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Housekeeping

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Drying LOTS of laundry - your tips please

86 replies

TinyTeachr · 05/10/2024 11:28

We generate a VAST quantity of laundry. 4 children with uniforms and extra curricular things, and we don't rewear things often as the baby has a knack for getting snotty nose/sticky fingers on people when she goes for a cuddle. Middle children often get food on school jumpers too.

In summer it was fine. We dried a lot outdoors - nice big outside thingy and I'd wheel the indoor airer outside when extra capacity was needed.

It's now getting tricky! Most things are dried in one room (we're very lucky to have that space!). I have a heated airer and a normal airer, and a large socktopus for small. I tend to shut the door so it stays toasty and run a dehumidifier to stop the Windows steaming.

Towels and sheets go in the tumble drier.

It still doesn't seem enough! That holds up to 3 loads (If they aren't jam packed) but it takes 48 hours to try when it's not summer. During the weekend I really need to do 4 loads or more most weeks, as although I do some during the week I don't stay on top of it.

What are your solutions? Ceiling airers exist, but sound like a lot of work, so I don't know if it would be worth it. I could put things on radiators as the heating will be on soon enough (probably Monday I'll give in!) But the baby will pull things off which is annoying. I prefer to save that for energencies rather than being something I do every week.

OP posts:
MumChp · 06/10/2024 02:59

A washing mashine with a great spin and then a good tumble dryer.
Buy school uniforms a size larger if they skrink.

Drying loads if clothes indoor, no thank you.

Make sure clothes and other need the wash. Use towels more than one time. We stepped up having 3 kids and it did help reducing the loads.

Hayley1256 · 06/10/2024 03:50

A Dri buddy is really good (beldray do a simular one too). I've also got a cover for my heated airer and that has made the drying time a lot quicker

k1233 · 06/10/2024 04:19

I swear by fans. Ceiling fan plus directed pedestal fan is very effective. Works the same as hanging in a breeze. If you have the dehumidifier that would stop damp developing and probably speed up drying.

I don't own a clothes dryer, but it also doesn't get super cold here, so I always dry washing outside unless it's raining.

Justice4Friend · 06/10/2024 04:21

The obvious - tumble dryer

coffeesaveslives · 06/10/2024 05:15

We have a washer-dryer - dirty load goes in and comes out 90 minutes later clean and dry (bedding and towels take a bit longer).

I can't imagine faffing about with heated airers and pulley maids and hanging stuff of bannisters when there's a tumble dryer in the house!

PurBal · 06/10/2024 07:07

We have a Dutch airer and thinking of getting another. We also use coat hangers on it so maximises space. We're thinking about getting rid of our tumble dryer but I don't have 4 children!

SweetGenie · 06/10/2024 08:26

You need a 9kg heat pump dryer. It's a game changer. I have this Beko one that can dry 2 loads in less than 2 hours. I can't say the same for all dryers, but this one is a really good large one with easy settings.

Tumbleweed101 · 06/10/2024 09:12

I use the tumble dryer for most things in the wetter/colder months and only hang the things I know can’t go in there without a problem - my work jeans always shrink, for example! It isn’t so bad now as the children do their own laundry much more which spreads the loads out more than when I was doing it all around work hours.

JollyZebra · 06/10/2024 09:14

Change from uniform and work/good clothes as soon as you all get home.
Wear "play" and "house"clothes for a couple of days.
Spot cleaning items can reduce washing load considerably.
We have all become too used to taking something off and throwing it the laundry instead of airing out in a hanger in the window and re-wearing.

It's a good idea to change habits - cuts down in work, bills and also keeps your "good" clothes looking good and not washed out - plus good for the environment. If you bath/shower and wash yourselves ( as most people do, daily) you will have no problem. You won't smell and you won't catch any awful diseases!

As for sticky fingers - it's easier and cheaper to wipe them regularly than wash clothes. Children soon get into the habit of holding out their hands for wiping when they get messy.

sistamister · 06/10/2024 09:34

I have an Amos ezy dry.
It has changed my life. Just hang the clothes on hangers. Put it on for a few hours, and they are dry. We are a family of 5, and I hated clothes hanging around the house for days.

Galliano · 06/10/2024 09:36

I have a covered area outside where I hang stuff out all year round. In the depths of winter it does tend to need finishing off on an airer but for a couple of hours not 48.
Also if you're not restricted by not having the upfront funds available agree with an air pump dryer...much better for clothes and also negligible running costs. I had to wait for my previous dryer to break though as didn't feel sustainable to get rid of it before.
I don't dry a huge amount in the dryer but have always done socks and pants in it because life feels too short to be faffing about pegging them up.

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