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Original poster

How do you dry your laundry in winter?

74 replies

BerylStreep · 12/09/2011 17:00

Having never had a tumble drier, I may have to now admit defeat. I have always dried clothes over the radiators in winter, but we have recently had the house renovated / redecorated, and DH says he can't bear to have clothes on radiators any longer.

I have resisted the idea of tumble driers as I suspect I would shrink things, it would cost a fortune and generally be bad for the environment.

How do you manage?

OP posts:
Original poster
BerylStreep · 12/09/2011 18:34

Sorry, X post.

It's both the general messiness and paintwork issue that DH doesn't like about drying on radiators. I don't exactly welcome the look of clothes on the radiators either, but it is how we have always done it in the past, and at least it is only for a few hours until laundry is dry. This particular time of year is worst, as we don't really have the heating on yet, but the weather is not reliable enough to hang outside.

OP posts:
garlicbutty · 12/09/2011 18:38

nbee, couldn't you put your laundry in a cupboard with a fan heater? Confused

Abra1d · 12/09/2011 18:39

You'd run the risk of damp if the cupboard wasn't ventilated.

nbee84 · 12/09/2011 18:41

And a fire!!! Grin

PuppyMonkey · 12/09/2011 18:43

Get a tumble dryer. Get a life. Grin The labels tell what can and can't go in so you cant shrink stuff v easily. Anything that can't gets put on a airer I have that attaches to a radiator in my utility room in a most discreet manner.

Can't stand washing drying on radiators. But I always use the washing line in summer, or put it in my conservatory on a clothes horse if raining.

daenerysstormborn · 12/09/2011 18:45

also have never had a tumble dryer. i always use an outdoor washing line, even in winter. anything still damp goes on the radiators or airer.

upahill · 12/09/2011 18:47

Tumble dryer.
Brillliant when you have to do a wash and dry at short notice.

I can't bear airers and racks with clothes all over the place.
Towels take ages to dry, bedding just becomes meters and meters of fabric drapped everywhere.

I still peg out when ever I can but it's great to have a back up plan.

CaptainMartinCrieff · 12/09/2011 18:51

I'd buy a tumble drier, I would not be able to cope with clothes all over the place!

Original poster
BerylStreep · 12/09/2011 19:38

HOOVER WDYN966PG Washer Dryer - White
Wash capacity 9 kg
Drying capacity 6 kg
Spin speed: 1600 rpm
Energy rating: A

Marking for later.

OP posts:
coccyx · 12/09/2011 19:41

Agree with your OH, hate to see crispy clothes on radiators. tumble drier every time

TheGhostNotMe · 12/09/2011 19:57

I have a tumble dryer. First autumn in this house I tried the drying on radiators - and the whole house was smelly and damp within 2 hours. I dry things like sheets, jumpers, jeans - most of the kids clothes in fact - in the tumbler. My stuff I tend to do on the rads as its light stuff (think layers, chiffon tops and lycra vest tops) which can easily shrink. I havent used it since April though, as the weather has been great for drying outside. Dreading needing to pull it out to use again, but seriously would never be without it now.

Original poster
BerylStreep · 12/09/2011 20:06

Or this one:
Bosch Logixx WVH28420GB Washer Dryer, White

OP posts:
lizzie712 · 12/09/2011 20:12

I have a heated airer from Lakeland, not cheap at about £75 but it works really well ! You just unfold it and plug it in, heats the room well too !!

ivykaty44 · 12/09/2011 20:17

Two airers - placed outside under cover - there is a place between garage and kitchen door - with a small clothes line as well.

I set timer on washing machine to finish when I get in from work and then load the washing onto the two airers and clothes line. Each load goes out and replaces the load coming in. If the load coming in is still slightly damp then it goes in the tumble drier for 10 minutes to dry it off. Or folded and placed on the radiator to dry of the last dampness.

At my old house we had a storage heater on the landing and put up a pole between the walls and hung a lot of stuff on hangers to dry over the storage heater. it used to dry over night and then iron or place straight in the wardrobe as it was already on hangers - not wooden hangers though as they make marks

TinyPawz · 12/09/2011 20:19

I suffered two winters in a tiny poke flat with E7 heating trying to dry clothes on clothes horses. They were out Sat-Fri in the sitting/living/dining room (only place with heathers), drove me nuts.

I took complete head staggers and bought tumble dryer. Like you have no space for another appliance in the kitchen, so dryer lives in a corner of my bedroom. All washing and drying done in one day! So worth the money

dearprudence · 12/09/2011 20:20

I have a pulley. It's fabulous. I do also use tumble dryer for towels and bedding.

zebrafinch · 12/09/2011 20:29

I have a washer drier but never use the drying part as I think its too expensive. I have bought like a previous poster the lakeland electric airing rack@ about £75 . They say its really cheap to run something like 3pence an hour??? I am not sure if I got this right as it seems incredibly cheap. Lidl are doing a cheap plug in energy monitor this week and I am tempted to check this out. Anyway it is sturdy and great for getting clothes of the radiators and it heats up the space around it whilst drying the clothes.

welliesandpyjamas · 12/09/2011 20:30

Oh maaaan, I want to buy the sea!! (sorry, chestnutx Grin)

JollySergeantJackrum · 12/09/2011 20:36

We have this

I love it. It does take some time to dry though, so not appropriate if you have vast amounts of laundry. I would definitely recommend signing up to which? for the free trial (just remember to cancel it!). It was invaluable when we chose our machine.

Pinner35 · 12/09/2011 20:43

Lizzie712 - I have one of those heated airers and i agree, it is fab. I also have a tumble dryer meaning I am never behind with laundry and it's all confined to my utility room. Bliss.

Sidge · 12/09/2011 20:50

I have a tumble drier.

I refuse to have clothes draped all over my house and radiators. I don't want to live in a laundry. I wash most days, including sheets, and don't want them all over the place. Clothes drying on radiators in the winter means the heating is drying clothes, and not heating the rooms. It also creates damp.

But beware of washer/dryers - apparently they're nowhere near as efficient as separate appliances. Do you have somewhere like a garage where you could park a condenser drier? It doesn't have to be next to your washer.

garlicbutty · 12/09/2011 20:57

I bought my tumble dryer second-hand for £60 [smug]
I want one of those Lakeland things as well, now! Don't see too many of them in the free ads paper; it'll have to go on my incredibly long list of Things To Buy When I'm Better Off (if I don't die of old age first.)

dexter73 · 12/09/2011 21:23

I have a lakeland heated dryer and it is great. I never have washing draped all over the house! It goes in the spare room and we don't get any problems with damp as our house is properly ventilated.

Catsmamma · 12/09/2011 21:29

tumble dryer and or airer in the room with the woodburner, it gets really toasty in there

if you catch the dryer as it finishes and fold stuff warm you hardly need to iron a thing.

i cannot be doing with laundry malingering about!

AmazingBouncingFerret · 12/09/2011 21:33

Am I the only one sniggering at the poster that dries her clothing over the flamings of a good AIBU thread?? Grin

I use a tumble dryer or a clothes horse thingy in the utility room.

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