Washing and drying

[WittgensteinsBunny]

I am just getting on top of our washing pile but it's not drying very well at the moment and everything's got the slightly musty or cooking smell to it. Not the lovely outdoors line dried smell.

I have a washer / dryer. I reckon i do a load everyday or 2 loads over a few days. So about 8/9 loads a week.

I have 2 airers. And a washing line. We have a small house, no utility or garage. All rooms are used. I have space for the airers in the bathroom and kitchen (just about) where we have underfloor heating.

I obviously get it done but I'm just wondering if there is a better way over the colder months and to make sure our clothes smell clean!

Wash clothes less frequently?
I find my washing pile is reduced in the winter as clothes don't seem to get as dirty as we're not as hot etc.

We don't have a lot of floor space so we put up one of those pullout lines (attaches to the wall on either side) in our small conservatory - it gets nice and warm during the day and can dry quite quickly. Could you have one in your bathroom?

What about a heated airer? Would dry quicker at least

On a dry day even in winter I put the washing on the line just for an hour or so, it doesn't dry but helps with the smell when you dry indoors.

I literally take stuff out the washer and chuck it straight in the dryer in winter, can't be doing with it hanging around picking up smells!

A dehumidifier would help everything to dry faster (and help to prevent the wetness of the laundry simply making your house wet.)

I have one of these, which is great if you have room for one. Ours is on the ceiling above the stairwell. Its out of the way and cannot be seen from downstairs

www.lakeland.co.uk/23727/The-LOFTI-Aluminium-Ceiling-Pulley-Indoor-Clothes-Airer-7m

Do you have an extractor fan in the bathroom? Put the clothes on an airer over the bath, put the extractor on and close the door. Modern extractor fans are not expensive to run and you won't cause a condensation/damp problem in the house. This is a tip I picked up from PigletJohn btw. Or get a tumble dryer.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Do heated airers get very hot? I have an 18mo and 3yo and would be worried about having one if it's a hazard?

We do have an extractor and our house is all limeplaster, so no damp problems plus underfloor heating on all the time. It's just that the clothes are taking a long time to dry and bathroom is downstairs next to kitchen, so picking up smells. I think I'll start washing so it's finished at breakfast time and hand outside on dry days, use more tumble dryer and ask dh if we can have hanging thing upstairs. Very interested in the heated dryer.

I'd get a Dehumidifier in the room that would defintley help.