Drying your laundry in the open air: 9 useful tips to do this more efficiently

by Mark Bennett

June 15, 2023

Drying your laundry in the open air: 9 useful tips to do this more efficiently
Advertisement

Air-drying laundry/washing was the norm until the invention of the clothes dryer in the early 1900s. Many people still air-dry their washing for a variety of reasons. There are many advantages to drying laundry in the open air, not least of which is that it costs nothing. Also, drying clothes in the open reduces creases and wear, prolonging the life of our clothes and also gives them the "smell of sunshine".

That said, there are 9 "rules" that you can follow to efficiently air-dry your washing. Read on to find out more:

Creativo

Creativo

Following these tips, drying your laundry in the open air will be quick and easy:

  • First of all, it is important to shake out the garments properly when they are removed from the washing machine so that they dry faster and with fewer wrinkles.
  • Drying will also be faster by exposing the garments to the sun, which also has a sanitizing effect; however, take care to hang them inside out, so that the sun's rays do not cause the the garments to fade, especially the darker ones.
  • Hang the clothes as far apart as possible to ensure greater air circulation for faster drying.
  • For more uniform drying, turn the garments over at least once while they are hanging up.
  • Sweaters can be deformed if hung to dry on a line or drying rack: it is much better to lay garments like this horizontally and on top of a towel.
  • The cups of bras (and other padded clothes) must be worked back into shape before the garment is hung out to dry; this way it will keep the correct form.
  • The use of clothes pegs could leave annoying indents in your clothes; if you must use them, first make sure they are clean and use delicate pegs which will leave fewer visible marks.
  • Hanging more delicate items on hangers first will protect them from. The use of hangers also helps to increase the space available when you have a small clothes horse and/or need to dry multiple loads at the same time.
  • Finally, remember that the washing should be hung out as soon as the washing cycle is finished to prevent the development of any stagnant smells.

How do you dry your washing?

Advertisement