Drying laundry

[Trixiebell06]

Hi , just looking for ideas now the cost of energy is soaring . How do you all dry your washing ? I need a new washing machine as mine is a 1200 so the washing is very wet when it comes out I’m probably looking at a 1400 or 1600 to reduce drying time . I use my tumble dryer a lot but that uses a lot of electricity.
How will you all cope this winter ?

I saw someone raving about a spin dryer from Amazon. Put the wet clothes in, it has a 2800 spin so lots of water comes out and then washing only needs a quick blast on the line/clothes airer. There's obviously an initial outlay but I think they are very low energy. Much better than a tumbler dryer obviously.

Trying as much as possible to wash in dry days & hang outside: even if get it half dried before I bring it in that will help

Im v fortunate that I have a ‘pulley rack’ (I think they are called a Sheila/maiden) hanging on the ceiling to dry clothes inside. If I did not I would put a normal rack in the bathtub or over radiators etc

I’m assuming that a spin dryer would crease your washing, and I don’t iron, so not doing that.
Im just getting it out on the line as much as possible, then using my maiden or tumbler. I’m using the saying that I’ve read on here, that if the ground is dry the washing will dry.

I don’t have a tumble dryer. I hang washing outside where possible. I try to only do washing on days when the weather should be good. Otherwise, it comes inside on a rack in the kitchen.

Spin dryers are the way to go. It is more work though as everything has to be spun and they have a smaller capacity than a washer. It takes about 5mins per loads to spin. A washer load has to be split into 4 or 5.
However it really reduces the drying time either on a clothes horse or in the tumble dryer.
Tumble dryers aren’t as inefficient as people have been saying if you use them wisely. Running a dehumidifier to dry washing can cost more than the dryer.

And I keep meaning to use a tip I read on here, putting a dry towel in with your washing reduces the drying time.
If anyone actually does this can I ask, is a hand towel ok or does it have to be bigger ?

We are trying to cut down on washing, but that's easier said than done.
I've bought another airer so we don't have to squeeze a whole load onto one airer and hope they dry a bit faster with more air flow.
I'll wash with the weather as much as possible so we can hang it out.

I try to line dry as much as possible by keeping a constant eye on the weather forecast and planning washes especially "big washes" ( towels and bedding that take longer in the dryer) on those days. Of course it's not always possible. Even a partial dry outside does help though.
I am in Ireland, so it might be different, but to save money I only have washing machine and dryer on during the off peak/ cheaper time (11pm to 8am).

Heated clothes airer

I don't think there's a cheaper time in England. Or am I wrong there?

I try to line dry as much as possible by keeping a constant eye on the weather forecast and planning washes especially "big washes" ( towels and bedding that take longer in the dryer) on those days. Of course it's not always possible. Even a partial dry outside does help though.

Same. I've only had to put clothes from the line in the tumble dryer for 5-10 minutes over the last month.

I had to resort to a full tumble dry recently as my son came back from holiday at 9pm and was leaving the next day at 9am. I'd forgotten how long drying a load from start to finish takes.

There is. I have an economy 9 meter which has a day and night rate.

My current tariff doesn't have different electricity rates but most of my previous ones were almost half the cost at night (from memory, around 10pm to 6am). Good if you have a timer on your washing machine or put the dishwasher on as you go to bed.

Not sure that many people still have the two tier meters though, particularly given the rollout of smart meters.

1200 is fine if you don't overload it. Line dry whenever possible, finish off in the tumble dryer if needed. Rewear when possible (obviously not underwear but many items don't need washing every wear). If replacing your tumble dryer look at heat pump ones, ours uses very little electricity

Hmm or is it economy 7. Now I'm wondering...!

I peg out if it's dry and finish off in the drier if necessary but I got a load of towels dry yesterday and it wasn't sunny or particularly windy.

I certainly won't be buying equipment to do the job of a drier as a pp said that can be more expensive.

I can't cut back on heating in the morning so I've been hanging up things on coathangers on the curtain pole which is above the radiator. Only on windows which can't be seen from the main road though as it looks awful. Got them dry quickly though

Ages ago we had economy 7 but it’s in a flat so not practical to use appliances overnight - too noisy. I haven’t heard about it since then.

I try to put washing on a sunny days, put things through the spin twice and wash smaller loads to dry them inside the house. It’s not the best approach money wise but i can’t find any other. We don’t have tumble dryer.

I don’t like the idea of people having to put washers and dryers on over night as there is a fire risk, and if you’re in bed, it’s not good.

Can you just put the machine on to spin again after the wash cycle is finished? Rather than putting everything into a separate spin dryer? That's what I do, it makes a big difference.
I have also just bought a dehumidifier. Watch this space!

We have economy 7 in a semi

I have a narrow folding airer which I hang clothes on and stands in front of the open airing cupboard door (and partially tucked inside the airing cupboard). The set up of my landing means that I can do this and still get past the door and airer.

If it's windy or sunny I hang on the line. I do miss the days of putting towels in the dryer for 10 mins to make them soft though....

I have two large clothes airers that I dry DD's clothes, underwear, hand towels and some of our clothes on, anything reasonably large goes on the line outside. I live in the north so dry days are a bit scarce at the moment so I'm considering a third airer to get as much dry inside as possible. I always give my washing an extra spin in the machine to get as much water out as possible and I'm doing smaller loads (if I let it build up I don't stand a chance) and trying minimise the amount of washing I create, I'll try and get two days or so out of tops for example. Touch wood it's not taking too long to dry at the moment, if I absolutely have too my mum lets me use her tumble dryer if things just aren't drying but provided I can get it nicely spread out and not all bunched up it's drying quite quickly.

I do this too - a second spin only after the first cycle in the washing machine takes out a lot more water.

I bought a dehumidifier after reading rave reviews on here, but can’t say I noticed a difference sadly - even put the washing over a clothes horse in the smallest room. I’m hanging out as much as I can, but it’s so damp here it still needs a lot of time indoors before I put it in the tumble dryer. Another reason I loathe autumn and winter.

Lakeland heated airer with cover, having put clothes through highest spin setting in washer. Drying things outdoors when it's sunny.

I have the "luxury" of a conservatory (unheated). Washing gets hung outside, then on airers in there. I don't own a tumble drier. Even in winter it works well - if it is raining it goes in the conservatory straight from the machine, with a window open, then airers come in the dining room once dry.