Drying washing outdoors in winter

VfM4meplse

kerri_gt wrote: »

I always prefer to dry outside if possible in order to minimise excess condensation in the air in the house.

This is the advice a surveyor would give you.

One of the bugbears of my current home is the east facing garden (light for only a few hours) and washing and drying clothes. The last thing you want to do is waste your weekend on laundry, but at the same I hate having to dry my clothes inside for at least 4 months of the year. So I tend to do fewer washes in the winter eg wash bedding and towels a little less frequently and then take my chances if it’s a fine day in winter. Luckily they come in a plentiful supply. In the summer I wash to my heart’s content

New home was bought with a solution in mind: a big south facing garden. As long as it’s sunny, it will dry

Living_proof

Slinky wrote: »

I get fed up of hanging stuff out, bringing it in and hanging it up again. Particularly fiddly stuff like socks. So this time of year I tend to hang it up over the bath on airers if possible or over the bannisters. Some stuff I'll put in the drier.

I bought one of those peg things on sale in pound shops, B & M, etc. and it's so easy to load with smalls indoors on a cold day, hook onto line outside and whip in should it rain. I wouldn't be without one, and just wish someone made one which would last a lifetime.

Just seen LameWolf's post, so that' two of us now!

Spendless

trailingspouse wrote: »

The smell of washing that has actually frozen on the line is like no other.

Mine's out right now - in fact, I need to go and get it back in as the dew will be falling.

Always outside - it still dries, just takes a little longer when it's cold. Basically, if the paving slabs are dry then the washing will dry.

I followed this advice after reading it last year and it's been a Godsend, especially this weekend when our TD has given up this ghost just as teenage son asked to know how to work it and the WM. It must have died from shock. :rotfl:

I just put thinner items outside yesterday and they needed a slight finish off on radiators (or with iron).

I had far too much underwear though so I did a trip to the laundrette to dry that.

LadyhavershamLost

Living_proof wrote: »

I bought one of those peg things on sale in pound shops, B & M, etc. and it's so easy to load with smalls indoors on a cold day, hook onto line outside and whip in should it rain. I wouldn't be without one, and just wish someone made one which would last a lifetime.

Just seen LameWolf's post, so that' two of us now!

I have a couple of these - 4 kids + me = a lot of smalls!

I got one from a well known Swedish store 10 years ago - still going strong !Its often used in den building as well!

VfM4meplse

Quizzical_Squirrel wrote: »

It's all in the temperature/humidity/breeze combination. You need to factor in all three.

My very unscientific thought is that you need to get the water molecules off the clothes by wind or evaporation and into the air which must therefore not be too saturated. Tumble dryers work as much by air movement as hot dry air.

So, I always hang outside unless the combo makes drying too difficult (e.g. in the winter, I usually find 45% humidity the cutoff but a good breeze helps, whereas in the summer I can even go to 65% humidity). I don't go out in the ice and snow though!

I also don't usually hang in the sun unless it's something I want sun-bleaching like white towels and sheets.

Otherwise I have a full length backup washing line in the basement alongside the washing machines so I can either go out the garden door alongside or use the indoor line behind me.

I use an air circulator fan to whisk away the moisture molecules away from the laundry and a dehumidifier to then remove them from the air. I open the windows down there when I can.

I prefer to line dry though as I like the fresh smell and even the stiff shapes that clothes throw in freezing wind are good for a laugh! I have to use gloves to bring them in though as my fingers are useless when cold!

^^I am going to pick your brain on the strength of this post!

Q: How do steam cleaners actually clean fabrics? Is it by sterilisation? And where does the dirt actually go?

iammumtoone

Inside on the banister and airer (every other rung)

I keep the bathroom and bedroom windows open slightly to allow the air to 'blow through'

House does suffer from condensation but not as much as you would expect considering all washing this time of year is dried inside. I think it helps that I live in an old house, its not so insulated as modern ones.

patchwork_cat

Freezing washing to dry it actually uses sublimation and can dry faster than some other forms of weather.

Caterina

Outdoor if the weather is dry, no matter what the temperature. It rarely goes below zero here in London. Sometimes it needs to be finished indoors and it brings a much needed antidote to the dry air of the central heating.

Large items (bedding, bath towels etc) on doors and banister, the rest on a very old (30 years at least) but perfectly functional clothes horse.

Sometimes I wash my smalls in the shower at the same time as I wash myself then dry them on the shower pole, or radiator if it's on.

Agree with others: winter washing lots less frequent than when the weather is warmer/sunnier. I air bed and clothes, esp. jumpers and other woolies, they can go a long time without a wash.

Once a year I take all our woolies to the dry cleaners. Expensive, but it kills any lurking moth eggs (we have lost several garments to the evil moth and am not taking risks). I don't have space in the freezer to freeze them off and hate the smelly stuff that's supposed to kill them in the wardrobe.

wort

Living proof , I also swear by the ike@ octopus thing for socks, much sturdier.

I also peg out whenever it looks dry enough, windy enough.
Bringing them in before it starts to go dark, then on an airer if not dry, in spare room next to radiator.
As I'm alone now I only wash when I'm not working and know I can bring it in.

LameWolf

Quizzical_Squirrel wrote: »

I prefer to line dry though as I like the fresh smell and even the stiff shapes that clothes throw in freezing wind are good for a laugh! I have to use gloves to bring them in though as my fingers are useless when cold!

That's what husbands are for! :rotfl: