Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

Drying clothes <dull thread alert>

53 replies

Imstickingwiththisone · 15/08/2018 22:54

We've had a drier for about 5 years now and over the duration we've reduced the amount of things we put in it due to shrinkage. Now it's just towels, bedsheets and mine and dp's underwear as I got sick of replacing the DC's underwear and socks as they all shrunk.

Our clothes seems to always smell as I don't get them out the washer quick enough, and then it sits on radiators for another 12-24 hours. I try to line dry but if I'm busy or out for a long time I don't want to run the risk of rain. As an example I put a wash on this morning, DP nipped in at lunch and could have thrown it in drier but hanging everything out is too time consuming. Next opportunity to do it is at 7-8 and the clothes already feel like they might smell once dry. If I put a load on tonight I'm hanging everything out at about 9 so more quickly than sitting in the machine all day, but kids are in bed and their radiators aren't available and its just yet another shite job to be done at the end of a tiresome day.

Dp isn't keen on those heated maidens Lakeland sell, as they're expensive and take up space. We can't afford a decent drier and I feel hesitant as our current one is such a waste, and it's not actually broke? What can I do to get out of this position where my clothes don't stink and there isn't constantly clothes all over the house looking messy. I feel like everyone else's drier is ok why isn't mine!!

OP posts:

TellerTuesday4EVA · 15/08/2018 22:58

Does your washing machine have a time function? I always put mine in on a night & set the timer so that it ends around 7am then peg it out first thing?? In winter time I just use an ordinary airer... sometimes put the dehumidifier on next to it if I want things dried quickly.

clary · 15/08/2018 22:59

I put a wash on at night then hang out in the morning. Nothing smells bad, it all smells lovely and fresh from being outside.

Obv if it's raining in the am I put it on racks; if it rains in the day then I ask the DC (teenagers) to get it in. If it gets wet, well, it'll dry! Sometimes I might re-rinse and spin if it gets v wet. This has not been an issue in the last three months tho 😀🌞

YerAuntFanny · 15/08/2018 23:08

We've never had a drier, we always line dry unless it's pissing it down or put on a normal clothes horse indoors. Nothing fancy, just one of the Minky brand ones, about £20 in Tesco.

Things generally dry within 24 hours and I can't say I've noticed the smell unless they've been sitting for 12+ hours in the machine but most machines have a delay function now so you can make it start later in the day so that won't be an issue.

mineofuselessinformation · 15/08/2018 23:08

Do you have the space to use a clothes horse? It might be the answer.

Original poster

Imstickingwiththisone · 15/08/2018 23:10

No timer on the washing machine, that sounds like a useful function! I have an airer that stays outside for underwear when the weathers good but it would only fit about quarter of a load so maybe I just need to get a bigger one. But we don't really have the space to have one of those knocking about either... I think I need to do an empty hot wash and buy some of those little fragranced balls Lenor or surf do and see if that gets things smelling better. That would be a start but wouldn't get rid of the mess!

OP posts:

rwalker · 15/08/2018 23:12

use rinse hold if your washer has this then the don't smell air maid and dehumidifier

Wellmeaning · 15/08/2018 23:13

If you have anywhere to put an indoor line, do it. Ideally a utility room or garage, but I’d consider a bathroom, they just work a treat. If there’s plenty of air circulating clothes can be dry within 2 or 3 hours - obviously the air is warmer at ceiling height.

Cynderella · 15/08/2018 23:19

Or hang it out at night. I don't get that it's time consuming, although, yes, in a lunchbreak, it may not be doable.Otherwise, if you sort it into some sort of order as you take it out of the machine and move fast, it doesn't take that long. I found those clips that you can put a pair of socks on, throw in the machine and hang on the line saved pegging out dozens of socks.

It seems mad not to hang washing outside in the summer if you have the room to do so. I dry everything outside if I can, only doing laundry on dry days. If it's going to rain a lot, I do resort to the drier sometimes. When I lived further west, that was more often. Now, I just use a tumble drier from Oct to April, only hanging washing outside on those days when I know it will dry.

When I buy cotton tops, I allow for shrinkage - after a while you get a feel for what will shrink. It's usually only the first time it's dried when it shrinks.

When I was on a low wage and trying to keep leccy units to less than ten a day, I had airers drying the washing as it came out of the machine with a quick blast in the drier for those things not ironed. I always started with jeans, towels etc that took a long time.

PrivateParkin · 15/08/2018 23:19

Would a dehumidifier be an option OP? As a PP said, they are great for drying clothes indoors in the winter - you can put them on a special clothes drying setting. They are pricey and I dithered for ages before we got ours as I just didn't want to spend money on it - but I'm so glad I did, it was well worth it. We have got a little tumble dryer as well - White Knight, dead cheap and we've had it for years now.

I know people really rate those heated airers - but the damp from the clothes has to go somewhere doesn't it?

I agree about the timer on your washing machine if it has one. I always feel well efficient if I've done this and it's ready to be pegged out first thing in the morning! When I remember to do it that is...

Original poster

Imstickingwiththisone · 15/08/2018 23:22

Our washer is quite old (it was dp's before I met him 10 years ago) so I'm assuming that it doesn't have these functions but I've never been aware of them so never looked iyswim. I will definitely be double checking this tomorrow!

We don't have room for an indoor line or a clothes hours permanently set up but we're in the process of decluttering and in just eyeing up a bit of dead space near my bed now that might be freed up some more shortly!

Thanks for the contributions to this boring topic we could be getting somewhere here actually really keen on getting out of bed to scrutinize use the washer settings just now

OP posts:

PrivateParkin · 15/08/2018 23:22

Oh sorry OP just saw your update about the timer.

Cynderella · 15/08/2018 23:24

We have a dehumidifier that runs on a timer in the winter to help with condensation from baths, showers and cooking in the evening. At the weekend, when most of the laundry is done, I have it running during the day.

I do most of my washing at the weekend so that I can get it sorted out while it dries. I also iron clothes while damp and then air them - they dry more quickly.

Gildashairflick · 15/08/2018 23:25

Just a word of caution re putting washing machine on overnight, it is a fire risk. My neighbour is a fire fighter and says anything that doesn't have to be on overnight, never should as it is a risk not worth taking.
Can you get over bath airers. They fold down for storage quite nicely and I have my bathroom window ajar in all weathers so good fresh air flow. A good option if outside line drying not a goer. Also consider 'stripping' your washer with a commercial or homemade cleaner as it may be the washer making the clothes smell rather than them not being taken out quickly enough. After reading in here I now only do a 30 min wash unless stuff is really pitted and I've not seen a difference in cleanliness. Speeds up your opportunity for drying time.

Original poster

Imstickingwiththisone · 15/08/2018 23:27

I do line dry when I'm home and I've got a wash on earlier in the day but our good weather turned a little while ago so it's been indoors again mainly and just a bit fed up with it.

OP posts:

PrivateParkin · 15/08/2018 23:28

Yikes Gilda - is that right about not putting stuff on overnight? I wouldn't put the drier on but I put the washing machine and/or dishwasher on all the time...

Cynderella · 15/08/2018 23:36

I think the fire risk is minimal - I've never heard of it happening to anyone I know - but I understand that many people wouldn't take the risk. I used to run machines every night when I had Economy 7 electricity.

What I was suggesting, was hanging out washing at night. So romantic! It's then dry earlier assuming reasonable weather, and you can do it when kids are in bed. Not saying it's ideal, but I found it easier than first thing in the morning when I had small children.

YerAuntFanny · 15/08/2018 23:37

I was told that by a firefighter too Gilda, I switched everything bar the fridge and the bathroom light off at night.

Here in Scotland we used to have TV adverts about the dangers off putting things like the washing machine on at night. Really not worth the risk imo.

clary · 15/08/2018 23:40

If you peg out at night tho, you can't colour-match the pegs (to each other and the clothes). Just sayin' .... 😀

Cynderella · 15/08/2018 23:43

Obviously, Clary you need a torch OR you need to spend a minute or two first thing matching up pegs.

Or you need everlasting stainless steel pegs that can stay on the line. I think it's an age thing - the thrill of colour matching is just a memory for me :-(

clary · 15/08/2018 23:48

ahhh match the pegs first, that's genius! 😃 I thought you might all laugh at me for the peg -matchy thing - my colleagues did 😂😂

YerAuntFanny · 15/08/2018 23:49

Fire kills advert, this campaign is part of the reason I just can't do washing at night!

Cynderella · 15/08/2018 23:52

A neighbour told me that she colour matched her pegs, and I thought how sad it was that she had so little to care about. But then, I found that if I didn't colour match, I felt like a slattern.

No coloured pegs now. Problem solved!

Mumof4under10 · 16/08/2018 00:00

You can buy over the door clothes airer so like the normal clothes 'horse' but hangs over the top of a door.

TheBlueDot · 16/08/2018 00:05

I second the over bath airer. It’s using dead space, easy enough to move if someone wants a bath.

Gildashairflick · 16/08/2018 00:42

@PrivateParkin @YerAuntFanny yep,
It's totally not safe to put any appliances on overnight or when out the house. Fridgefreezers can't be avoided so it's a risk but avoidable things like DW and WM and especially dryers are big nono's. My neighbour will be spinning in his bed right now at all the MN nighttime appliance stuff!

Flip

1 2 3