As we brace for the big chill, savvy Scots are turning their attention to slashing heart-stopping energy bills.
With fuel costs giving no respite this frosty season, staying cash-savvy may just mean cutting back on our reliance on energy-draining appliances. The Energy Trust warns us that domestic workhorses like washing machines, dishwashers, and tumble dryers swallow a hefty 14 percent of the average pad’s power budget.
Getting rid of our washing machines isn’t on the cards, but there are crafty routes to bone-dry clothing without the need for expensive tumble dryers. While electric airers have become the darling of canny homeowners recently, chatter has surged on a Stacey Solomon-endorsed Facebook page about a different nifty device for blitzing through wash day.
Asking for advice on the Stacey Solomon Inspired DIY, Organising, Fashion and Home Tips and Tricks group, one user appealed for “recommendations for best-heated, cost-effective clothes airer.”
A stream of tips flowed in citing heated airers from household names Lakeland and Dunelm but there were also a large number of comments championing the dehumidifier, reports the Mirror.
Chiming in on their experience, a participant hailed the dehumidifier as “the best thing I have ever purchased. Two loads of washing dry overnight, even on the coldest and wettest days”.
Another fan was brief but emphatic, labelling the unassuming gadget an “absolute gamechanger for drying clothes”.
What is a dehumidifier?
Compact, portable and a sound investment, a dehumidifier is an electrical gadget that extracts moisture from the air in a room. In doing so, it can aid in drying clothes quicker by creating an environment that accelerates evaporation.
There are numerous brands and models to select from, depending on personal taste and budget. You may need to spend £150 or more to find an effective one, as they tend to be pricier than many electric airers.
However, they are much cheaper to operate than a tumble dryer, with the MEACO 12L Low Energy Dehumidifier (£189) being one of the most economical and popular choices.
Other alternatives include the £119 Russell Hobbs 10L dehumidifier, which offers a continuous extraction rate with the capacity to extract up to 10 litres a day, or the COMFEE’ 12L Dehumidifier available on Amazon for £119.99.
How to use a dehumidifier to dry clothes
According to the appliance experts at Currys: “Clothes can take a long time to dry properly indoors, especially if it’s a humid environment. But when you use a dehumidifier, the air surrounding your wet clothes becomes less humid. This allows the moisture within the clothes to evaporate more quickly, resulting in shorter drying times.”
A dehumidifier can also help reduce odours. Drying clothes indoors without adequate ventilation can sometimes cause clothes to smell musty. By lowering the humidity, you’re also reducing the chance of odours forming on clothing that’s been damp for too long.
If you’re considering using a dehumidifier to dry your clothes indoors, Currys has some advice for you:.
- Ensure the dehumidifier is positioned 4-6 feet away from the clothes to allow optimal air circulation.
- Lay out your clothes on a drying rack or hangers, making sure not to overlap items to promote better airflow.
- Opt for a well-ventilated room or open windows to aid in the escape of moist air as the dehumidifier operates.
- Adjust the dehumidifier to the correct setting, ideally utilising a ‘laundry’ mode if one is available, or tweak for balanced drying speed.
- Keep an eye on the drying process regularly and modify settings if clothes are taking too long to dry.
For those who’d rather stick with an electric heated airer, several responses recommended the use of a dedicated cover like the Lakeland Dry:Soon Heated Airer Cover that retains heat to help clothes dry quicker.