Damp clothes hanging for days on end could become a distant memory this winter, thanks to a brilliantly simple household hack. Experts have revealed that using one common appliance can slash your indoor drying time by nearly half.
The Frustration of Slow-Drying Laundry
It's a familiar winter woe: you hang a load of washing indoors, only to find it remains damp and chilly two or three days later. This not only creates a laundry backlog but can also lead to your clothes developing a persistent, musty smell.
The science behind the sluggish drying is straightforward. Cold winter air has less energy for evaporation and is often more humid. Crucially, warm air can hold significantly more moisture than cold air. As temperatures drop, the air's capacity to absorb water from your wet clothes plummets, bringing the drying process to a crawl.
The Game-Changing Laundry Hack
The consumer champion Which? has unveiled a powerful tip to combat this seasonal nuisance. In a recent TikTok video, they demonstrated how to get laundry dry nearly twice as quickly indoors.
The method is remarkably simple. After hanging your damp washing on an indoor airer or clothes rack, you just need to place a dehumidifier directly underneath or right next to it. The appliance then gets to work, actively pulling moisture from both the air and the fabric.
Putting the Hack to the Test
To prove its effectiveness, the team at Which? conducted a controlled experiment. They prepared two identical loads of washing and hung them to dry in the same conditions. The only difference was that one setup included a running dehumidifier.
The results were striking. Using the dehumidifier cut the drying time by nearly half, transforming a lengthy wait into a much quicker process. The appliance extracted approximately two litres of water from the air during the cycle, which has the added benefit of helping to prevent mould growth in your home.
However, this convenience comes with a running cost. Which? found that using the dehumidifier to dry the clothes added around £1.50 to their energy bill. Interestingly, this was more expensive than the cost of running a tumble dryer for a single cycle. "So, if you have a tumble dryer, it's likely to be the cheaper option," they clarified.
Public Reaction to the Laundry Tip
The revelation sparked a lively discussion online, with many users enthusiastically endorsing the method. One person commented, "Been using my dehumidifier for 8 years now, couldn't be without it..." Another shared their excitement: "I may be really sad but the amount of excitement I get from checking my washing that dried so quick and emptying the chamber is unreal."
A third offered a different perspective, writing, "My dryer can do a 9kg load in 50 mins and costs 50p."
Not everyone was convinced, with some criticising the hack as an unnecessary use of energy. "Or just let it air dry and save energy," one person suggested. To which another viewer retorted, "This is why so many people smell like damp, because they didn't dry their clothes quick enough."
For those without a tumble dryer or who prefer not to use one, this dehumidifier method presents a powerful solution to a common British winter problem.
