Clever tricks to dry clothes (laundry) quickly in winter

Weather of Arabia - Drying clothes after washing may seem like an easy process, we hang them for a few hours to dry and then collect them and put them back in the wardrobe, but when it comes to cold or rainy weather, things get more complicated.

Clothes take longer to dry in cold weather, and clothes hang to dry indoors, and when kept damp for a long time, they can emit unpleasant odors, such as mildew, especially if they are hung in a small room with a carpeted floor, which leads to re-washing.

Here are some smart tricks to dry your laundry during winter days faster:

1. When washing clothes, do not overfill the washing machine. Soaking too many clothes together will leave them more damp at the end of the wash, at which point they will take longer to dry.
2. Give the laundry an extra spin in the washing machine, this helps to extract excess water and moisture.
3. Hang the clothes immediately, do not leave them in the washing machine or in the laundry basket as this may cause them to smell mildew, and you will have to re-wash them.
4. Choose the hours of the day to do laundry and lay them out instead of at night. Take advantage of the daylight as much as the setting, and take advantage of the sun's shining during daylight hours, to spread the laundry.
5. On days when the sun sets, hang the clothes briefly on the porch, then put in the dryer and turn on the heater or warm air conditioner.
6. Arrange the washed clothes on the dryer in a way that helps them dry faster, so that you place heavy clothes and short pieces on the edges and in the front rows, and long clothes with soft fabrics in the back rows, so as not to block the sun's rays and delay the drying of the rest of the clothes.
7. Avoid drying laundry in rooms where you spend the most time, such as the bedroom, to reduce the risk of moisture and mold.
8. When hanging laundry on a moving rack, place it near an open window or somewhere with good air flow.
9. Avoid placing too many clothes in the same part of the dryer, as this will delay the drying process. Instead, spread the clothes evenly at a distance of at least 1 inch, and turn them over after a few hours to dry evenly.
10. Fabric softener can be used with your laundry, which speeds up the drying process and prevents moisture odors from building up.
11. Lay delicate clothes on coat hangers and hang them on the rack, this will ensure extra space to dry more clothes at once, and the clothes will be as wrinkle-free as possible.
12. Avoid drying clothes on a radiator, as this increases moisture in the air and contributes to mold growth, which poses health risks, and can also lead to increased energy consumption.
13. Always make sure the clothes are completely dry before collecting them from the dryer. This will help prevent mold and mildew from growing in areas with no air movement, such as closets and drawers, and helps the clothes stay fresher for longer.

(Avoid drying clothes on a radiator, as this increases moisture in the air and contributes to mold growth, which poses health risks, and can also lead to increased energy consumption)

Methods of drying clothes and the factors affecting it

Some people may resort to electric clothes dryers (toasters) to dry clothes faster, but they are one of the most energy-consuming appliances in the home, as they often consume the same amount of energy as the refrigerator, washing machine and dishwasher together.

As for the sun and wind, they are free resources, and drying clothes in the air is a simple strategy that will drastically reduce home energy bills, and in the following lines, the influence of surrounding factors on the process of drying clothes.

Do you need heat to dry clothes?

Heat isn't the only factor in drying clothes, and while a warm summer day might seem ideal for drying laundry quickly, there are other factors that contribute to the process of drying clothes outside.

Drying clothes with rain or moisture

It's hard to dry clothes if it's raining or snowing, however high levels of humidity in the air will also greatly extend the overall drying time, and in many cases, a cold, dry winter day causes clothes to dry faster than warm, humid summer days.

Drying clothes in the sun

Solar radiation is important for drying clothes because it provides a source of free energy to evaporate water in clothes, and while warmer air temperatures help clothes dry, solar radiation is the most effective way to evaporate water when clothes are hung to dry.

Wind drying clothes

Wind is another key component to effectively drying clothes because it draws out moisture and moves moist air around the clothes. On windy days, the saturated air stays around the clothes, at which point the drying takes longer.