As general rule of thumb, clothing items laundered in a permanent-press or regular cycle in the washing machine can also be dried in the clothes dryer. But it’s always best to check the clothing care label. When in doubt, air-dry. This option saves money on fuel bills, extends the longevity of clothes, and reduces concerns about ruining certain clothing. Air-drying though depends totally upon the climate, weather or season! Clothes may take time to dry in colder months. The longer the clothes take to dry, the more they stink! Here are some ways and tips on drying laundry without any drier:
USE A HIGH SPIN
Use a high spin setting on your washing machine so that as much water as possible is removed from your clothes before they’re even ready to dry. The increased energy used to do this is nothing compared to the energy needed to run a tumble dryer.
A FOLDABLE CLOTHES LINE
Foldable clothes lines collapse into each other, then fold flat against a wall so when they’re not being used, they’re out of the way. When you need it, unfold the frame and voila. This could be a good solution if you don’t have two poles to attach a regular line to. Just use the back wall of your house or garage.
DRYER RACK
Dryer racks can’t be beat for convenience, and many of them are large enough to handle an entire load of laundry at one time. If you’re using a line of some sort, you’ll need clothes pins to secure the clothes. Use the sturdiest clothespins you can find. Choose wood, not plastic, and store the pins inside and away from the elements when they’re not in use to keep them from getting dirty or wet if it rains.
HANGERS
Since you are going to end up putting clothes on hangers anyway, why not use those hangers to dry them? Hang the hangers off the drying rack around the edges or on surrounding furniture or on the chain of a ceiling fan in a little used room. Super effective, and very convenient–when the clothes are dry, just move them to the closet–after all, they’re already on a hanger!
FLIP
If you find your clothes are taking a little too long to dry or come up smelling a little musty, you might consider flipping clothes over on the rack, or inside out halfway through the drying process. This exposes the other surface of the clothes to the air and helps them dry much more quickly. I’ve never found this necessary, but if you have some extra time during the day, it can’t hurt.
INDOOR CLOTHES LINE
The best way to dry clothes in your apartment is in door clotheslines (you can build one on the top of the ceiling of your gallery). The Indoor clotheslines hold approximately 30 to 40 pounds of clothes and it will hold lots of drying clothes with its extensions of about 70 feet and drying clothes without utilizing electricity is a great way to save money on your electric bill.
A ROTARY LINE DRYER
In this style, a central pole that’s permanently sunk into the ground opens up like an umbrella. Instead of water-repellent fabric, a mesh of lines unfolds, making it possible to hang an entire load of laundry. A hand crank on the pole makes it easy to raise the load a few feet above the ground, where the clothes can catch the breeze and dry quickly.
ADDITIONAL TIPS:
- Hang clothes from a rod or lay them flat on a drying rack when air-drying garments inside the home.
- Pin panties and slips to hangers by the waistbands, or hang them over a drying rack to air-dry.
- Don’t overdry. Overdrying certain clothing items, such as cotton shirts, can be hard on them and lead to shrinkage. It’s best to remove cotton garments while they’re damp, hang them up, and let them finish air-drying on a clothes rack.
- Reshape any foam or batting in bra cups before draping bras over a clothing rack to air-dry.
- Keep garments separated to allow air circulation and faster drying.
- Shirts and tops should be pinned to the line from the bottom hem at the side seams.
- Fold sheets or blankets in half and pin each end to the line. Leave room between the items, if possible, for maximum drying.
BENEFITS OF AIR DRYING:
- Air-drying prevents static cling.
- Air-drying extends the lifetime of clothing by reducing wear and tear in the dryer.
- Air-drying uses less energy, which saves money and makes less of an impact on the environment.
- Air-drying outside on a clothesline adds a fresh, clean smell.