Drying outside in Autumn

FlyingDolphin

Apart from planning ahead using the Met Office app to predict a dry and low humidity day, if I'm really stuck, I hang stuff up indoors and then play a desk fan over the washing. It isn't heat that dries clothes, but the evaporation of water molecules. Some water molecules have a higher velocity than others, even at the same temperature, so a fan helps drive off the water molecules with the highest velocity.

Floss

FlyingDolphin said:

Apart from planning ahead using the Met Office app to predict a dry and low humidity day, if I'm really stuck, I hang stuff up indoors and then play a desk fan over the washing. It isn't heat that dries clothes, but the evaporation of water molecules. Some water molecules have a higher velocity than others, even at the same temperature, so a fan helps drive off the water molecules with the highest velocity.

But where do those molecules go? Simple laws of physics dictate that they must go somewhere...

gsmh

I bought a dehumidifier. When it's not suitable to use the washing line outside I hang my washing on a clothes airer in a bedroom, close the door and turn the dehumidifier to the clothes drying setting and it's all dry in a few hours. The cost of running a dehumidifier is much less than a tumble dryer.

https://metro.co.uk/2022/11/13/how-much-does-a-dehumidifier-cost-to-run-17748600/

timehastoldme

Living temporarily in the south west where it is always damp, the dehumidifier has been amazing for getting clothes dry. I was a sceptic until it was my only choice.

nettienettie

I was fortunate enough to get a Rotaire - rotary drier cover - before they closed due to lack of support. I can put & leave my washing out in all weathers except high winds. If not completely dry I finish off in my small bedroom on a clothes horse next to a radiator. 

Dtchbrd

During damp / rainy spells I do as a previous poster has mentioned: use a desktop fan near my clothes airer. If the radiator is on, I place the fan in front of the radiotor so that it blows warmer air on the clothes. I prefer not having clothes draped over all radiators in the house. The fan near the radiator does a good job and allows me to dry stuff in a single room fairly quickly! 

MrsFarmer19

I don't have a tumble drier either.  I hang clothes outside whenever possible but if the weather is going to be rubbish I do smaller loads and put them on an airer to dry in the spare room.  I ventilate the room as much as possible to avoid smells etc, I also find that even if the clothes don't get fully dry on the line they do dry better indoors after being on the line for a few hours.   
I have had a tumble drier previously (in a larger house) but really don't miss it at all.  It's just a case of being a bit more savvy when doing the washing!

EnergySwapper

It’s rained almost constantly for the last few weeks where I live, there’s no way I’d get the washing dried outside.  I have boys, lots of sport, so there’s a load almost every day.  I try not to use the tumble dryer as much these days - airer indoors, in front of a radiator, but often there’s not enough room.  And I worry about the increase in humidity & hence potential mould from drying clothes inside.  Towels & sheets straight in tumble dryer, as they would take days to dry & we don’t have enough of them if they’re all in the wash!  Clothes not dried properly do tend to smell musty very quickly, especially towels.

gsmh

Using a dehumidifier it's amazing how much water is extracted from a clothes airer of washing, and to think that would otherwise go into the fabric of the house and cause all sorts of problems in the future.

Fizz2015

We bought a dehumidifier that happened to have the laundry function. It's great and really removes so much water from the washing it was surprising at first. I might finish off with a 5min blast in drier or air on radiators but will try where possible to dry outside all year.