Drying washing - heating vs tumble dryer?

apples1

My electricity bill has gone sky high. We had a baby five months ago and have probably used the washing machine on average about 10 - 12 times a week maybe more and the dryer the same. I have just had the bill and I must do something to cut back.

How do you dry towels without them going stiff if you don't use the dryer? I will now have to hang all bed linen to dry and jeans etc which means they stay on the airer for ages and then I can't hang anything else out so I get really behind with washing.

manda1205

apples1 wrote: »

My electricity bill has gone sky high. We had a baby five months ago and have probably used the washing machine on average about 10 - 12 times a week maybe more and the dryer the same. I have just had the bill and I must do something to cut back.

How do you dry towels without them going stiff if you don't use the dryer? I will now have to hang all bed linen to dry and jeans etc which means they stay on the airer for ages and then I can't hang anything else out so I get really behind with washing.

Unfortunately there is no way (that I know of) of drying towels indoors without them going stiff. I put mine on a horse over night in living room, so coal fire drys them, then in morning put them in airing cupborad. I've recently bought good quality towels, and they do seem better, ie not so stiff, the only thing I could say is its only the first time you use them they are hard, then they soften after a couple of drys IYSWIM.
Also if you've got radiators, have you got those hooking airers, so you can have some clothes on each radiator? MIL did this when I had DD (I lived with her for 3mnths) and DDs clothes would be dry in a couple of hours then you manage to dry a lot in day.

pulliptears

Before I had my dryer I used to put a clothes maid in the bath and put everything on there. Maybe a drop of comfort in your wash may leave the towels less stiff?

When my kids were babies I bought a big bucket and would hand wash little things like baby grows and vests or leave them soaking overnight in a bucket of washing powder. Maybe by doing that you could cut back on the amount of machine washes you do a week?

Magpie.

I put my washing on a clothes horse outside during the day if it's not raining then at night I bring it in and put it infront of the patio door and when the sun comes up in the morning it usually dries it off.

I sometimes have to use the dryer to finish of towels and bedding.

3under3

I use my tumble dryer after every wash in winter. It may be expensive but with 5 of us in a two bed bungalow there is no spare room to dry clothes, the 3 children are pre school, two have eczema and can't tolerate fabric conditioner and the consevatory is so cold in winter that clothes never dry out there (you can see your breath in there some days). The tumble dryer stops clothes hanging about forever trying to dry, keeps the clothes lovely and soft and reduces ironing. I'd be lost without it!!

fernliebee

apples1 wrote: »

My electricity bill has gone sky high. We had a baby five months ago and have probably used the washing machine on average about 10 - 12 times a week maybe more and the dryer the same. I have just had the bill and I must do something to cut back.

How do you dry towels without them going stiff if you don't use the dryer? I will now have to hang all bed linen to dry and jeans etc which means they stay on the airer for ages and then I can't hang anything else out so I get really behind with washing.

I don't have a drier so have to dry everything on the airer, I also use washable nappies and live in a hard water area so know all about stiff towels/ jeans/ nappies etc:rolleyes:

I've found that the less softener you use the better, or if you put white vinegar and a drop of lavendar oil in the softener drawer instead of softener they come out so much better- and don't worry they don't smell of vinegar at all. It does take a while to get used to clothes that smell of nothing as softener is so perfumed!! The other trick is to every other or every third wash just leave them to dry most of the way then give them 10 mins in the drier to fluff them up. Or give them a really good shake when they're dry!!

I haven't tried it but apparently the eco washer balls are good at softening whilst in the washer so no need for dryer? But also read bad reports so unsure- maybe someone else has tried them??

manda1205

pulliptears wrote: »

Before I had my dryer I used to put a clothes maid in the bath and put everything on there. Maybe a drop of comfort in your wash may leave the towels less stiff?

When my kids were babies I bought a big bucket and would hand wash little things like baby grows and vests or leave them soaking overnight in a bucket of washing powder. Maybe by doing that you could cut back on the amount of machine washes you do a week?

Fabric softner on towels makes them loose their absorbency. I only found this out recently, mentioned on another forum I go on I think. Then afterwards noticed that its written on the towels care label as well, doh!

pulliptears

manda1205 wrote: »

Fabric softner on towels makes them loose their absorbency. I only found this out recently, mentioned on another forum I go on I think. Then afterwards noticed that its written on the towels care label as well, doh!

well, I didnt know that! I have learned something today lol

apples1

Thanks for ideas. can't use fabric softener as one daughter suffers from eczema and wouldn't want to use it on babies stuff really. We gave it up a few years back and it really helped so not going back. Aagree it does really spoil absorbency too - we have lovely white company towels - can't waste them by them being stiff though!

I think will try drying on airer and then tumbling towels for last ten mins. they are the only thing i can't bear stiff. everything else seems as normal once its ironed. You don't miss fabric conditioner after a few weeks without it.

Re the bucket of baby clothes and hand washing. Each load I do is a full load so it wouldn't really benefit us but thanks for the thought. I'm afraid for me life to too short to handwash anyway!

We do have the old fashioned pulley airer that goe sup to ceiling which I would totally recommend. Prob is it only holds one big load and I tend to wash in batches hence the overuse of the t dryer. Giving up the batch washing no wto try and save t dryer use! We have under floor heating so no radiators and I hate washing hanging about everywhere.

tracy1_2

skintchick wrote: »

Does anyone know how much a modern tumble dryer costs to run? I never use mine as I hang my clothes on ariers but now there's two of us it really does seem to take over the whole house (OH only wears things once before throwing them in the wash) and I hate having washing hanging around all the time.

Also we are trying for a baby and then there will be a LOT of washing!

So does it cost that much to run one?

i had a chat with my elec provider who told me it was 45p/hr for tumble dryer vs 15p/hr for the iron.