Drying clothes outside in cold weather?

[LadyMetroland]

My washing machine is bust, it washes but won't spin clothes, so they're sopping wet. Repair person can't come til Monday - and I have 3 young kids!

Would it be utter madness to hang them outdoors. It is dry out there - but obviously v cold (5 degrees)?

Get them mostly dry outside then finish them on radiators as they won't dry properly they'll be cold damp iyswim

Well they're outside now so I'll see how much water comes off.

I've got a condenser tumble dryer so they do need to be 'damp' rather than 'sopping' before I put them in

Can no-one spin them for a you? Family, a friend or neighbour? I know I would do this for someone, especially with littlies.

I do have lovely neighbours I could ask if desperate - but if I can get clothing to dry in the garden I can probably manage til Monday.

Just hope they can fix it (has been intensively used for 4-5yrs. We're talking average of 2 washes per day)

If you put wet clothes on radiators to try without being very careful to open get windows you will get mould. I would use a launderette or get a friend to spin them for you. The hang outside. Bring them in when it gets dark and only then air dry in the house. With ventilation.

Meanwhile, trynot to need to wash so much especially now it's winter. Things like jumpers and trousers kids and adults can wear a few times, and just wash underwear and tshirts and similar.

If you have a dryer then yeah they should get dry enough to be tumbled outside if it's not raining. They won't be cupboard dry but certainly not dripping wet

Towels have been outside for 4 hours. Still sopping wet - far too wet for the tumble dryer. So I can confirm that cold weather is not conducive to getting things dry! Neighbours may have to be called upon...

Rule of thumb is - if the ground is drying, clothes will dry. If the ground stays wet all that that moisture is going nowhere!

If it gets down to feeezing they'll dry very quickly. They dry hard as a rock but restore to fluffiness the next time you wash them. If it's not due to rain, leave them out overnight and let the freezing dry them.

no, what you will have there is icy clothes, not dry ones!
you REALLY need to get the stuff spun (unless you have mangle hiding somewhere)

How can stuff be too wet for tumble dryer? That's what the dryer is for, to dry them

No, letting stuff freeze solid dries it. I've done it plenty of times!

You need breeze enough to dry the ground at this time of year. Then washing will dry.

If the UK power grid dashboard shows zero from wind ( as common in a UK winter) and it isn't sunny, no chance.

No freezing weather dries things. No idea why, but they freeze solid, you thing them inside all solid, & within minutes they are utterly dry.

That is v interesting Lizzie. I wonder how that works as you'd expect the water in the fabric to turn to ice.

Anyhow the saga of my washing machine continues as it has officially given up washing as well as spinning. Dread to think what this is all going to cost.

I'm not sure - I'm not very sciency:) But my mum always did it and I have too. It's lovely on sheets. I'd wrong towels out first, give them a quick shake so they don't freeze w too many wrinkles, & up they go. They won't feel soft till they're washed & dried again, but they'll do their job.

Freezing air is very dry? Maybe that's it?

Just leave them out, they will dry eventuality as long as it doesn't rain.
4 hours was a bit of a big ask, I would leave them a day at least.

No freezing weather dries things. No idea why, but they freeze solid

Sublimation ?

Seen it suggested on an American housekeeping website. Never actually tried it. But might next week, if the temps keep dropping as predicted.

Found the link I read

104homestead.com/line-dry-clothes-winter/