All clothes can be dried by using a dehumidifier and usually, you can get your clothes ready to wear in around four to five hours, again a little longer with heavier clothing items. Using a dehumidifier instead of a tumble dryer for two loads a week could give you a saving of around £93.
While there is a time and place for using a clothes dryer, line drying is much better for the environment, the longevity of your wardrobe and your power bill. According to experts, your preference should always be to dry your clothes outside in the shade.
Can you air dry clothes inside and get similar results? You bet! Simulate a breeze for an indoor clothesline by turning on a ceiling fan or portable fan in the same room as your laundry. If there's no fan at hand, open the windows.
They may hang clotheslines out of the way in the basement or arrange drying racks over wood-burning stoves. One popular item in Amish communities is a “bicycle wheel dryer,” which Williams explained is a drying rack for small items like socks, towels, and head coverings.
It's advisable to avoid drying laundry in the rooms where you spend the most time: for example, the living room and bedroom. Instead, you should place the drying rack in the bathroom, the kitchen or hallway where you spend less time.
Heated clothes airers accelerate evaporation via hot bars, while tumble dryers use a flow of warm air to heat the clothes and carry moisture away. Airers are generally cheaper to buy and run, but take longer, so for large loads, a tumble dryer may work out cheaper.
Ideally, you should keep your wet laundry out of your living spaces, such as your living room, kitchen and bedroom. Avoid drying laundry in your bathroom as it's already a damp space and you don't want to add more humidity to the air. Plus, clothes will take longer to dry in an already-damp room.
Another cheap option is to use a traditional clothes airer. The trick is to space your clothes out, so they dry evenly. Instead of placing them by a radiator, you could put them next to a warm oven after cooking to make use of the excess heat (just don't put them too close!).
However, you can expect clothes to take about 3-6 hours to dry outdoors on a nice warm breezy day. Your delicates and lighter fabrics might take less time, while your bulky sweaters might take a bit longer. However, if you are drying things indoors, you can expect it to take anywhere from 18-24 hours.
Jenny Turner, a Property Manager at Insulation Express, warns that drying wet clothes in the house could cause a mould buildup or make existing mould problems worse. This is because the moisture from the clean washing could evaporate and settle onto ceilings and walls.
Don't overload the dryer
Your clothes need ample room to tumble in the dryer for quick drying times. In this case, less is more. Loading your dryer with fewer items can help dry clothes faster by increasing the airflow between the garments.
Hang your clothes to dry
Try investing in a drying rack that folds up or hangs on a wall for easy storage. Otherwise, you can get creative and hang your clothes on things around your home like a shower rod, door frame or lay them flat on a towel.
You can't hang your wet clothes just anywhere.
"If the garments are dried outside, you typically won't have a problem—but high humidity levels will prevent complete drying." Hanging clothes indoors? Ensure your space has proper ventilation, to prevent half-dry, musty clothes and mold and mildew buildup down the road.
This is because there are no bathtubs in their homes, and bathing can take up a lot of time that could be spent on other essential tasks. In summer, conservative Amish tend to bathe at least twice weekly to eliminate dirt and sweat.
However, in addition to the modesty aspect, women must keep their heads covered at all times so that they can pray at any time. Both modesty and prayer are central to the daily lives of Amish people and for women, wearing head coverings and bonnets is an important part of that.