Dry clothes faster - even without a dryer: 18 tips

By Anne

Not every garment can go in the dryer; or maybe you don't have a dryer at home. It could also be that your garment can be put in the dryer, but that it will take too much time because you have to leave for that business dinner or date within half an hour. So how do you make sure you still get your garment dry in time? And how can you dry clothes quickly in the winter when you can't use the sun?

If you do have half an hour to an hour to spare - and you do have a dryer - there are many ways to speed up your regular drying program. Depending on how much of a hurry you are in, however, you may not have time for the dryer. Or you do not have a tumble dryer and are just looking for tips on how to dry your laundry faster without the help of this appliance. In this blog we will give you several tips to help you dry your laundry faster: with and without the help of the dryer.

With the help of the dryer

We have collected several tips to speed up the time of your regular drying programs. These can easily save half an hour of the time it normally takes to dry your laundry using the dryer. These are simple tricks that won't cost you extra time, but will actually save you.

Tip 1: Washing machine on high spin setting

Is the material of the clothes to be washed not super sensitive? Then you can use a wash cycle that uses a high spin setting. This will remove most of the excess water in the washing machine and result in clothes that are less wet.

Tip 2: Extra round spin

Thicker fabrics hold water better. Therefore, they require more time to dry. To take some time off this, you can use your washing machine to give your warm thick sweater an extra spin. Virtually most washing machines have a spin program.

Tip 3: Separate laundry

Different types of laundry from different materials absorb different amounts of water compared to each other. For example, a thin polyester blouse holds virtually no water while a thick terrycloth towel does. This is because thick fabrics take longer to dry. As a result, the drying program takes a lot longer. If you only wash cotton shirts together, they will not only dry faster but also better. This also has a positive effect on the lifespan of your clothes: they don't sit longer in the dryer than necessary.

Tip 4: Don't overload the dryer

Give your clothes room to dry by not putting too many clothes in the dryer at once. This will allow more air to get to the clothes, making them dry faster. Of course, it is a huge waste of energy; but in case of emergency, the fewer clothes the better.

Tip 5: Dry towels

To speed up the process, add one or more clean, dry towels to the wash. These help to soak up moisture allowing the entire load of laundry to dry faster. It's best to use this tip when you only want to dry one or two garments. The more garments you put in the dryer, the longer it will take.

Tip 6: Washer dryer balls

Washer dryer balls are a specialized product meant for the same purpose as the above tip with the towels. You add dryer balls to the dryer to remove excess moisture from clothes faster. In the process, they keep your clothes soft and keep them from becoming static. You can also use them to give your clothes a nice scent using, for example, a few drops of lavender oil on the dryer balls.

Tip 7: Fast drying program

Have you checked if your dryer has a fast drying program? With a fast drying program, you can usually dry your clothes within an hour or sometimes even within 30 minutes. If you want one outfit ready for use quickly, this is ideal.

Tip 8: Drying at higher temperatures

Clothes dry faster at higher temperatures. If your dryer has the option, you can choose to increase the temperature. However, you have to be careful that too hot air is not suitable for delicate clothes such as silk and wool.

Without the help of the dryer

Not everyone has a dryer in their home. Maybe you don't have one because there isn't room for it or because you haven't been able to afford one yet. Of course, it could also well be a conscious choice for your wallet or for the environment, or both. Whatever the reasons: you are completely dependent on drying your clothes using indoor or outdoor air. Read on for our tips to get this done as quickly as possible.

Tip 1: Shake up your clothes

The first simple step you can take to make your clothes dry faster is to first give it a good shake. Depending on how wet the garment is, you probably want to do this outside. Inside, of course, you like to keep it dry.

Tip 2: Roll clothing in towel

Have you washed your clothes by hand, or in the washing machine using a low spin cycle? Then you will find that your clothes are really wet. To rid the clothes of most of the excess water, you can, of course, wring them out. Your jeans won't be too bothered by this but for delicate garments this can cause damage. That's why it's better to use a towel. To begin with, lay the garment flat on a towel. Then roll up the towel and so on the inside of it at the same time the garment. The towel will absorb much of the moisture. You can repeat this process as often as necessary with new dry towels.

Tip 3: Ventilate the room well

If the weather is not good and you need to dry the clothes inside, you need to make sure that there is plenty of fresh air coming in. If you have the windows closed, the humidity in the room will increase, which will make it take much longer for the clothes to dry. In addition, this can cause mold to grow in your home, which of course can be bad for your health.

Tip 4: Dehumidifier

As we mentioned earlier, clothes take longer to dry when the humidity is high. You could therefore place a dehumidifier in the room. This sucks up moist air, condenses it and then blows out dry air again.

Tip 5: Give clothes space

We've already mentioned the importance of getting enough fresh air to clothing when discussing the previous tips. You also ensure this by giving the clothes enough space in relation to each other. Whether you hang the clothes or lay them down; with more distance, they dry faster. If you use clotheslines or a drying rack make sure that the garment hangs over two wires instead of one so that it is not in contact with itself. Also, leave at least one line free between garments.

Tip 6: Lay or hang your clothes in the sun

It goes without saying, of course, but if you have the opportunity, the best and fastest way to dry clothes is in the sun. The warmth of the sun and the wind make the clothes dry faster. In the summer, you should definitely take advantage of this. However, you can also do this in autumn and winter: although it takes longer, the wind makes it dry faster than hanging it indoors. Of course, you have to keep an eye out for rain when you do this during the winter months.

Tip 7: Radiator rack

Unfortunately, it is not recommended to place your clothes directly over your radiator. This is because it causes a higher energy bill as well as a greater chance of developing mold on your walls. However, the radiator is not completely depreciated as an aid for drying your clothes. You can buy a radiator clothes rack. With this you keep enough distance from the wall and the radiator can continue to do its job without using extra energy.

Tip 8: Electric drying rack

Is a normal drying rack not going fast enough for you? Then you can also speed up the process by using an electric drying rack. It has a temperature about 15 to 20 degrees higher than the temperature in the house. This will make your laundry dry faster and you won't have to wait a long time to spin the next load of laundry because otherwise you wouldn't have room for it.

Tip 9: Use a hair dryer

Are you really desperate and only concerned with drying one or two garments? Then you can reach for the hair dryer. To make this go as quickly as possible, hang the garment on a clothes hanger. This way the front of the garment you want to dry is not still on the wet back side. It is also easier to dry the inside of the garment with the hair dryer. Depending on the thickness of the fabric and the size of the garment, it can be done within 15 minutes.

Tip 10: Iron and towel

Are you in a hurry and happen to have an ironing board and iron on hand? Then you can use these to dry your wet clothes faster. First, make sure that you don't put the iron in direct contact with the garment to prevent damage. You do this by placing a thin towel over the garment. This helps to protect the clothing but also helps to absorb the moisture. Then you can safely go over this with the iron. In between, you can turn the garment to dry it from both sides.

Curious about more fashion tips? Check out our other blogs!

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