Mrs Hinch fans share their top FREE tips to stop clothes smelling damp – it’s perfect when drying without a tumble dryer
AS the wet and cold winter months roll in, drying clothes outside will become trickier.
While most of us have a tumble dryer, it’s an appliance many people don’t want to switch on as it guzzles your energy causing your bills to increase.
To combat that, people often uses clothes horses to dry their clothes indoors but when the temperature is cold it can take days for that to happen.
Not only is it a pain to have clothes lying around – it also means your clothes are more likely to smell damp.
Thankfully, Mrs Hinch cleaning fans have shared their top tips to combat the problem – and they’re totally free too.
Mrs Hinch has a legion of fans on social media thanks to her cleaning videos and they’re so dedicated they’ve set up their own Facebook groups.
Posting on the Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips page on Facebook, one person asked: “I’ve been reading some posts recently about how people dry their clothes in the winter because I also really struggle with this.
“When I put them on my airers, they end up with a terrible musty smell and I end up washing them again because of the bad smell. How do you stop the clothes from drying musty? I must be doing something wrong somewhere, thank you.”
MEmbers of the group were more than happy to share their advice, as people swarmed to the post to help the woman.
Many of them said the easiest solution is to make sure clothes are spread out on the airer so that they have enough room to dry.
Your clothing will take longer to dry if a clothes airer is overloaded, and the longer they take to dry, the more likely it is that they will start to smell musty.
“I usually rotate my washing halfway through drying and make sure it is well spread out, it’ll dry quickly,” one person commented.
“Hang on an airer and spread out if possible, hang stuff on hangers in front of radiators or open the window when it is mild.
“Also put in an airing cupboard to finish off when the hot water is on. I’ve not had my heating on yet and not had anything smell musty or not dry,” another suggested.
While someone else said: “I didn’t even know putting too many clothes on the airer was causing a musty smell. I invested in scent boosters, nice smelling detergent and it did nothing.
“Do not bother with anything like that, just ensure windows are open for moisture to escape and your clothes will be dry in no time, with no damp smell at all.”
More winter laundry tips
Tackling laundry in the winter can be a challenge, but these handy tips can help you stay on top of it:
- Use a Dehumidifier: Place a dehumidifier in your drying area to speed up the drying process and prevent dampness.
- Spin Cycle Boost: Run an extra spin cycle on your washing machine to remove excess water from clothes, reducing drying time.
- Indoor Drying Rack: Invest in a good-quality indoor drying rack and position it near a radiator or in a well-ventilated room.
- Tumble Dryer Balls: Add tumble dryer balls to your dryer to help clothes dry faster and reduce static cling.
- Space-Saving Hangers: Use space-saving hangers or a retractable washing line to maximise indoor drying space.
- Microfibre Towels: Lay microfibre towels over your drying rack to absorb extra moisture from hanging clothes.
- Partially Dry Outside: On dry days, hang clothes outside for a short period before bringing them in to finish drying.
These hacks can help you keep your laundry routine efficient and your clothes fresh, even during the colder months.
Other commenters recommended giving laundry an extra spin in the washing machine, as while this does use energy, it uses less than a tumble dryer would and can help to remove excess moisture to make drying faster.
According to laundry expert Sarah Dempsey: ““Solar radiation is the most effective method of evaporating the moisture in your clothes.
Where possible, hang your clothes out in the sunshine for the best method of drying.
“When hanging your clothes outside, you’ll find that wind can even further speed up the drying process.”