best way to dry clothes without a tumble dryer?

[AuntieMaggie]

Our tumble dryer has died and I'm struggling to keep up with the washing now particularly drying it. Both me and DP exercise at least once a day, sometimes twice, so some days there are three lots of clothes that need washing. Previously we used to do the washing once a week and although we didnt use the dryer for everything it made it a lot easier. We're also out of the house from about 6:30 til 6:30/7 everyday.

I'm hoping some of you wise mners can help....

I am waiting, interested. We have a pulley in our utility room. The boiler is in there too so it is generally warm. I put clothes on hangers on it so it holds quite a lot. It is still not enough. I also have an airer beside a radiator. Despite this I still struggle.

I have two airers and after seeking advice from mn have started doing load everyday. On a good dry day I stick airer in garden I not I leave it near radiator.

A pulley if you can. Our old house had a utility with a south facing window and a large cast iron pulley - was amazing - nearly 2 loads of washing and would dry in a day.

Now I still have a utility but it is internal but has the radiator pipes going through it. Smaller pulley now but again is a lifesaver. I leave the door open to get airflow.

The secret is to wash regularly - as soon as one load dry the next goes up. Don't leave it days. You can't cope with a backload with a pulley!

I have never owned a tumble drier but do have an airer for the odd occasion I just really need to get more done or have been lazy!

I have an airer and use it with a dehumdifier if I can't put the washing outside. I also do the washing regulary so as some as one load is nearly dry another load goes in.

Decent airer. The Euro ones for some reason seem better designed than the ones we've mainly had here - I guess because more of them live in flats?

This is excellent for limited space - takes up the same amount of floorspace as one of the XX airers. Ikea also do a version. There are some other ikea/minky ones as well which spread the clothes out even more but take up more floor space.

There's a heated clothes airer on an excellent offer in argos at the mo, sold out for online but if you're lucky might have one near you?

I guess we need another airer then :(

No room for a pulley - we're in a small victorian terrace.

Get a Lakeland heated airer. They're fab.

whats a pully?

I use 2 airers and the radiators.....it is a nitemare but I do manage...u just have to keep onto of it all. I do 2-3 loads a day!

Have you tried putting two or three spring loaded poles across a ceiling space and hanging coat hangers from it, iron stuff when damp and then put them on hangers and let them dry that way, I've got a tumbler and I use this method and it works for me. Hope this is okay.

A pulley is a rack like thingy that attaches to the ceiling with usually 4 long slats, with a pulley system to raise it up to the ceiling for drying and down to load it with laundry. I luuuurve mine, can get 2 full loads on it (using coathangers for t shirts, school shirts etc. Could not live without it. You can cut them down to as short as you need (mine is about 5 feet long). Saw it advertised in Good Housekeeping (guilty pleasure) I think it was called a Laundry Maid.

I try and put a load on every day but dont usually manage it so then have a catch up of 2 or three loads in one day - then whatever wont fit on the rack goes over chairs or the bannisters.

I bloody hate laundry.

boss love the tip about the spring loaded poles - where do you get them?

Yes of course
We had one, dh brought it when we moved in, only to find no good place to hang it

thanks all - how do I stop my nice soft towels being crispy?

And what about the jumpers that are all liney even after being flat dried?

Shake them vigorously and crunch them around a bit.

I line dry as much as possible even in the winter. Even a few hours outside if there's a bit of a breeze will get stuff to "damp" rather than "wet", an hour or two on the radiator / overnight in the airing cupboard should finish them off.

You exercise twice a day!! I use the washing line if it is dry or the Lakeland heated drier if it is wet.

I walk to/from work and do 3 exercise classes a week (am very sweaty due to PCOS) and DP cycles and plays football. And I'm still fat but thats another story :(

I thought you were you were going to be a Jane Fonda groupie in a leotard!!

if you have an extractor fan in your bathroom (you should have) you can hang stuff in there and leave the fan going and the door shut, at least that way it will not cause condensation, damp and mould in the rest of your house (this is the common result of draping wet stuff around the home or on top of radiators)

I have discovered the launderette! I wash the clothes, make a coffee in a travel cup, grab my book and spend a peaceful childfree hour waiting for the clothes to dry! It only cost £1 to dry my KS duvet cover.

we usually have a wing airer up in the draftiest part of the living room and a clothes horse that lives over the bath tub.

what really helps reducing drying time is an extra spin or two. the stuff comes out of the mashine so much dryer already.
also we air the whole flat (opening all windows for a few minutes) mornings and evenings to reduce damp.

I do about a load a day and usually the clothes (even jeans) dry in 24 hours.

Good tip on spring loaded poles, will investigate.

My other tip is to hang clothes up and hang them over the door frame. Things like duvets and sheets throw over rhe bannister. They dry really quickly like that.

Never found a way of getting the towels soft without the tumble dryer though.

crispy towels: using much less powder helps. I also pull the towels into shape when hanging them to dry and crunching them when dry.
if you can dry them outside, the wind softens them.

Froot, got my spring loaded poles from Home Bargins, didn't cost me a fortune - some cheap hangers and they work a treat because they are spring loaded and extend quite a way across if you want them to. Works for me!! Got a load drying in there now.

Er that should say bargains folks!! 9typing too fast)