Tumble drying Yes or no way!?

[skyebluepink]

Is it really expensive and bad for environment or is there an economical and practical answer to my washing woes. Small flat, nowhere to dry stuff etc etc. I want a tumble dryer but when I say this people look at me like I'm a terrible person.

startail you are overloading your dryer. you need to get a dryer with the biggest capacity you can afford. most are 9kg mine is 13k and each load takes approx 40 mins.

If you leave clothes in the dryer and the wrinkles are a problem, put in a wet item like a face towel and respin for a bit.

I sympathise with you - hate having the laundry on a clothes horse in the living room which is our only place. But I still chose not to have a dryer because we are 5 mins drive from a launderette. In the winter I take the wet washing I can't get dry indoors up there in a great big Ikea bluebag and tumbledry. Saves space given I much prefer to hang washing up outside whenever I can. I couldn't maintain this if I wasn't a SAHM though.

I don't iron either -careful hanging takes away that need for almost everything and dh has to do his own shirts if he really wants them done.

Get a timer so you can put it on at night that will save you ££££

I only use mine for towels as they feel like sandpaper if I don't.

I line dry whenever I can - and yes I iron because I don't like unironed clothes and I have to look smart for work.

In the winter I use a clothes horse in the spare bedroom

I've never had one.

Bunbaker - shaking the towels vigorously before hanging them on the line makes all the difference. Dh doesn't and gets short shrift as it never works well once they are dry.

I have tried that, but it doesn't work for me. MIL reckons it is because of the washing powder and conditioner I use, but I am restricted to Ecover because of DD eczema.

Nagini, does electricity cost less at night? I had never heard of that!

"Nagini, does electricity cost less at night? I had never heard of that!"

It depends on what tariff you are on. Ours costs the same regardless of what time of day it is.

I will check our tariff. It might mean some unexpected savings!

I try to get mine 80% dry outside or on rainy days on airer and hang sheets / towels over doors etc and then whack them in the dryer for 10 mins to soften themso they don't need ironing

Today for example I had a small balcony full of washing but because of sudden rain it's now semi damp. If I had a dryer no bother but as I'm off on hols I have to leave a pile of damp bloody washing.

I suppose an alternative could be a hanging pulley thingy but really I want a td now.

Thanks for your replies, it's a tidily little combined washer drier in DHs study so I never know when it's finished and he never tells me, so I fear I'm sentenced forever to creases
Will have to go and use the horrid thing now as I have huge numbers of wet towels and it is raining.

I do tumble dry my towels but that's it.

To be honest I worry that I'm going to shrink the clothes!!

We had one when we moved into our house but when it blew upbroke we dropped our electricity bill vastly by not getting another one.

In winter we dry on already-on radiators and in summer the clothes line. In weather like today's, we put on radiators and leave a couple of days. It dries even without heat.

I would recommend a dehumidifier though. Does use a bit of power but stops your wallpaper peeling if you have lots of clothes drying in the house. And if it's on besides a clothes dryer it'll get most things dry overnight.

What had stopped me using our TD for a lot of things even before it blew was the sheer amount of fluff coming out of the filter every single time. I collected how much came out in a month, figured there was a very good reason my clothing was getting very very thin, and from then on it was just bedding etc. that went in. They really do destroy clothes.

Just got my first drier, 4 months ago, and having 3 year old twins, it was a blessing, but got my first bill since getting the drier, and bill has gone up 200 pound for the quarter, it that normal to pay 50 pound a month to dry your clothes !!!

I have a dryer, while it is a godsend it does cost a lot to run. I used the line/airer whenever possible but winter I have to use it as clothes go smelly. I do try to dry a few loads on the rad airers (from the £1 shop) to get the electric costs down, they work well but means there are clothes hanging everywhere.

on the plus side I just fold the clothes as soon as the dryer has finished and there is no need for ironing :)

Don't have one and dry everything outside or if weather is terrible I will go and put big bedding stuff and towels in teh one at the local launderette. Much more powerful than home ones and only £1!

Couldn't live without mine!

krista no way that MUST be a mistake! I barely notice any difference in the winter when I tumble dry!

It's usually more energy efficient on a lower temp - the heating is much more energy-heavy that the tumbling, so the sums generally add up in favour of a longer, lower tumble.

I used to be in love with my tumble dryer until this happened to us.
www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/local/east-hampshire/faulty_electrics_spark_christmas_day_house_blaze_1_2303367

Krista I have just looked at my electricity consumption and it doesn't jump that much in winter.

Are you sure that the huge bill wasn't an actual reading and the previous one was estimated?

My electric usage is about 12 units a day in summer and was 16 units a day in winter (which was when we had the snow)

I love my tumble drier and wouldn't be without it.

I have 3 cats and 2 big hairy dogs - dryer is the only thing that actually gets the hair off. clothes, not animals I mean.