Learn how to dry clothes without a dryer, enjoy lower bills and more durable clothes

Posted by Anna Cottrell on December 21

Learning how to dry clothes without a dryer will come in handy, not just when the tumble dryer is broken. Air-dried clothes are more suitable for your wallet, environment and your clothes. Even the gentlest cycle on a tumble dryer is not as gentle as air, and some fabrics should never be tumble dried. 

Therefore, knowing how to dry clothes without a dryer is an important part of learning how to wash clothes properly. Laundry experts with many years of experience agree with this-and advise on how to do this correctly.

It seems obvious: you just need to take the clothes out of the washing machine and hang them up, right? Well, basically, yes. The CEO of Meurice Garment Care and an expert in dry cleaning, household cleaning and clothing care has more than 50 years of experience. He pointed out that “clothing, like any other item, can be dried naturally without a dryer, but the drying speed is affected by temperature, The influence of humidity and air movement.

Why is this important? Wayne warned that although “clothes can be hung indoors or outdoors to dry, it’s important to remember that if you live in a very humid climate, you can only remove moisture related to relative humidity.”

If you live in a place with a constant outdoor humidity of 80%, your clothes will take a long time to dry and may smell musty. 

Indoors, high humidity is even more of a problem. Of course, as Wayne said, “drying clothes indoors can transfer moisture to the ambient air in the living space, thereby helping to create a very dry living space.” 

However, if your indoor space is "poorly ventilated, and it is damp in the first place, you may find" that continuous drying indoors under these conditions can cause dampness/mold problems. 

Not only may you find mold on the surface of the room, but (horrible but real) mold may even start to grow on your clothes.

What are the solutions for drying clothes without a dryer in a humid environment? Wayne’s point of view is that the easiest way is to increase the ambient airflow in the room, "for example, by using a fan to introduce airflow."

Your goal is to increase ventilation, so it's always a good idea to open windows in the room where you hang your clothes. Helping to dry clothes is "very useful:" The heater should be kept 2-3 feet away from the clothes.

'Run the heater for 3-4 hours with the door closed. Then turn it off and turn on the ceiling fan at low speed in the opposite direction to circulate hot air.

Another good helper for drying clothes without a dryer is a dehumidifier. The best dehumidifiers have settings specifically for air-drying clothes. You may find it necessary to run the dehumidifier in a room with clothing for hours, or even overnight, so choose low-energy devices to control your bills.

You can also consider investing in an electric clothes dryer, or even a freestanding clothes dryer that can be inserted into the bedroom closet. 

Electric dryers can be purchased relatively cheaply, while drying cabinets can run up to thousands. You also need to consider operating costs. It might make more sense to invest this money in the best tumble dryer. 

Thread drying is common in many parts of the world, although it obviously works best in sunny climates without excessive humidity. In fact, even dry weather without sunlight is good for drying clothes. If you are drying dark clothes, it is best not to expose them to direct sunlight to prevent the color from fading.

To prevent the clothes from being blown away by the wind, you need to hang them on the clothesline. Always pin your pants to the bottom of your pants instead of the belt, and turn your shirt and sweater upside down-otherwise, the nails will leave marks on your shoulders. For the same reason, towels and sheets should be nailed to the corners.

Do not dry delicate items made of silk or wool/cashmere: these items should be dried indoors.

There is a simple answer to this question: clothes dry faster in a warm environment with low humidity. As Wayne explained, “air temperature and humidity have a direct effect on the drying rate. Warm, dry air dries items faster than cool, humid air. 

This reason will affect the way you dry your clothes according to the season. Drying clothes in the backyard in the dry, warm summer makes more sense than drying them in the fall or winter. A well-heated indoor room in winter is the best choice for drying clothes quickly.

Don't bother to use a hair dryer to dry your clothes: this will take a long time and will consume too much energy (and your effort) not worth it. 

But it's cold outside, how about you drying your clothes indoors? If you open the window in this situation, will your clothes dry in the incoming cold air, or is it better to keep the window closed? 

Lisa Daniels, the editor-in-chief of Own The Winter, suggested, “Clothes can be dried in cold air, but warm air will make them dry faster. If it rains or snows outside, you You need to dry your clothes indoors and hang them near windows or vents. Air circulation, even if it is cold air, can still help your clothes dry faster.

Anna is the consumer editor of the Future home brand. She shifted from academic research in the fields of English literature and photography to the field of interior design. She is the author of writing in London in the 1930s and is passionate about modern home decoration and gardening.

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