now I don't have the drier.

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 13/08/2010 20:34

We have a drier which we use in the winter and when it's raining for sheets, towels, underwear and cloth nappies. Other things go on the airer which I sit next to the patio doors so that it gets the warmth of the sun on it. Can't bear things draped over radiators and everywhere, plus it makes the house feel damp which is not good for my asthmatic lungs!

Then everything goes in the airing cupboard to finish drying.

I would love, love, love to have a laundry room.

katiewins22 · 07/01/2011 22:46

Hi - I know this is an old thread but I have been thinking about the Lakeland Plug In Airer. I have been using tumble drier practically non-stop for the last 6 weeks due to the weather. Too wet and snowy outside to dry - cant stand tons of washing draped all over house - ended up with more washing due to being out in the snow all the time!

Really don't like the tumble dryer

  • Mainly the cost - dreading to see latest bill
also - environment (I have to say that!!) and I have had a few disasters with the drier - one lovely newish boden jumper in particular Sad

What I would like to know is - how does the cost of usage compare to a tumble dryer - does anybody know?? and does it fold up well?

thanks K. (current washing status = drier just finished with some shirts in - clothes airer in study - have to move it to get to computer! - clothes on 4 radiators - not a happy Katie)

gregssausageroll · 08/01/2011 08:46

Tumble dryer here too! Stuff on airers in spare room and sheets over doors!

I so miss my laundry in Australia! It was huge. Washing machine, dryer, sink, space for 3 airers up and full as well as iron and irnong board up.

Could fill it and shut the door - brilliant.

BadPoet · 08/01/2011 17:04

I do have a tumbler dryer but try not to use it - I have a pulley, an over-bath airer and use radiators. I also sometimes hang sheets over the shower curtain rail (over the bath). I agree that bathrooms are good, with heating on ours gets nice and toasty for quick drying.

Guests - for coffee etc during the week I don't worry about laundry being visible, at least it's clean! If we have people over in the evening in theory I plan so that there won't be any drying but last time we were caught out by people arriving early and there was still some over the bath. Decided I didn't care.

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