How do you dry washing in winter?

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How do you all dry washing at this time of year?

We generate a lot of laundry. We are a family of 5, including three kids aged 5 and under - they go through at least one full outfit a day, often more for the toddler (wee accidents) and baby (food mess/sick). And that’s before all the extra bits - waterproofs from forests school, PE kit, swimming things, etc. Plus household laundry - towels, bedding x4 beds, tea towels, cloths and ad hoc things that are subject to messes of one kind or another - playmat, toddler’s duvet....

Long story short, I do about two loads of laundry per day. Sometimes more. In the summer it’s fine because I can line dry everything, but this time of year I’m really struggling. I tumble dry what I can, but we have quite a lot of stuff that can’t be tumble dried. I’ve tried line drying and it spent a day in the sun just to be cold and wet still at the end of the day! I’ve got a clothes airer indoors, but things aren’t drying quickly enough on it and getting that musty/mouldy smell, which just increases the laundry pile as they need to be washed again!

Is the only solution to have the heating on high so they dry quicker? Or do I have to buy one of those heated airer things MN loves?

@SOboredofcleaning I'll be on my own from next year. Could I get the smaller one do you think?

@forrestgreen of course. Honestly it's one of the best things I have ever bought. Totally worth the cost-per-use! They fold flat too.

Lakeland heated airer with cover and electric dehumidifier inside works brilliantly. I can easily do 2 loads/day if I need to with a few things like towels going in the drier

Get a better tumble drier. I can dry everything in mine, including wool, silk etc.

I put my washing on the airers and stick my dehumidifier machine on. Dries it all overnight and saves on electricity.

Tumble as aired or radiators for the items that can't be tumbled (including my Dds school sweatshirts 🙄).

Dryer for things like towels. Anything that can’t go in the dryer goes on the airers in the spare room - it’s large and airy, gets nice and warm with the heating on and when the heating isn’t on, I crack the window open a bit. I only do on average 7 or 8 loads per week though. If you have room, get two airers to give yourself more space and make sure everything you hang up goes over two bars/rails of the airer so it’s not touching itself, if you see what I mean. Dries miles quicker.

Extra spin , when the wash is finished I put it on again for another spin at 1600 , really helps do 5he washing at night then but it out first thing in morning.

Also use the BBC weather app even in the winter if it’s dry and windy the washing will dry. Don’t do washing if it’s going to rain. Use the tumble dryer just to finish things off that have been on the line.

Fitted a pole onto ceiling and hang clothes on hangers off that they dry pretty quick

Most things straight in the drier, we’re a family of 6 so like you there’s usually 2 washings a day, 4 at weekends. When I had alters it took 3 days for a load to completely dry and that’s too long.