Winter is here with us for a long time which means drying clothes indoors has never been more harder. Here’s how you can dry your laundry without spending a fortune this month
It’s no secret many households would be struggling this winter with the cost of living crisis. As Ofgem confirmed household energy bills are set to rise from January 1, many people will be scrambling for money-saving hacks.
One thing which might be costly this winter is drying clothes inside. It can be easy turning to the tumble dryer to solve the problem fast but use one could get expensive, unless you own a heated dry rack. Now one mum on TikTok revealed how to save money on adding one household item with her heated dry rack to speed up the process.
The user @bygemmalondon said in a video: “Money saving tip for winter: If you have a heated dryer rack, place a dry bedsheet over the top to trap all the hot air in and dry clothes much quicker.”
Her caption read: “The amount of washing I can get clean and dry by doing this is crazy and it will save on the pennies this winter!”
Heated dry racks can be good to save money, instead of a tumble dryer. A heated clothes rack costs around 7p to 26p per hour to run, while a tumble dryer cycle ranges from 75p to £1.54.
These appliances are also cheaper to purchase, with the lowest priced ones starting from £40 on the market. In contrast, tumble dryers can cost around £200, if not more.
While tumble dryers are much quicker to use, a modern heat pump tumble dryer is the cheapest to run of the three, though it comes with a higher initial cost.
How to dry clothes with a heated airer:
Put a spin first: Make sure you give your laundry an extra spin in the washing machine to remove excess water before hanging.
Spread clothes evenly: Your garments should have as much contact with the heated bars as possible by spreading them out.
Turn items often: Rotate clothes every few hours to ensure even drying.
Use a cover: Whether it’s a cover or bedsheet, position this over the airer to trap the heat and speed up the process.
Place strategically: Situate the airer in the smallest room available to concentrate the heat. A larger open space won’t be as effective.
Use a dehumidifier: To hasten the process, place a dehumidifier on the floor underneath the airer to collect the evaporated moisture and prevent dampness.
Get the timing right: Put smaller items first, as they dry quicker, and then move larger items up to the top racks, when heat rises.
