Washing

[Dairymilkisminging]

Just wondering how a larger family deals with washing with no tumble dryer during winter. Sick of things getting shrunk.

Also how often do you do washing?
We are a family of 7. 5 kids range from 5 months to 15 years

We live in the arse end of Scotland so winter is basically a no go for hanging washing out.
Thanks 😊

My rule of thumb is if the ground is dry I’ll put washing out. It takes the worst of it and only really needs hung up to take the cold off it.
I double soon my washing to get more water out and shorten drying time.
I use a dehumidifier in a small room with the clothes horse and it can dry a full load fairly quickly.

Airer, fan and dehumidifier.

On racks in front of the log burner

I feel your pain. Me dh and 5 dc here too. We have something that is like a clothes horse in a tent with a hair dryer. Dries half a load in about 3 hours. Plus heated airer from Lakeland. I also put big stuff on the line when the ground is dry.

How often are yous washing? Feels like i do loads of washing everyday and there's still more to do. I run out of room quickly

We sort with great care whether clothes need to be washed or not.
Children (or ours) in particular throw all sorts of stuff in the wash after a short period of use.

That approach has helped a lot here on the amounts of laundry.

Over the winter I wouldn't do well without a dryer. I hang clothes outside in good weather. I don't want laundry indoors only things like woolen socks/jumpers. We don't have the room for drying indoors anyway so only once in a while overnight if it is really needed.

I wash once a week. I work full time. So that's life. We have clothes/bedding/towels enough for this.

For me, routine is key with washing. 4 children here from 8 down to 1. I do a wash 5 days of the week. My 6 year old’s job each day is to bring the dirty laundry basket downstairs. I put a load in before breakfast each day. At lunchtime on the days I work from home (3 days) I fold the previous day’s washing and hang the fresh load out on a heated airer. I listen to an audiobook whilst I do it so I actually enjoy the time. Clean washing goes into coloured boxes which each member of the family puts away themselves (except the 4 and 1 year olds).

Wow no tumble drier with lots of kids! I have a tumble drier and it’s on every day couple of times with 5 of us. With only 2 kids I didn’t have one and put stuff on airers but you risk damp so be careful. There are are airer driers too they look good. Airer in a bag that blows hot air. Or make kids wear clothes over again like pyjamas , cardigans and not change daily.Even as an adult after a bath I use a hand towel no need to use bath towels! Make sure you spin the stuff enough either in a washing machine or in a separate clothes spinner.

Things shouls not shrink in tumble drier unless you put on the high setting for too long and dry things that say no tumble dry.

Well we have a tumble drier but reserve it for socks, pants etc. and everything else goes on radiators/radiator drying racks, the landing Bannister and airers (including a heated one). But my parents never had a tumble drier and instead had a ceiling airer, it was awesome and could hold a load and simply be raised up out of the way in our dining room part of the kitchen. Obviously works best if you have high ceilings but they moved and put it in the utility (with boiler in so it’s warm and things dry fast) so although clothes are a bit in the way they’re not in a place where it matters.

https://amzn.eu/d/0a5xGHQJ

We have underfloor heating in one room which helps. Also so does a good dehumidifier!

I put things that are going on hangers in the wardrobe, on hangers to dry. I've got thing that goes over the bannisters which is great for hangers. Many sockopuses for pants and socks.

I do use the tumble dryer for towels and sheets though, we've got solar so that offsets it but there are just too many with the 6 of us to dry on a clothes horse even with a dehumidifier.

I use airers and a dehumidifier.

I use the tumble drier for pants, socks, cloths, kids t shirts, school jumpers, school polos, jeans, towels and bedding. I use a low heat only. We never use the high heat setting.

Any clothes I care about or are marked not to tumble dry go on the airer with the dehumidifier in the room.

I do washing every 2/3 days, but I have two 10kg washing machines and might do more than two loads on the day I do washing as I separate lights / darks / towels and beds / special care, and I prewash cloths before adding normal washing for another wash.

Washing is a huge endeavour for a family of more than 4, particularly as the kids get bigger and so their clothes are bigger too!