...get things dry in the winter?

[Clarry]

With winter on it's way (and a tumble dryer that caught fire end of last winter) I'm starting to think of ways of getting everything dry.
Luckily I only used to use the dryer for towels and socks but I'm wondering how to get towels dry through our wet winter.

Clothes usually sit wet for 2 or 3 days.....towels are going to be a nightmare. Don't have the room to dry them for a start!

How does everyone else cope?

[Millymollymandy]

Airer in front of radiators or wood burner?

I part tumble dry mine to fluff them up/remove cat hairs then finish off the drying on an airer.

[lovelygreenleaves]

I'm considering the same problem as my tumble dryer has broken and I can't dry clothes inside because it gets too humid (which is hard to get rid of when the air outside is damp too!)

[Milims]

My OH put a washing line up over the bath and it works beautifully! I also hang things over the banister. Pretty much if I hang it up as soon as it's washed it's dry by the morning

[Silver Ether]

I have an over head hanging airer .. you know the old fashiond sort... I know they are very popular in Scotland as every cottage I have stayed in has them in the kitchen or halls where you pull them up our of sight, mine is in the utilty and as warm air rises ... they are also great for drying herbs...

[Thomzo]

I'm lucky as I have a laundry room. I have an airer which consists of some wooden dowelling fixed to the wall above the radiator. It means that I can shut the door and keep the damp air out of the rest of the house. I've been lent a dehumidifier which really helps. I would suggest one if you can afford it. They take the moisture out of the air, which helps to warm the air, part covering the cost of running them. They also stop the house getting full of condensation which can cause damp problems or breathing issues. And, you can use the water for watering plants that don't like tap water.

On a sunny day, I can put an airer up in the conservatory.

I used to have a sheila maid type airer (one that you pull up to the ceiling on a pulley) over the Rayburn. That was brilliant as you could dry jeans or towels in an hour.


Zoe

[Mrs Moustoir]

Make sure your washing machine spins well - and if it doesn't, buy a cheap spin dryer.

When my son was a baby we rented a house in the UK with a combined washer/dryer and it was a nightmare. The machine was elderly and it hardly spun at all - leaving me with soaking wet washing everytime. Luckily, the landlord replaced the machine after our complaints.

If you have an efficient spinner, it is easier to dry the stuff - whichever method you use.

We have woodburners now with hot air vents upstairs which are ideal for drying stuff.

[Green Aura]

Even in winter you can get things dry outside.

We try to wait for fine weather then drape towels, jumpers, duvets etc (only washed if absolutely necessary) over the fence. The whirligig is too high and windy

Even though it doesn't dry them thoroughly, they're much easier to finish off indoors.

[Annpan]

I have never owned a tumble dryer

In our flat we had a 'pulley' as they are known in Glasgow, or a sheila maid as other people seem to call them. We had it over the bath and in a tenement with high ceilings that means you can still have baths and showers underneath it.
We also had airers in front of our radiators.

Here we have a wood burner and a clothes horse that lives beside it most of the winter.

But Green Aura is right, we hang out washing in all but the wettest of weather... right through the year. We even hang out in drizzle because it still gets dryer than it would in the house in the same amount of time. The finish it all off on the clothes horse. When we get a sunny day forecast we wash everything quickly and have stacks of wet washing ready to go out.

I know you say that you don't but if you did have a spare room to dry the washing in remember to leave the window open a crack to keep the air flowing. A dehumidifier does help but still using electricity.

I live in a VERY damp house (I mean 16 kinds of mould and rot on just about every wall, water comes in in at least 3 places when it rains) and we managed to dry right through the winter... including a wee one in re-usable nappies... so it can be done.

[MuddyWitch]

Most of our stuff goes out on the few dry days we usually have. I watch the weather forcasts avidly! The rest ends up in the conservatory on a clothes horse.

My 'maiden' (ceiling airer thingy) is over the stairs as it's out of the way, I can load it from the landing & it uses the warm air that escapes upwards from the lounge or kitchen.

Occasionally we do cheat & take a bagfull to the laundrette. They don't mind you using just the dryers if you avoid 'peak' times; Saturdays & early evenings.

MW