Best ways to wash and dry your laundry in winter
Winter can make it harder to wash and dry your clothes, especially if you have a large family or kids that play a lot of muddy winter sports. But winter doesn’t mean having to run your tumble dryer for hours on end. Here are our handy winter laundry tips.
Top tips for winter washing and drying
Try and plan your washing days
While it might feel like it rains every day during winter, that’s not usually the case. Sometimes there are lovely sunny (albeit cold) days, and other times, there’s enough wind to get the job done even if it’s cloudy. On those days, you can get your washing dry outside. So, if you don’t have to wash and dry on a certain day of the week, check the forecast and aim for a sunny or windy day.
Add an extra spin cycle
With shorter sunlight hours and less available drying time, it will help to hang your washing out with as little moisture in it as possible. Most clothes, towels, and bed sheets are robust enough to take an extra spin, and you’ll be surprised how much extra water you’ll remove from your laundry. A quick shake will help to remove any wrinkles. Some fabrics don’t appreciate the extra tumbling, though, so be sure to check your care labels first.
Get your washing out and in early
On less than ideal drying days, the earlier you can hang your washing out the better. If your washing machine has a timer you might want to load it the night before and set it to wash in the early morning ready for you to hang out. Remember to get your washing early too before the air becomes damp.
Give your clothes an extra spin
Most washing machines have a separate spin programme. Using this for an extra spin can remove more water, making it quicker to dry. If your clothes are delicate this might not be an option. A gentle shake can have the same effect.
Set up a drying station inside
On wet days, it can be challenging to wash and dry your clothes. But sometimes you can’t wait for a break in the weather. Setting up an indoor drying station is a great solution for rainy laundry days, but there are a few important things to remember.
- Try not to dry your laundry in a living room or bedroom, as a single load can release as much as five litres of water into the air, encouraging mould and condensation. Dust mites also love damp environments. Instead, opt for areas that are designed to withstand moisture, like the bathroom or laundry.
- Putting a clothes rack in front of a heat source can speed up drying but remember to keep washing far enough away that it doesn’t create a fire hazard.
- Ventilation is important to help disperse moisture, so open as many windows as possible. Adding a desktop fan can speed the drying process and will use less electricity than a tumble dryer.
- Running a dehumidifier in the room will help to absorb the moisture evaporating from your clothes. Be careful that none of your washing covers the vents on the dehumidifier.
- You can use a portable drying rack or, if you have space, consider setting up a retractable washing line in your bathroom, covered deck, garage or carport. These can give a lot of line space and fold away neatly when not in use.
If you’re looking for a covered drying solution, we have an excellent selection of retractable clotheslines that are perfect for indoor and outdoor drying.
And of course, you can always use the tumble dryer if you really need to. To save money and power, reserve it for difficult items like towels and sheets, and always try to remove as much excess water as possible first to shorten the drying time.
Need a new washing line or some TLC for your existing line?
Auckland Clotheslines can help
If you are looking for a new clothesline talk to us about our stock of quality rotary lines and folding frame washing lines. We stock high-quality brands designed to withstand New Zealand conditions. We ship across the country and if you are in Auckland or Christchurch we can arrange installation for you to at an affordable price.
If you are in Auckland or Christchurch and your existing line could do with some TLC, we also offer repairs and rewiring for most types of lines using quality spare parts.
Give us a call to find out more.