How To Dry Your Clothes In Winter
Drying clothes indoors and outdoors during cold weather:
Will clothes dry in cold weather?
So many people ask these questions!
The answer is yes of course, you just need a few hacks and your clothes will be dry in no time!
You may be worried of course of that dreaded question: do I need to use a tumble dryer to dry clothes during winter? And the answer is no!
We’ve got some top tips that will get your clothes dry in no time without the expensive electricity rate from having to use that oh so pricey tumble dryer!
Drying Clothes Outside
If it is a clear dry day then you should always put your clothes outside to dry. Drying clothes inside your house should be the last option but understandable if it is winter and the conditions are poor. The rule of thumb is that if the pavement outside is dry then your clothes will dry. If there is sun and some wind then your clothes will dry. If the air is cool and crisp then your clothes will dry.
Use an extra spin cycle on your washing machine to reduce time drying clothes
If you cannot hang your clothes outside and you need to hang them inside your house then think about giving them an extra spin cycle in your washing machine! Giving them one last 15 minute spin in the washing machine before taking them out and hanging them up could reduce your drying time by a lot! Especially when it comes to heavier items like towels and bed sheets.
Avoid Hanging Your Wet Clothes In Spaces You Live In The Most
You should avoid hanging your wet clothes in your living room or in your bedroom as these are the rooms you spend most of the time in. It is a bad idea to dry clothes in your bedroom or living room because it is unhealthy to be in the same room where water is evaporating and causing dampness in the air. Breathing in this damp air could lead to allergic reactions. It can also cause mildew and mould in these areas if you are drying your clothes here on a regular basis.
Get a dehumidifier if your house has poor ventilation or the room you are drying clothes is small
In any room that you are drying your clothes in, it is important to keep good ventilation. This can be achieved by opening the vents in this room or opening your windows slightly to let fresh air come in and circulate the room where wet clothes are drying. If you do not do this then you are risking the development of black mould. Black mould and mildew happens when there is an excess of moisture in the air that cannot escape. The main causes of this moisture is from rising damp and excess moisture in the air from things like steam from showers, cooking and even (yep you guessed it) drying wet clothes.
What does a dehumidifier do?
A dehumidifier takes moisture in the air and stores it in a tank which you have to empty when full. It makes the environment where there is excessive moisture in the air healthier and safer for the household. It also helps to prevent black mould and mildew developing. We would definitely recommend one in an area where you are drying clothes especially in cold weather where you cannot have the windows open.
Position your clothes horse next to the radiator and rotate your clothes horse often
If you are going to dry your wet clothes inside then a clothes horse is a great investment! It allows you to space out your clothes and dry them more evenly throughout the day. They work great if you can position one next to a radiator or a source of heat!
If you turn your clothes horse so that the opposite side gets turned to face the radiator a couple of times during the day then you are ensuring that your clothes are drying evenly!
Give your clothes some space!
Giving your clothes some space is so important when drying them. Clothes will not dry when they are on top of each other as the moisture is just transferring from one garment to the other and the air around each garment cannot get in to allow the evaporation process to start.
It is recommended that you try to give about an inch between each garment so that the air flow can work it’s magic and have your clothes dry in no time!
Heat rises - if you have an upstairs bannister hang your heavier towels and sheets from here!
If you have an upstairs bannister then this can be a great way to utilise heat! Heat rises and therefore your upstairs will always be slightly warmer than your downstairs! If you can try hang your towels and bed sheets over your bannister overnight and the rising heat will have your items dry in no time!
Again though this works best if you have had these items on an extra spin cycle so that the items are not soaking and you are reducing the amount of moisture being released into the air.
Use your radiators to dry out your clothing make sure to turn them at least once
Using your radiators to quicken up the drying time can be a great trick. However again you need to be careful that you are not drying clothes in areas that are poorly ventilated or rooms you are spending a lot of time in. To avoid the risks associated with this we do not recommend drying very wet clothes on your radiators!
However after all of the above steps are taken and to avoid using that oh so expensive tumble dryer putting your almost dry clothes onto the radiators for that finishing bit is a great way to get rid of any remaining dampness and to get the cold air out of your clothing!
