With wet weather sweeping across the UK, Brits will find it increasingly hard to dry their laundry indoors. Whilst you can still hang laundry up to dry outside on a dry day, the summer heat has passed, and it’ll take hours to get dry clothes. Whilst using devices such as a dehumidifier can be effective, there are also plenty of other methods to try as well.
With energy bills on the rise this autumn, it’s important to minimise washing machine and tumble dryer usage in order to save on energy bills. Luckily, Deyan Dimitrov, CEO and founder of Laundryheap, has offered savvy ways to dry clothes indoors without using a tumble dryer.
1. Make a DIY washing line
The expert explained: “A well-aired room and some string can do the trick. Hang your laundry in front of any entrances – radiators, windows and doors.
“This will allow air to circulate around the room whilst simultaneously drying your clothes. It doesn’t matter whether the air is particularly warm or cool – any kind of airflow will help your clothes dry faster than usual.”
2. Heat with a hair dryer
According to Deyan, using a hair dryer is a great substitute for drying clothes in the sun.
This works best on smaller garments such as underwear and socks, and could considerably reduce the drying load in the long-run.
The expert noted: “Make sure to keep the hairdryer an arm’s length away from your garments, to avoid their fabrics from overheating. “Additionally, be careful not to obstruct any airflow to the back of your hairdryer, as this could cause the appliance to heat up too.”
3. Heated airer
Deyan continued: “A heated airer is a great way to dry laundry in a pinch. Put smaller items on the rails and cover with larger items like shirts or sheets.
“The larger sheet will help trap the heat, helping everything dry more quickly. Always check the instructions for your heated airer to ensure safe and proper use.”
4. Heat from an iron
Place freshly washed laundry onto an ironing board before covering it with a towel and gently ironing it. The iron’s heat will begin to gently dry the fabric, whilst the towel will absorb excess moisture from the fibres, according to the expert.
5. Use a fan
Deyan continued: “Fans are a great way to dry laundry. Position your fan so that it blows air across your clean laundry, but make sure the items are hung or positioned securely to avoid having them blow away.
“Avoid positioning any garments too close to your fan’s blades, as you don’t want them to get caught or block the air flow.”