In the modern world there is a feeling of having to save time whenever possible; laundry time is no exception. Having to wait for the dryer to do its job is a typical annoyance when washing clothes. Very often, this appliance does not "keep up" with the washing machine when doing different loads. You can save a lot of money by hanging out the laundry even if you don't have a clothesline; you can completely avoid using the dryer.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Wring out excess water from clothes
Step 1. Spread out a large towel on a flat surface
This is a quick and easy technique for squeezing excess water out of a wet piece of clothing; the towel should absorb all the water, so choose a large, soft one.
Make sure that the dress is no bigger than the cloth; place it on top of the towel, making sure that the entire garment is on the fabric
Step 2. Roll the dress up in the towel
Start by laying the wet dress on the cloth, take one end and roll it tightly with the dress inside it. As you go, the fabric should take the shape of a log or sausage. The ends of the "roll" should look like spirals, just like kanelbulles.
Step 3. Get rid of excess water by lifting the rolled towel up and twisting it as tightly as possible
This way, the cloth should absorb the moisture present in the wet garment. When finished, open the roll and take off the dress, which should now be barely damp.
- Squeeze only one dress at a time to get as much water out as possible. When the towel gets very wet, get a new one; the cloth must be relatively dry in order to absorb most of the water.
- If you are drying small items, such as socks, spread them over the cloth and squeeze them all together. As long as the various items of clothing are not touching, the procedure is identical to that for wringing a single large dress.
Part 2 of 3: Hanging the Laundry to Dry
Step 1. Put wet clothes on hangers
After squeezing them to get rid of excess water, hang them up to dry completely. Place only one item of clothing on each hanger and space out the laundry so that air can circulate freely between the hanging items.
- The best quality hangers have hooks or grooves to prevent the shoulders of clothes from slipping.
- The shower curtain pole is perfect for hanging clothes. If you don't have one available, you can make a temporary support by lifting a broom handle (or any other similar cylindrical object) on two flat surfaces.
Step 2. Use a clothesline to dry clothes around the house
It is generally a self-supporting wooden structure with several shelves that allow you to hang numerous clothes; you can buy it online, in household stores and supermarkets.
- Arrange small items such as socks, underwear, or face towels on the lower shelves.
- Hang larger and longer items, such as sheets, towels and pants, on the higher shelves to prevent wet laundry from touching the floor.
- Place the clothesline near a heat source. This could be a heating pipe, radiator, or sunny window; this little "trick" speeds up the drying process. Do not move the drying rack too close to electric stoves or radiators to avoid the risk of fire.
Step 3. Hang the clothes on an outside thread to dry them
If you live in a warm, sunny climate, use this option to dry your laundry outdoors. All you need to make a clothesline is a sturdy rope to tie between two poles or two trees; clothes should dry in a few hours.
- Do not expose dark, brightly colored clothing to direct sunlight as it may discolour.
- Hang the thread high enough above the ground to prevent heavy laundry, such as blankets, denim or other thick fabrics, from touching the ground and getting dirty.
- Attach clothes to the thread with clothes pegs, which you can buy online, in supermarkets, and homewares stores.
Step 4. Dry certain clothes by placing them on a flat surface
Some garments tend to stretch when hung, because they are made from heavy or stretch fabrics. If so, it's best to let them air dry, spreading them out on a flat surface to keep them in shape.
Part 3 of 3: Using a Hair Dryer
Step 1. Hang the wet dress on a pole or place it on a flat surface
When you're ready to blow dry it, start hanging it up or place it somewhere near a power outlet. This method speeds up the drying process, in case you are in a hurry and can't wait for the traditional technique in the open air. Start by wringing out the laundry to get rid of excess water and finish the job with the hair dryer.
Step 2. Turn on the appliance by setting it to a high temperature and maximum power
Most of these devices have a maximum and minimum setting for the power of the airflow, so select the strongest one. You should also operate a high temperature, rather than a cold stream of air. To avoid damaging the dress, hold the hair dryer a few inches from the fabric. Remember to dry the entire garment, both the front and the back; keep moving the appliance so as not to overheat the fabric in one place as it could burn.
If you have materials that tend to shrink (like wool), use a stream of cold air instead of hot air
Step 3. Dry the pockets, collars and any ornaments by insisting a little more with the hairdryer
These areas are made up of several layers or thicker fabric and take longer to lose moisture. When the whole garment is dry, go back to the thicker areas and direct the airflow for a little more time.
