9 top tips for doing laundry in the winter
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Louisa Sherlock
Associate EditorDoing your family laundry is a breeze in the summer (washing line, job done). But in the winter when it’s cold and wet and you REALLY don’t want to run up heating bills, how can you get everything clean and dry?
Yep, working out how to dry your washing in winter can be tricky. Especially if you’re trying to avoid using your tumble dryer to keep costs down. After all, no one wants musty-smelling clothes or stiff-as-a-board towels.
To be sure of success every time, use Fairy Non Bio on wash days. Not only is it brilliant at shifting stains, even on quick and cool washes, the all-new Fairy Outdoorable Fabric Softener leaves clothes smelling ‘dried on the line’ fresh.
The whole range has been voted number 1 for sensitive skin*. So if you’re washing your newborn’s babygrows, your child’s school uniform or your own clothes, Fairy Non Bio is your laundry go-to.
Want more tips for washing and drying your family’s clothes? Head to our Fairy Non Bio Laundry Room hub for stain removal hacks and how switching to a cold can cut your bills.
Ready to get started? Here’s our roundup of genius tips for doing your laundry in the winter.
* Online panel of 3,327 women among which Fairy Non Bio was voted most often as the #1 detergent & fabric softener for sensitive skin.
How to wash clothes in the winter
1. Do your washing in the morning
In the winter, parents in our Netmums Forum swear by doing their laundry first thing in the morning. This gives each load time to dry throughout the day.
One Netmums user says: ‘I do one load a day first thing in the morning nearly every day. Put it on the clothes horse and leave it until the next morning. On dry days I'll just take the clothes horse outside.’
2. Add an extra spin
Clothes need an extra helping hand to dry in the winter. So when you’ve finished washing them, leave them in your machine for an extra spin cycle. This will get most of the water out of them and speed up drying time.
3. Wash less
No, we don’t mean you should be walking around in dirty clothes. But if your kids spill a bit of dinner down their top, or you get splats of mud on your jeans from a wintery walk, think about spot cleaning instead.
Not only will this be way quicker than a machine wash, clothes will be quicker to dry too.
It’s easy to do: dab the mark with some Fairy Non Bio Washing Gel and gently rub to remove.
4. Change one bed at a time
One of the biggest challenges of doing washing in the winter is bedding. And we’ve ALL had the moment at bedtime when we realise everything is still damp. Gah.
We love the tip of washing one bed at a time. If the sheet and duvet cover needs longer to dry, it means you’ve only got one spare set of bedding.
Here's all you need to know about the best temperature to wash your family's sheets .
How to dry washing indoors in winter
5. Use a clothes airer
If you want to avoid using your tumble dryer, clothes airers are a safe bet … especially in the winter.
Choose from standard or heated airers and be sure to space your laundry out so it has time to dry. And along with using Fairy Non Bio detergent , add Fairy Outdoorable Fabric Softener . It uses SolarDry™ technology, leaving clothes smelling as fresh as if they've been dried outside. And it leaves laundry super soft too. Win, win!
6. Use your doors
Got sheets or duvets to dry? If the washing line is a no-go (all those winter showers) then our Netmums community recommends hanging them over bannisters or doors.
Turn them over every few hours to help them dry evenly.
7. Use a dehumidifier
If you’re drying laundry on a clothes airer, a tried-and-tested hack is using a dehumidifier. They work by taking moisture out of the air around them, speeding up the drying process.
Dehumidifiers also help to prevent damp and mould growing in your home which can sometimes appear if you’re drying laundry without any ventilation.
8. Hang clothes from your shower rail
Another top tip from parents in our Forum is hanging coat hangers over your bath or shower rail. Pop school shirts and other light items on them to dry, but be careful not to overload the rail as you don’t want to damage it.
9. Watch the weather forecasts
Clothes will dry on a washing line, even when it’s cold outside. Keep your eye on the local weather forecast. If it’s a bright but windy day, pop your laundry outside. Forecast to be wet or damp? Stick to your clothes airer inside!
And even if the weather is bad, adding a splosh of Fairy Outdoorable Fabric Softener to your wash will banish any damp smells you can sometimes get from drying inside. Instead, your clothes will smell as fresh as if they've been dried outside, even on the dreariest of winter days.
Head to our Fairy Non Bio Laundry Room hub for more tips and tricks to get through your family washing basket!
