Laundry becomes a headache as the UK weather gets colder and wet, and outdoor drying suddenly becomes impossible. Whilst those fortunate enough to own a tumble dryer can sidestep the problem, this isn’t feasible for everyone, especially those watching their pennies or lacking the space.
This has left many resorting to indoor drying – a practice that cleaning expert Laurence Smith from In the Wash warns against unless executed properly, to prevent mould overtaking your garments and home. He cautioned: “Drying clothes indoors is not ideal because wet clothes release damp into the air, which can lead to mould growth. However, it’s not unsafe to do so as long as your home is well-ventilated. Luckily, you can take steps to reduce the moisture in the air.”
He insists that hanging clothes indoors shouldn’t exceed 24 hours unless you fancy stale-smelling garments or a coating of mould.
Laurence cautioned: “Avoid drying laundry in the bathroom as it’s already a damp space and you don’t want to add more humidity to the air. Plus, clothes will take longer to dry in an already-damp room.”
Instead, he noted that a spare room is one of the best places to dry your clothes faster. The expert advised: “Use a drying rack and place it in a room that you use infrequently.
“This means that you won’t be exposed to damp as your clothes dry and you can close the door, to keep in the heat in or encourage airflow by keeping a window open for clothes to dry faster.”
For those with limited living space, the only option might be to dry clothes in shared areas. If that’s the situation, Laurence suggests placing the drying rack close to a heat source for faster drying and, where possible, keeping doors closed to trap moisture.
The expert also warned against hanging wet washing on radiators, stating: “Don’t place wet items directly on a radiator as this will encourage water to evaporate into the air, leading to a humid room.”
He recommended purchasing a ceiling-mounted drying rack to conserve floor space and keep it hidden when not in use.
And for those keen to reduce the time their washing takes to dry, he said that it is worthwhile putting your laundry on a spin cycle as it helps remove a substantial amount of moisture at the end of the washing cycle.