Temperatures have seemingly plummeted even more than last month as Brits tackle ice and snow.
It’s challenging to dry your clothes outside in winter because colder and damper weather in winter often means that your laundry will take longer to dry and will be left feeling damp and smelling musky.
Clothes can dry indoors in winter, but it can affect air quality, humidity and lead to mould.
This means it is especially important to be aware of some savvy tips for getting your clothes dry – even without the use of a tumble dryer.
For starters, avoid drying laundry in the rooms where you spend the most time e.g., your living room and bedroom. Instead, place the drying rack in the bathroom, the kitchen or the hallway where you spend less time.
Darn winter. Darn broken tumble dryer. Darn too-small flat with no floor space. pic.twitter.com/d1wJRObUbd
— Lisa_Tea 🍵 (@Liberator_hen) October 22, 2023
Here are 6 key tips for drying clothes indoors this winter, as per Lenor.
6 tips for drying clothes indoors in winter
- Before you consider finding the best way to dry clothes indoors in winter, you need to start by looking at your load. Don’t overfill your washing machine. Squashing clothes in together will leave them damper at the end of the wash and, ultimately, they will take longer to dry.
- Give laundry a good spin and an extra shake when removing it from the washing machine to extract surplus water and dampness. Make sure you check your laundry’s care labels before you spin them, as some clothes will be too delicate.
- Where possible, use your machine’s fastest spin cycle to help get rid of any excess water from your wash. Again, check the care labels on your laundry prior to washing as not all materials e.g. knits and delicates can tolerate an extra spin.
- Hang your clothes straight away. Don’t leave them in the machine or a laundry basket as this can cause them to smell musty and even grow mould. If you’re tight on space, you can create more hanging room by simply using curtain rods. Hang an extra shower curtain rod along the top of your bathtub/shower area, and you’ve instantly got a hidden indoor spot to do some drying! Then hang your wet clothes on plastic hangers on your rod and it won’t matter if they drip a little, thanks to the drain below.
My colleague just said she doesn’t have a tumble dryer so in the winter she turns on her underfloor heating and lays her washing out on the floor ??
— TT (@aliengirl__) September 22, 2022
- When you’re drying clothes indoors, try to position your washing near an open window or somewhere with good airflow. Avoid layering too many clothes on top of one another as this can delay the drying process. Instead, spread clothes evenly at least an inch apart and turn them over after a few hours to help them dry evenly.
- Always make sure items are thoroughly dried out before putting them away. This will help prevent mould and mildew from growing in areas with poor air circulation such as wardrobes and drawers – and help clothes stay fresher for longer.
Drying clothes indoors in the winter can take up a lot of room and a lot of time – so allow for this possibility.
It can often leave your clothes with a damp and musky scent, however, if you follow the tips above, there’s a good chance you’ll have toasty fresh washing in no time.
