Drying washing in winter

[gloopyglitterball]

I’m struggling to keep on top of my washing in this cold weather. If I put it out early and leave it till about 5 o clock it’s still really damp. I bring it in and put it on the clothes horse but I’m worried it will cause damp in my house. How do you dry your washing in this weather?

Condenser dryer here to was a game changer

Dehumidifier defo

My radiators are permanently draped in clothes. I don't have space for a tumble drier, we have no spare room to put clothes horses in, we both work full time standard hours so line drying is for lucky days in the summer only. Spring and Autumn result in overflowing laundry baskets as no chance of getting anything dry without central heating or reliable weather!

I check the weather forecast for the best days in the week for drying washing. Today was sunny but cold (London) and put things out first thing and got them in at about 6. Was still damp but much drier than when I put it out. Have just finished it off in the tumble drier.
I try to hang my things out as high as possible on a line, in the sun if possible and with plenty of space between each item.

I have my heated airer on, but also dry socks and undies on one of those multi peg things you hang up and either hang it in the curtain pole at my patio windows ( so nice and high) or tonight I have taken a maiden and my socks undies rack into the utility, with the heating one it soon gets very warm as it’s a tiny room. I don’t have any issues with condensation as my kitchen diner is a big room with very effective tall radiators ( that I use to dry sheets , duvet covers and towels off).

I don’t have a tumble dryer and unless I lose the spare fridge in the utility , I don’t have room for one. I don’t miss it though.

I’m a bit obsessed with washing.

Put all on clothe airers in spare bedroom. Pretty much a load every day. Never had a problem with damp. But I do live in a new build and they have those draft things on all windows so maybe that helps.

I use a spin dryer after clothes have been washed. They have a faster rpm than washing machines so get way more water out and are good for towels and bedding. Then I use a heated airer and radiators. But we got 4 drafty fireplaces and no issue with damp. House is colder than. Modern one but I don’t mind wearing extra layers if I got no damp to worry about.

Amazed at how many people have a tumble dryer and/or heated airer! I just put my wet washing on a clothes dryer and stick it next to the radiator.

Dehumidifier! It dries laundry on airer within 12 hours, without it takes days in winter.

Dehumidifier in the bedroom next to the airer. Then I have another airer in the bath with the window opened slightly. I also take all bedding and towels washed to the laundrette once or twice a month to tumble dry.

We have a MEACO dehumidifier which is a WHICH recommended. It is cheap to run but it is a big initial outlay.
Well worth it I think - Def cheaper than tumble and stops walls/curtains getting mildew also.

I check weather forecast for wind. It's the best chance of drying. Cold still weather is not so good but will still lighten the washing.

If I'm home on a windy day I do a couple of loads.

I have a lot of stuff draped to finish it off. I shut the door and open the windows a fair bit.

Oh and I bought a washing machine with a powerful spin.

I wash it at home and take it to the laundrette to dry or I use the heated towel rails and radiators and open windows. I wouldn’t even bother hanging it out at this time of year.

I'd love a launderette.

What's your bathroom like for heat/ventilation? A couple of these over-bath airers can hold a lot & stuff dries quite well overnight IME.

They can be angled like the image, or opened out & leaned against the wall. I generally manage to hang each thing over 2 bars, so they get air both sides.

I've also got one of these 3-tier ones for thicker things & put that near a radiator, & larger stuff like towels & bedding goes over the banister so it gets the heat coming up the stairs.

I do have a tumble dryer to finish them off in though.

(There's absolutely no point putting stuff outside in the winter here because it's a tiny back yard with high walls & gets no breeze or sun)

Dehumidifier next to the airer here too. Completely stops condensation on the windows and dries in a day. I stop drying outside from sept to april.

Move to Australia where, on most days, you can dry a load outside in an hour or two

Dehumidifier here too. My place gets damp so I'd be using it anyway, put 2 loads of laundry out this morning and they're almost dry.

I wonder why British houses get so damp? I live in Europe now (in a shitty climate, so it’s not like I’m wondering this from a hot sunny place or anything.)

I’ve NEVER seen mould in a house here. Very very occasionally I’ll smell damp in an historical building, usually the cellars, but I’m remembering all the awful damp places I lived in in the uk. Why is it so bad?
Everywhere I’ve ever lived here you can dry laundry indoors and you’d not even worry about mould. No condensation on the inside of the windows etc.

Are British houses spectacularly badly ventilated?

British houses are built to keep the warmth in... houses in cooler climates are built to keep the warmth out?

We have a condenser dryer my mum gave us. It's great. We are out of the house from 7am til 6pm + during the week so don't really have time to be hanging washing out.

Britain and Ireland have large areas that have a damp climate. It tends to be drier as you go inland on the continent.

I lived in a cold bit of continental Europe and it was noticeably "drier" to me, to the point that I drank more water and slathered more moisturiser on! The house was wooden and built to withstand cold. I could open the windows and air the rooms very quickly because of the moisture differential. At night I'd close the inner wood shutters and be cosy.

It would have all rotted in the western parts of the UK I reckon!

heated airer in drafty well ventilated conservatory.

Are British houses spectacularly badly ventilated?

when I lived in germany my rented flat came with a laundry/drying room in the communal basement.
drying clothes indoors was not allowed according to the lease.
my rental contract had an 'airing table' attached, how long and how often I was expected to air the flat. not window vents on modern triple glazing (those have germans scratch their heads in confusion).