How do people manage without a tumble dryer?

LOOPYLISA · 19-01-2011, 03:39 PM

Love my tumble, would be lost without it

Have a big airer though, and never put wet clothes in it, just damp

**gigglinggoblin** · 19-01-2011, 03:57 PM

Combination of outside drying, clothes airer and radiators. Did 2 loads in my mums tumble drier last autumn and felt really bad, they use a huge amount of electric.

I have 4 kids and a mucky husband and even when ds4 was in cloth nappies I didnt need one.

**Mouse** · 19-01-2011, 04:26 PM

Originally Posted by tulip0803

but this is Welsh Wales and their is an awful lot of rain

.

Tell me about it - we go to Wales most years on hols

**RachelE** · 19-01-2011, 04:29 PM

We dont have one.

We have a huge airer in the spare room and seem to manage with just that. Its a very warm house and the clothes generally are dry within 24 hours unless its cram packed! I can get about one an half loads ont he airer.

Rachel x

**snufflepuff** · 19-01-2011, 04:34 PM

In our old house I used 2 big airers in the back bedroom (the house was exactly the same as this one but I wasn't minding then and my son was still in our bedroom so more space) the room was a sun trap so it dried quickly.

Now I have to use the tumble drier, plus I hang stuff over our landing banister as it is really long- enough for our king size duvet covers, or 4 big towles.

I love being able to dry everything on the line in the summer though. I hate using the tumber drier. It's a condenser washer dryer so everything comes out crumpled and needs ironing.

**PixiePetal** · 19-01-2011, 04:35 PM

2 airers in the spare room - try not to let washing build up to a mountain

with 2 teens

smalls all over radiators

, tops on hangers on spare room doorway which works quite well too. also on hangers in airing cupboard, bedding - well we are not that dirty - once a week but not all at once and if there will be no room to dry it, I don't change it for a few more days

we manage - roll on the summer or at least dry weather

**Mouse** · 19-01-2011, 04:40 PM

I've come to the conclusion that I'm just too impatient - I couldn't wait 24 hours for clothes to dry

**butterfly** · 19-01-2011, 04:50 PM

I have one large airer in the bathroom, a small one hung over the radiator, my washing line outside and all the radiators in the house plus the banister on the landing! Basically I rotate the washing around until it's dry. I have to keep on top of it and occassionally have to send a load over to go through MIL's dryer. I try and time the washing so that every load gets an evening and early morning on the radiators. On cold days like today the heating's been on all day so that I can get the last two days washing dry!

It's a bind but I know we couldn't afford to have a tumble dryer running all the time!

**manjay** · 19-01-2011, 05:03 PM

Originally Posted by Mouse

I've come to the conclusion that I'm just too impatient - I couldn't wait 24 hours for clothes to dry

Me neither! I hate clothes hanging around the house. There is nothing worse than having an unexpected visitor and then realising that your thongs are on full show

I use my tumble drier for everything even in the summer. I don't even have a washing line

**Mrs Book** · 19-01-2011, 05:39 PM

I don't have one either. 2 drying racks & sock dryers as well. Lots of things hung on hangers as we seem to manage ok. Bed covers dry quite quickly when the heating is on. During the summer everything is out on the line.

**Helen Dempster** · 19-01-2011, 06:03 PM

I don't have one (haven't got the space, and don't like the all-in-one things). It's much easier in the summer, or at least the drier weather as it all goes on the line outside, but in the winter months where it's constantly raining it's a pain in the bottom! I usually put mine on airers - when I'm minding, these go upstairs in the bedrooms out of the way - or like you, on the radiators. Alot of the washing gets done at the weekend when I'm not working, and that's what I try to do, but it's not always possible.

**FussyElmo** · 19-01-2011, 06:04 PM

Originally Posted by manjay

Me neither! I hate clothes hanging around the house. There is nothing worse than having an unexpected visitor and then realising that your thongs are on full show

I use my tumble drier for everything even in the summer. I don't even have a washing line

I hate clothes over radiators etc hate it even when they cant go in the tumble dryer.

Maybe its me but I dont even notice the cost in my electric I dont notice a drop in the summer when I can use the washing line

**LisaH** · 19-01-2011, 06:37 PM

I've never had a dryer either. All my wet stuff goes on hangers across the shower rail in the bathroom, usually dries overnight

Can't wait for warmer weather so it can go back outside!!

LOOPYLISA · 19-01-2011, 06:39 PM

Originally Posted by manjay

Me neither! I hate clothes hanging around the house. There is nothing worse than having an unexpected visitor and then realising that your thongs are on full show

I use my tumble drier for everything even in the summer. I don't even have a washing line

Our pet hate

**mummyjo** · 19-01-2011, 09:45 PM

I don't have a drier. It is no problem in summer as it goes out on the line.

Since I have been minding I have developed a new fab routine that works, wait for it.......

I wash the clothes at night before I go to bed, hang them on the radiators and in the morning hey presto they are dry!

The I quickly fold them and move them upstairs before the children arrive, job done!

**manjay** · 19-01-2011, 09:48 PM

Originally Posted by mummyjo

I don't have a drier. It is no problem in summer as it goes out on the line.

Since I have been minding I have developed a new fab routine that works, wait for it.......

I wash the clothes at night before I go to bed, hang them on the radiators and in the morning hey presto they are dry!

The I quickly fold them and move them upstairs before the children arrive, job done!

That wouldn't work for me as my radiators are cold all night

**mr man** · 19-01-2011, 10:32 PM

ive got a cieling airer ( olden day type thing) not sure of its name. bargin buy from car boot and the absolute best thing ever. I can fit a whole load on it, ( 8kg washer), i do use the radiators too though on big wash days.
all the clothes are normally dried over night on the airer it fab

**jacey** · 19-01-2011, 10:55 PM

As I haven't got any room to put a tumble drier, and in preparation for a winters washing and drying for a household of 6 + mindees, I bought myself one of those combined electric heater /drier racks.
I can fit a washload on it, the heavier items like towels take longer than lighter items to dry but as it generates heat it also quite good at taking the chill off a cold room.

**sweets** · 20-01-2011, 07:53 AM

my tumber is in my sapre room, it has a tablecloth over it and doubles up as a bedside table! lol

i only really use it for towels (i like them soft) and the odd load of light things.

i wash little and often and hang clothes on an airer by the radiator in my spare room , the room is south facing so gets quite sunny and warm, i avoid hanging clothes actually on the radiator as it causes condensation and is suposed to make the boiler work harder and therefore more expensive.

in summer i love hanging clothes out as they are so much fresher , i have a rotary which i just put up when needed.

its the inbetween weather when i find it difficult, when its not sunny or windy enough to dry outside but radiators aren't on because its not cold enough!

**singingcactus** · 20-01-2011, 09:49 AM

Originally Posted by tomnbeccs

ive got a cieling airer ( olden day type thing) not sure of its name. bargin buy from car boot and the absolute best thing ever. I can fit a whole load on it, ( 8kg washer), i do use the radiators too though on big wash days.
all the clothes are normally dried over night on the airer it fab

We're finally in a home where we can fit one of these and it is on our list of things to get this month.