Hanging your clothes on the line to dry might be energy efficient and better for your clothes. Still, it takes longer – especially during winter.
Luckily, there’s a solution for that.
How to dry clothes fast without a dryer
A mum shared this simple and effective tip in the Mums Who Clean Facebook group as a way to cut your drying time in half.
“I have recently been staying with my elderly parents. While there, I did some washing for them,” she said.
“Mum said to me, ‘Don’t forget to do an additional spin cycle after the cycle has finished.’
“Her response was that it wouldn’t take as long for the washing to dry on a cold winter’s day when there isn’t as much sun.
“And guess what, she was right!”
How this hack works
Adding an extra spin cycle allows you to dry your clothes faster by removing more moisture from them before you hang them out to dry.
According to information from appliance brand Bosch, this “quickly removes moisture through centrifugal action, saving you precious time.” You can also use it for a more efficient drying cycle if you do have a dryer.
In this case, the mum who shared this tip also tried it for herself when she got home, saying it helped to dry her clothes quicker.
“Since returning home this week to Sydney and the rain, I tried this on a load of towels (bath sheets) before putting them in the dryer,” she said.
“Normally, the load would take one and a half to two hours to dry, and they took just under 60 minutes.”
Other group members were impressed with the hack, with many saying they would give it a go.
“Oh wow, I’m going to give this a go!” said one commenter.
Another added: “What a great idea! I’m going to do this now too!”
Others said they’d been doing this “for years”.
“My mum also taught me this! Except I don’t have a dryer, but it helps them line dry quicker,” one said.
Best way to dry clothes fast: more tips
While the extra washing machine spin will help remove any excess water, there are some other things you can do to speed up your drying time.
- Spread clothes out – when hanging clothes on the line, ensure they are spread out evenly and not bunched up.
- Don’t share pegs – it might be easier, but it doesn’t help you dry your clothes any faster. Leaving space between clothes allows more airflow, which is what you need to get your clothes dry – fast.
- Hang sheets over multiple lines – Hanging your sheets over one line reduces airflow and drying time. Hang them over a few lines to speed things up. This also works for other heavy items like blankets and thick jumpers.
- Give clothes a light shake if they need it – if your clothes are a little bunched up or tangled, give them a very light shake to prepare them for drying. But be careful not to over-shake and stretch your clothes.
