A tumble dryer is useful, especially when the weather’s not right for air-drying clothes. But not everyone can afford one, either for reasons of space or budget. There is, however, a trick that allows clothes to dry quickly in damp weather.
Household appliances such as tumble dryers and washing machine dryers are indispensable, but they also consume a lot of energy. If you don’t have one of these and want to save money, you can dry your clothes faster with this simple feature in your washing machine.
Absorbing moisture from clothes with a washing machine
Having a tumble dryer at home isn’t an absolute necessity. Although it’s quick and convenient, there are plenty of other ways to dry clothes without using a tumble dryer. These alternatives can be just as fast and efficient, and are often more environmentally friendly. And they won’t shrink your clothes either! So here’s a washing machine feature that can come in very handy.
The towel and washing machine technique for absorbing moisture from clothes
This function removes excess water from your clothes. To do this, when the wash cycle is finished, simply keep your clothes still damp in the washing machine, program the “spin cycle” to maximum power and place a thick, dry bath towel inside the drum. With this trick, the towel absorbs much of the moisture retained by your laundry.
Tip: avoid overfilling the drum of your washing machine. The smaller the load, the faster your clothes will dry.
Place clothes facing the radiator
Once you’ve wrung out your clothes using the towel technique in the washing machine, hang them on a clothesline and place it opposite the radiator (about one or two meters away to avoid dampness and mildew problems), in a small, well-ventilated room. The radiator gives off warm air, which will help your clothes dry even better.
Another tip for drying clothes without a tumble dryer
As well as using a towel to spin dry, there’s another way to dry your clothes without using a tumble dryer.
The hair dryer technique for drying clothes
Did you know that your hair dryer isn’t just for drying your hair? If you’re in a hurry, you can use it to dry your clothes without having to use a tumble dryer. It’s easy to carry and very practical. Simply place your wrung-out garment on a flat surface, set your hair dryer to a medium temperature and start drying one area at a time (front, back, sides). Pay particular attention to collars, sleeves and pockets, as these are the areas that absorb the most moisture.
Tip: be sure to dry your garment from the inside out with the hairdryer.
