Clever ways to dry clothes indoors in autumn and winter

With energy prices still high and the temperatures starting to drop many of us will be looking for the best ways to dry our laundry indoors. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of clever ways to dry clothes indoors to help.

Jump to

• Using an indoor clothes airer
• Heated clothes airer
• Using a dehumidifier
• Tumble drying your clothes
• How can you dry clothes and cut costs?

Using an indoor clothes airer  

An indoor clothes airer is possibly the most common laundry drying technique in the colder seasons. What makes this option so popular is its accessibility. From traditional clothes horses to over-the-radiator designs, indoor clothing airers come in all shapes and sizes to fit your home and can easily be purchased from most homeware stores and supermarkets.

In addition to being readily available, indoor clothes airers are also a sustainable solution. They require no additional gas or electricity to run, as they naturally use the heat from your home to dry the clothes. 

However, its natural method of clothing drying does come with some cons. Firstly, it takes longer to dry your clothes than other indoor methods. Simply put, the colder your home is, the longer it’ll take to dry your clothes, which can force you to crank up the heating, costing you money overall. Clothes airers can also pose a problem if you have poor air circulation in your home, as they can cause moisture to collect, creating damp conditions that can lead to mould,  so keep this in mind if you do use clothes airers. There are some tricks you can use to reduce the chance of damp and mould when using a clothes airier like improving air flow around your home by keeping internal doors open and windows where possible. You can also invest in a dehumidifier to collect additional moisture in the air. 

Heated clothes airer

If an indoor airer seems like the right fit but the process takes too long, then a heated clothes airer might be your best bet.

The great thing about a heated airer is that it follows a similar design to what many of us are familiar with but dramatically cuts down the drying time. A 220W heated airer can dry clothes in around two to five hours, depending on the items, which is dramatically lower than the 24-hour drying time you typically see from a standard airer.

Heated airers can also be cost-effective. A 220W dryer typically costs around 5.9p to run an hour, so you can get much more bang for your buck!

However, they also come with their disadvantages. Much like the unheated option, heated airers can cause damp and mould if your home has poor air circulation, so it’s vital to ensure decent air flow in your home while using these airers. Additionally, you also need the room. Much like traditional clothes airers, they need space to work their magic. They also need an electrical outlet close by, so keep this in mind when choosing your laundry-drying option.  

Using a dehumidifier  

If airers aren’t your thing or you’re a little nervous about the potential for mould, then a dehumidifier might be the right option for you.

Drying clothes at a similar rate as a heated clothes airer, a dehumidifier has one huge benefit. It removes moisture from the air, preventing mould growth in damp conditions. Coming in at an average hourly cost of 6.8p, a dehumidifier can also provide a more cost-effective solution compared to other laundry drying methods. They can also be gentler than a tumble dryer, ensuring your clothes last the test of time .

To effectively use a dehumidifier, you’ll firstly need to hang your laundry on an airer or clothes horse, then position your device close to ensure it collects any of the moisture your clothing lets off during the drying process. Some dehumidifier models even come with laundry boost settings, which as specially designed to speed up the drying process. However, Dehumidifiers will not be effective with large washing loads, so don’t overload the washes to ensure your dehumidifier can do its magic. 

Dehumidifiers can come with a more considerable upfront cost than other options, so it’s worth investigating if the price is worth it to you. You’ll also need to remember to empty the water it collects. The time between emptying will vary between models and can be seen as an inconvenience for some people.

Tumble drying your clothes  

Tumble dryers are the first thing people think of when considering indoor laundry drying methods – and with good reason. Tumble dryers provide the quickest and most convenient route to dry clothing. They can also be a time-saving option if you tend to have a lot of laundry to work through.

That being said, they do come with their negatives. Firstly, they are the most expensive option to purchase and run, which can be a huge turn-off for some. You also need the luxury of space to own one. If your home lacks the room, it might be a non-starter. Tumble dryers can also affect the quality of your clothing, with some items being unsuitable for the strain these machines can put on garments. 

How can you dry clothes and cut costs?

Although your clothes drying method plays a huge role in your wait time, there are a few tricks you can employ to dry your laundry quicker while saving money. For example:

• Use your washing machine’s highest spin setting to wring out as much water as possible to reduce drying time
•  Avoid overloading the washing machine so that clothes do not come out soaking
• Wash clothes earlier in the day to make the most of any sunlight and give them longer to dry
• Once washed, roll your wet clothes into dry towels to absorb excess water
• Turn over clothes on an airer every few hours to help them dry quicker and evenly
• Invest in a cover for your heated clothes airer to speed up the drying process. In a pinch, bedsheets can also do the trick.