The 10 steps you should follow to dry your clothes at home this winter

Over winter, drying your clothes can be difficult but these tips will help you get your washing dry without damp, which can mean you have to re-wash your clothes.

It’s too cold to hang washing outside to dry over winter meaning you’re forced to try to dry it indoors – but this is no easy challenge.

If you don’t put the heating on, your damp clothes can take days to dry but might not be smelling so fresh once they’re finally dry.

Not only this, but drying washing inside increases chances of mould.

These tips can help you dry your clothes at home quickly and will also make sure they’re still smelling fresh.

Good ventilation

Firstly, making sure you have good ventilation in your home is key to drying washing quickly. Damp can occur when moist air from wet washing is trapped indoors and hits a cold surface such as a closed window. By opening a window, this air can escape, meaning there’s less chance of mould.

Heated dryers can increase condensation levels so the best option is to put your washing on a clothes airer in a room where you can leave the window open.

Monitoring your wash load

Another tip is to not overload the washing machine which may mean your wash will hold onto water for longer and will take longer to dry.

Heated dryers

While heated dryers may cause extra moisture, they are a popular option for drying clothes faster. They are reasonably energy efficient and have become increasingly popular in recent years. It is also worth pairing the heated dryer with a dehumidifier which will reduce the moisture levels in the air.

Heated dryers are cheaper than tumble dryers so it makes sense to invest in this more sustainable option.

Dehumidifier

A dehumidifier will speed things up by eliminating the moisture – it’s easy to run and a cost-effective way to reduce dampness in your house while drying your washing indoors.

Create a drying canopy

If you decide to turn on the heating to help dry your washing, draping a sheet from your radiator over your washing on a drying rack can help to create a warm environment for your washing to dry.

Spin cycle

Using the extra spin function on your washing machine is a great way to help speed up the drying process.

The dryer your washing comes out of the machine, the easier and quicker it will dry once you hang it up.

Spread washing out

This tip might sound obvious but it can be hard to spread things out if you have limited space.

One way to help fix this issue is to ensure the biggest items such as towels are properly spread out and you can also use plastic hangers for dresses and shirts.

Equipment maintenance

Making sure your dehumidifier is working optimally can really make a difference to your drying process.

Ensure it is emptied regularly and for your heated dryer, check the cables and ensure that your extractor fans are working.

Keep your eye on the weather

Even though it’s winter, sometimes the weather can be good for drying your clothes outside.

If it’s cold but bright, you might be able to dry your clothes off a little bit outside, as long as there’s no rain.

Use your local laundrette for bigger items

Using a laundrette will give you the option of using a dryer which can be a lifesaver when it comes to bigger items that are much harder to dry.

In terms of cost, a laundrette won’t break the bank and you can pop back quickly and easily to collect your items.