Picture this: It’s laundry day and you’ve got nothing to wear – and you desperately need to learn how to dry clothes fast.
You’ve taken your magnificently clean, wonderfully scented clothes out of the washing machine and are about to hang them out to dry only to discover…it’s raining! However, after all that effort of washing them, you’re not just going to let them sit and stay damp until they smell bad.
Luckily there are some very simple, inventive solutions to learn how to dry clothes fast without needing an expensive, energy consuming dryer and we are here to share them with you!
How to dry your clothes fast without a dryer: 7 methods
1. Finish your wash with a high spin
Don’t worry, we’re not suggesting dance moves just yet! This first method is relatively obvious but many of us forget about the different settings our washing machines contain. By ending your washing cycle on a high spin setting (or doing an additional high spin cycle) this will ensure as much water has been drained from your clothes as possible. Once they’re removed, however you decide to dry your clothes next will take a lot less time!
2. Use the hairdryer!
A blast of warm air on lighter garments such as t-shirts, shorts or underwear can significantly improve drying time if you’re in a hurry! Hang the item to allow air to circulate effectively moving the hairdryer evenly across the surface of the clothing. This is indeed the fastest way to dry clothes quickly without a dryer.
It doesn’t need to be on the hottest setting to get the best results and take extra care not to concentrate on one area for too long – We’re trying to dry your clothes fast, but not burn them!
3. The towel method
Towels are just used after showers, right? Wrong! This handy trick will help you dry those items of clothes that are extra wet or those that take the most time to dry.
- Lay a large towel out on a flat surface
- Spread your wet clothing over the towel
- Roll up the towel with the clothing inside as tightly as possible
- Squeeze and twist until you can feel the towel soaking up the water
The towel method may not dry your clothes entirely but it will significantly improve your total drying time! Plus it makes for a good workout!
4. Separate your pile into smaller batches
Squeezing all of your washing together onto one clothes drying rack doesn’t give them much space or air, meaning it could take days for them to dry. As they stay damper for longer this also provides an opportunity for bacteria and mould to grow causing your clothes to smell pretty badly!
By drying them in smaller batches, with more space between items this gives fresh air the chance to reach all parts of the clothing. If you have multiple drying racks then this is the perfect solution for drying your clothes quickly!
5. Iron drying
Getting your clothes washed, dried and ironed takes up a lot of time. Well why not dry your clothes and iron them all in one go? This method is effective for clothes that are a little damp and you just need to get that last bit of moisture out.
Place a towel over the item of clothing before you use the iron as this will draw out and absorb the excess water. It will also protect the clothing, placing the hot iron directly onto wet clothing may harm the material. Just make sure your iron is clean before starting – you don’t want to damage your clothes!
Related read: A complete guide to ironing: Our best tips and what to avoid
6. Place clothing in a warm oven
This method may come as a surprise but using the oven to warm small items is a very effective way to dry your clothes. Of course, you should be extra careful not to heat your oven too high, we recommend 100c maximum. Place pieces of underwear or small articles onto a large baking tray and let them dry out in the oven, checking regularly to ensure no damage has been caused and to avoid crispy underwear!
7. Use radiator racks
The final method has been tried and tested by many. Radiator racks are extremely effective at drying clothes quickly and actually have many more advantages than you may first think:
- They allow air to circulate easily as they can only hold a few items at a time
- They are extremely cheap and require no maintenance unlike a tumble dryer
- They are small and can fit onto any sized radiator
- Can be stored away in the summer and used in the winter when forced to dry clothes indoors
Drying clothes, especially when it’s cold and wet outside, can be a frustrating chore that seems to take forever, but it doesn’t need to be! Using our methods outlined here you can cut your drying time in half, avoid the high energy costs of a dryer and even have some fun discovering new ways of doing it!
