If you don't have a tumble dryer............................

[BlackCatTryingToFly]

How often do you do the washing?

I don't have one and I am finding I can only do washing every other day to make sure the stuff on the airers has dried. My back yard is too shady at this time of year so until the spring/summer I have to dry things indoors.

Before anyone suggests I buy a tumble dryer - I can't afford one.

TIA.

I dry all my clothes in the airing cupboard :)

I don't have a tumble dryer, I don't have radiators, I have just moved house and have a massive backlog of washing but can only dry one load a day so am limited to only one wash a day. I am so looking forward to getting radiators, embarrassingly so!

I also put towels and sheets over doors, especially the airing cupboard door, and the bannister rail. God my house sounds a shit hole.

lisaro my house is exactly the same and I wouldn't have it any other way!

every other day at least...but have 5 dc...

cutted me too!

I put the load on an airer and then place outside the back door in the morning, it is under cover but outside.

Then int he evening I bring in the airer and position next to the drafty back door.

by the morning it is dryish, so gets folded and placed on rads to air

start process again, I have a timer on washing machine so set to wash early morning so the load is ready and waiting when I get up.

Can you get to a launderette? I can dry two washing loads in 20 mins for a pound...

(costs a bit in petrol though...)

The launderette should become your new place to be!

£3 for a double load of washing for an hour!

wet washing contains a vast amount of water, and, if draped around the house and hung on radiators, is the main cause of condensation, damp and mould in UK houses.

Those people who haven't got, or don't use, a tumble drier - if you have an extractor fan in the bathroom (as you should) - put your airers in there, with the door and window shut and the fan running. It will take the damp outside the house.

An extractor fan is ridiculously cheap to run.

how about a spin dryer?

used to be a good idea, they were much more powerful than the early AWMs.

but I think now that spin speeds of 1200rpm and more are common, there might not be much in it.

Surprisingly, spin driers and twintubs are still made for the "more mature" person who is set in her ways.

my washing machine spins at 1400rpm

PigletJohn I've seen you post exactly this message before.
No one should use an extractor fan or even a tumble drier for that matter. I've brought up a family for 20 years and I've never used either.

My house is not damp, my children don't have bronchial problems and my electricity bills are low.

my house is not damp because of the washing. Its damp cos its a falling down shithole.
The washing eventually dries on the airer and even when its cold there's a window open for air flow. seems to work

I do at least 1 wash per day and it can be up to 3 or 4 depending on what needs doing. I have a big tower airer and a concertina airer and hang clothes to dry on them. Also have no damp problem.

Thanks for all your replies, Will have to make this a short post as I have to be somewhere soon.
Seona I have one of those tower airers and another airer. They are quite good.
I'm trying to catch up with a never ending backlog so am going to do at least 1 wash every other day.
Might pop back later.

I do have a tumble drier but rarely use it. I do one load of washing a day which has to hang in the kitchen. I hate being surrounded by washing when trying to cook but we don't have the luxury of a utility room.

cutteduppear

No one should add huge amounts of water to their home by draping wet washing around it.

But they do.

I think it might even be a good idea to add moisture to the air from drying washing. Central heating is so drying for the skin, I have itchy skin and my children have mild eczema so maybe it's a good to continue not using the tumble dryer. I had never thought of that before.

I don't think drying clothes in the house is going to leave my house riddled with damp.

My advice/suggestion (no shoulds here!) is to look at what they are washing and why...you may be able to cut back a bit, especially on towels and sheets. If you are changing them as a matter of course or following the routine your mum had or something, why not rethink this and consider how often you actually NEED to do them? Also things lke school sweatshirts and trousers I always sponge off yoghurt/toothpaste in the evening and make them last 2 or 3 days. Polo shirts under sweatshirts in winter for primary dc (pre-hormones!) can also be worn for 2 or 3 days.

I have never had a tumble drier, never will, have always line and indoor dried, never had a damp problem, but do get by with 2-3 loads a week (went up to 4 when washing nappies). I do have an airing cupboard and a very handy bannister for draping towels and sheets over.

my perspective is warped by the number of people who say "my house is badly built, water streams down the windows and we have black mould on the walls and on clothes in cupboards, how can I punish the builder/landlord/window fitters/architect/insulation contractor for this?"

LieIns That is something I forget about (wiping stuff with a damp cloth!). I have seen my mum do it and it probably would cut down some of the washing.
I only wash stuff if it is dirty or smelly. I wouldn't just wash for the sake of washing.
I do try and make some clothes last more than one day but if it has some dirt or spills on then it goes in the wash.

yes their houses are badly built. Drying clothes will not be causing damp of that degree.

I was going to ask this too!

We haven't any oil at the mo, just two elec rads downstairs.

Washing like there's no tomorrow. Recently out of bedtime nappies daughter plus a recent spait of headline means loads of sheets. Add to that dirty work clothes daily from dp, I hardly get a chance to even do my clothes!

Have everything draped/hung everywhere.