For many people, winter means swapping the backyard clothesline for drying racks scattered throughout the house, as rain and cold weather make indoor drying a seasonal necessity.
But this also means damp clothes are lingering in the home for hours, often resulting in unwanted odours.
To help the clothes dry faster indoors,Yahoo Homepage Editor Tom Flanagan said his partner came across a simple hack in a Facebook group.
The trick involves placing a dehumidifier near the clothes in a small room to adsorb moisture quicker.
“Even though we weren’t too optimistic, we thought we’d give it a go as the recent week of rain meant drying our clothes was near impossible,” Tom said.
After trying it for themselves, the couple were pleasantly surprised by the result.
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“We couldn’t believe how quickly it worked. After setting it up in the morning, the clothes were dry by the afternoon,” he added.
“We even added a fan into the mix, which was directed at the clothes. It’s going to be a game-changer during those wet winter periods.
“Even if we didn’t already have a dehumidifier, I’d go and buy one just for this.”
Professional cleaner Kate Croukamp, from Clean Like a Pro, also confirmed to Yahoo Lifestyle that the home hack “definitely works”.
To help the clothes dry faster indoors, simply place a dehumidifier near the clothes to adsorb moisture quicker.
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“The biggest challenge when drying clothes indoors is that the moisture has nowhere to go, especially in a smaller laundry room,” she said.
“A dehumidifier removes that moisture from the air, which helps clothes dry much faster.
“It’s a great option during winter or wet weather, and it also helps reduce condensation and the risk of mould developing inside the home.”
How does the drying hack work?
Kate explained how the main thing that slows the drying process indoors is “all the moisture” the clothes are putting back into the air.
“Once the air in the room becomes damp, the clothes take longer to dry. A dehumidifier removes that moisture, so the clothes can keep drying at a much faster rate,” she said.
“As the clothes dry, the dehumidifier pulls the moisture out of the air. Because the room stays drier, more moisture can evaporate from the clothing.
“That’s why you’ll often notice clothes drying much quicker than if you just leave them on a drying rack in a spare room.”
She added that it’s also a great way to avoid a lingering damp smell in your home when items take too long to dry.
Alternatively, a heater can also be used — just not too close to your clothing.
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