How to dry clothes in your home – and avoid damp

It’s a losing battle attempting to dry clothes indoors throughout the winter months. Not only does your wash load seem to remain permanently clammy, it can also end up with that distinctive aroma of a sodden dog crossed with trainer socks. But worse, the very act of getting wet stuff dry creates the perfect atmosphere for mould spores to multiply. To avoid whiffy washing and a damp home, here are 10 suggestions for success…

Ventilation is the key

Damp occurs when warm moist air (from wet washing) is trapped indoors and hits a cold surface such as a closed window or an outside wall. Simply opening a window, or the window vents, will allow the air to circulate and escape. Using a heated dryer or drying on radiators often ups the condensation levels, so your best bet is to choose either a spacious room, or the bathroom (which may have an extractor fan and so is more equipped to deal with moisture), and then close the door and open the windows a few centimetres to encourage the moist air to escape outdoors.

Respect your washing

Read washing care labels on your clothes to understand if they can tolerate an extra long spin (to remove excess water). More delicate fabrics may get excessively creased or damaged. And try not to stuff a huge load into the machine at once. Squashing everything in will mean the wash will hold onto water more and ultimately take longer to dry.

Use a heated dryer

Sales of heated dryers have gone through the roof. Lakeland says its Dry:Soon Deluxe three-tier Heated Airer, £179.99, has seen a 220 per cent increase compared to sales two years ago. And although some folk may worry about a dryer’s energy use, this top end option only adds up to 7p an hour, whereas the average tumble dryer can consume around 85p an hour, depending on the model. Aldi has also had an increased customer interest in its extremely reasonable Winged Heated Airer, £34.99 (6p of energy usage per hour).

On the downside, a heated dryer can create moisture, so try to open windows when using one, or take the lead from Mrs Hinch, a cleaning influencer, who swears by the combined superpower of a heated dryer (to dry) and a dehumidifier (to reduce moist air). When it comes to heated dryers, Which? agrees that most models cost around 7p an hour to run, while a dehumidifier costs around 3-17p an hour, so together they appear to be an economical choice. Some dehumidifiers have a timer, so you can also benefit from setting yours at a certain time of the day when the energy tariff is cheaper.

A dehumidifier does help

In moist environments, a dehumidifier can be your friend. If you are spreading out your clothes in a damp atmosphere, they can take forever to dry – and they will probably end up smelling fusty. A dehumidifier will speed things up by eliminating the moisture.

Hayley Roberts, electrical buyer for John Lewis, says: “Our customers are always on the lookout for energy-savvy appliances that go the extra mile without breaking the bank. Dehumidifiers have had a real resurgence of late, with sales up 18 per cent compared to last year – our top-selling brand is Meaco. With the added bonus of dehumidifiers being efficient to run, costing as little as 4p per hour, they’re a great addition when drying laundry indoors – especially during the winter months.”

Create a makeshift drying canopy

When your radiators do go on, drape a dry sheet from your radiator over your washing on a drying rack. Secure the ends of the sheet at the bottom with pegs to create an enclosed canopy or “tent”. The sheet traps and circulates the air inside to provide a warmer and more efficient environment.

Add an extra spin cycle

You might want to give your washing an extra spin cycle, especially when it comes to heavier items like bed linen and towels, so you don’t end up with sopping wet laundry that takes an age to dry. Also, if you hand-wash your delicate items (such as silk shirts or cashmere jumpers), always spin them in the washing machine afterwards to remove excess water. You might also want to add a few drops of essential oil or a fabric freshener to your wash to give your laundry a fragrance upgrade as indoor drying is more inclined to mustiness.

Laura Mountford, aka @lauracleanaholic, is a cleaning content creator, podcaster and author. She shares: “Don’t overuse fabric conditioner, though, as using too much will leave a residue on your clothes which can make them smell musty, especially when drying indoors. I recommend Lenor Outdoorable Fabric Conditioner as it has a unique SolarDry technology that mimics your clothes being dried by the sun, and so keeps your fabrics smelling fresh even when drying indoors.”

Spread things out

Take a few extra minutes to space and spread out your wet clothes when drying them. This allows better air flow between each item so that they dry more efficiently and you don’t end up with the horrible whiff of bunched up garments. Use plastic hangers for dresses and shirts on your airer and keep the hangers a few inches apart for optimum aeration.

Maintain your equipment

Keep your equipment in good shape so that it does its job well. Clean the filter regularly in your dehumidifier, check the electric cables on a heated dryer and ensure that extractor fans are working. Manufacturer guidelines will give you advice on product maintenance.

Occasionally use your local launderette

When it comes to drying bulky items like bed linen, towels, blankets and throws, you may want to pass the load on to your local launderette. Their bigger dryer drums, which can take loads of up to 20kg, have a powerful tumble and will generally cost around £6-10 an hour.

Don’t give up on the outdoors

Even in the depths of winter, there will still be days when you can dry your clothes outside. You might not have much luck when the atmosphere is misty and moist, but cold bright weather will usually get your laundry dry(ish) – you’re still winning if you can reduce a wet wash to a damp pile, as it can always be finished off later indoors. Plan your laundry days around the weather forecast to get the most from the scant daylight hours, and aim to peg them out in the morning; wintry afternoons mean an earlier sundown.