Drying laundry without a tumble dryer

In short: On a washing line or clothes horse, laundry dries for free, gently and without any electricity. A few tricks make it faster, keep clothes in shape and stop the home from getting damp.

In more detail: A machine load of laundry releases several litres of water into the air as it dries. Outdoors that is no problem, but indoors this moisture has to be let out again by airing the room.

In detail

• Spin well: The higher the spin speed the care labels allow, the less water stays in the laundry and the shorter the drying time.
• Hang up straight away: Take the laundry out of the drum right after the wash, shake it out firmly and smooth it; this means fewer creases and no musty smell.
• Leave space: Air should be able to circulate between the items; laundry crammed together dries slowly and starts to smell unpleasant sooner.
• Drying outdoors: Wind and dry air speed up drying; dark and coloured clothes are best hung inside out and not left for hours in blazing sun, otherwise the colours can fade.
• Indoors: When drying inside, air the room regularly with the windows wide open or use a dehumidifier; if possible, do not put the clothes horse in the bedroom or in cool, poorly ventilated rooms, to prevent mould.
• Not on the radiator: Wet laundry placed directly on a radiator raises humidity a lot and blocks the heat; it is better to stand the rack a little way off in a warm, ventilated room.
• Dry knitwear flat: Lay wool or knitted jumpers flat on a towel or drying net so that they do not stretch under their own weight.
• Shirts and blouses: Dried on hangers, many shirts smooth out almost by themselves, and ironing becomes much easier (waesche-richtig-waschen, raumklima-und-luftfeuchtigkeit, luftentfeuchter-und-luftbefeuchter).