feel like my washing never dries

[RetailIsMyTherapy]

I’m sick of squeezing past the clothes horse and washing on my banister.
I can’t tell if it’s just cold or still damp a week later.
I have a 7l dehumidifier, which pulls out a lot of the moisture, but it doesn’t seem to do enough
It’s not quite sunny enough to put it out on the line yet and without the heating on anymore I don’t know what to do. Any advice please!!

No, not allowed to dry outside

How fast does your washing machine spin? I've always insisted on having a 1600 spin, there's a huge difference even compared to 1400 in how damp the clothes are straight from the washer. Over night on an unheated airer is usually enough.

If it’s not raining/very damp it goes outside. Most of it dries a bit at least, I then keep it near the radiator for when it comes on to finish it off, sometimes it’s just really cold when it comes in.

I put washing out year round (even February!) as long as it’s dry, even if it’s freezing a few hours outside it comes in just needing an airing through, I’m in Yorkshire

If paths outside are not drying then I don’t bother putting washing out as it won’t dry. If paths are drying so will your washing, but maybe needs longer than 4 hours if not sunny or windy.

As someone else has asked, what is your spin speed? Washing machines will often default to a lower spin speed and you need to choose the maximum one each time.

Have you got a ‘drain and spin setting’? If it’s thicker clothing or towels it’s worth putting it on the drain and spin once the main cycle is complete to get some extra moisture out.

Washing drying beautifully on the line. There’s a breeze.

Excellent guide here, and completely true!

If you have a garden you can hang laundry out all year round, even in a UK winter.
A cold dry breeze in winter will get a lot of damp out of clothes. I'm down south and a sheet has dried in an hour on my line. I also use a washing line pole to lift it so it gets more sunshine

@RetailIsMyTherapy I’ve also been drying out side on the line for weeks, we’ve had a very dry spring this year so far. The wind also dries the washing not just the heat from the sun, so it dries on overcast days to.

I seriously think those rules should be against the law, I do hope someone challenges them one day.

Outside drying is free to the household and the environment.

It’s stupid. The house next door can dry outside as they’re a house and not a flat
so there’s a row of gardens with washing drying and then mine with.. none

What happens if you string up a line or put your airer outside? I'd just get on with it.

I'm in Edinburgh and my washing goes out on the line almost every week. It takes a bit longer to dry during the winter but it's quicker than trying to dry it indoors

You need to do an extra spin cycle when the normal cycle has finished, prob about 12 mins, makes a big difference.make sure the spin is the max on your wash cycle, mine has to be increased to 1400. Also will hangers fit inside your airing cupboard door, some clothes can dry in there if it’s warm. Def hang outside though in the nice weather

I've had washing out for weeks ! Doesn't need to be sunny it needs a breeze. If the ground is dry then out it goes. Extra spin is a good idea too.

The neighbour reports me then I start getting calls and letters threatening that I’m breaking my lease and can be kicked out of my (mortgaged) home

Those same neighbours with washing hung out? What hypocrites.

Have they done this previously? Have you tried to alter the lease?

I have to dry our laundry on clothes airers indoors quite a lot as we have long cold wet Winters here, in fact it's like Winter right now as it happens.. I give everything an extra spin , use a tall minky tower airer ( not heated) the air flows better in between things and it takes up less space. I make sure it's not over crowded and turn everything morning and night which helps everything dry quicker. I use metal sock hangers which hang from hooks in the ceiling in my kitchen for smalls, tea towels etc they save space in the airer. It's a PIA but it works for us, I live for dry laundry days, even if it's only outside for an hour it's worth the effort in my book!

I was like you- totally fed up of wet washing. I paid more than I ever thought I would for a heat pump tumble dryer and I swear it's the best thing I've ever done. Electricity bill has gone down as it just recycles it's own heat. It condensers the water so you don't need an outlet and you can dry almost everything.
The only drawback is it's slower; so I set the washing machine to wash from 6-8am, put the washing in the dryer ready for when I get home and then pop it on when I come in. It takes 2.5 hours to dry a big load of towels and they get folded up there and then and put away. It has a special bedding setting so it dries all that without creases.
I'm well aware I sound like an advert but the fact I don't have to hang it on the dryer, empty the dehumidifier, let it run, unload it again......it saves me so much time; it even does the delicates.

Since you mention the bannister I wonder if you're using the dehumidifier in too large of an open space. They work best if you close the washing on clothes horses and the dehumidifier in one smaller room for a while, can be overnight.

Greater London?!
I’ve been hanging it since early march. You need to get it on the line by 10am

Nooo the other apartment. I have a private garden, they are a floor up and have a balcony
Flat no from the management company when I asked

That's disgusting from the neighbours still. I'm frustrated on your behalf!

Op if the ground is dry your washing will dry.
Im in Scotland and unless it’s raining or damp I hang my washing out every day

North West and I too have had washing on the line for weeks. It's been bone dry for weeks and warm mostly with lots of nice breezy days.