Laundry Supplies

The best method for drying clothes

In terms of time and convenience, it's hard to go past a tumble dryer for drying your washing, especially in the colder months when the daylight hours are shorter. But there are a lot of reasons why air drying your garments on a clothesline or clothes airer - no matter what the season - is really the best method overall. Why?

Air drying saves you money by using less energy, which also helps benefit the environment, but it also extends the life of your clothes because they're not subjected to the wear and tear of a tumble dryer. Some fabrics may shrink because of the high temperatures of a dryer too. Additionally, air drying is great for preventing static cling on different kinds of fabrics.

An outdoor clothesline is hard to beat. Natural sunlight does an amazing job of keeping your whites whiter but intense sun can cause coloured fabrics to fade. There is an unmistakable freshness to clothes dried in the outdoors but, in certain environments, your clothes can trap molecules floating in the air.

If you don't have an outdoor clothesline, an indoor clothes airer or drying rack is designed to let air circulate evenly through your clothes similar to outdoors, and also fold up neatly for storage if your living space is on the smaller side.

Tips on drying clothes indoors

Three important factors are at play when it comes to drying clothes: heat, ventilation and time. Think of it this way - if there's less moisture in the air (indoors or out) than there is in your clothes, the quicker they'll dry. Heat and ventilation will dry your clothes on their own but, when combined, the results are surprisingly fast.

An indoor clothes airer or drying rack is the perfect way to combine heat and ventilation to dry your clothes faster indoors. Placing your clothes airer a safe distance near a heater or fan/vent will speed things up even more. Towel racks or shower curtains will also work, as well as the backs of dining room chairs, but be careful not to hang damp clothing on surfaces that may warp or rust when wet, such as untreated wood or metals.

Always keep garments separated to allow air and heat to circulate and dry your clothes faster. Try as much as possible not to overload your clothes airer. Place jumpers or tops flat on a clothes airer or drying rack to help them keep their shape. Position your airer near a window, if possible. Even if it's not a sunny day, some light is better than none.

Find the right clothes airers and drying racks at Spotlight

Ready to purchase? You can click through our range of clothes airers and drying racks online. Alternatively, head into a Spotlight store to check out the range of airers available and speak with one of our friendly customer service team who'll be happy to answer your questions.