Although efficient and faster, drying clothes with a dryer can be a luxury sometimes. A dryer costs roughly $1,325, and not everyone can afford it. So what happens when you need to urgently wash some clothes and dry them but do not have a dryer?
This is exactly what we will be discussing in this article. Before dryers were invented, there were multiple ways of ensuring that clothes went from wet to dry. We will explore 9 ways to dry clothes without a dryer by showing you a step-by-step guide on how to get it done.
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9 Ways to Dry Clothes Without a Dryer
Some methods can help you effectively dry your clothes without a dryer, and we are going to be discussing these methods by sharing 9 ways to dry your clothes that do not include using a dryer.
These methods include using a towel, using a steaming iron, using both a towel and a steaming iron, hanging your clothes vertically, using a hair dryer, and more, which we will explore below.
1. Use a Towel
This is an old trick that has been used for years on end to dry clothes. After washing your clothes, you want to pick them up one by one to get them done. Let us work with a wet t-shirt. Now, here’s what you should do to dry it with a towel.
Ensure that your towel is dry, and it also helps if it is a large towel. This way, it can absorb the water from your t-shirt better. The steps to dry your t-shirt using a dry towel are as follows
- Spread the towel on a flat surface. It could be on a table or the floor.
- Now, place the t-shirt on the dry towel. Spread it well on the towel.
- From one end of the towel, roll it up to the other end of the towel with the t-shirt still intact.
- Pick up the rolled-up towel and squeeze as hard and tightly as possible. It also helps if you have someone who can join in and help you squeeze the rolled-up towel.
- Repeat the same process with another dry towel.
- Then proceed to spread the t-shirt on a wire.
What this method does is soak up all the water from the t-shirt into the towel, which helps make the drying process faster.
2. Use a Steaming Iron
A steaming iron, which is an iron that can hold water, is your best bet for drying your clothes if you’re going to use an iron. The steam from the iron serves two purposes, one is to dry your clothes, and the other is to straighten your clothes and get rid of creases.
- Clean the bottom of the iron and add water to your steaming iron
- Lay your cloth inside out on an ironing board or a flat surface. Ensure that the cloth has been previously squeezed
- Allow your iron to heat up a little but do not allow it to get to a point where it is too hot
- Place the iron on your cloth and iron like you would on a normal day, moving it from one point to another
- After ironing for some time, place the not-so-hot steaming iron on one part of the cloth for about 5-10 seconds
- Repeat the preceding process continuously on other parts of the cloth, and watch how your cloth dries up fast!
3. Use a Towel and Steaming Iron
This combines the two preceding methods of drying your clothes without a dryer. This method is highly effective as two equally practical methods merge to form one. The following steps are how you can use both a towel and a steaming iron together to dry your clothes
- Lay a large dry towel on a flat surface
- Place the wet cloth, after squeezing, on the towel
- Roll up the towel with the cloth in it from one end to the other
- Squeeze the rolled-up towel
- After squeezing, transfer the cloth to another large and dry towel laying on an ironing board or flat surface
- This time instead of rolling up the towel a second time, fold the towel into a square with the cloth in it
- Place a clean steaming iron on the towel and move it from one point to another
- Place the steaming iron on one spot for about 10-15 seconds this time since the towel is thick enough to handle the heat and penetrate the cloth to absorb moisture
4. Hang the Cloth Vertically on a Wire
The most common way of hanging clothes to dry on a wire is by allowing the cloth to rest on the wire folded in halves. This method requires that the clothes be hung vertically on a wire. Let us show you how to get it done with the following steps:
- After washing, rinse the cloth and squeeze water out of the cloth
- Now, pick up the cloth and hold both ends on the bottom
- Holding both ends, fling the cloth up and down about three to five times with a little effort
- Get two or three clothing clips in hand and place one end of your cloth on the wire and clip. Do this for the other end of the cloth too. The third clip can be placed in the middle for more support.
This method ensures that the moisture flows out of the cloth easily and faster. It also ensures that sunlight directly shines on both sides of the cloth.
5. Use Clothing Hangers
Using this method is as effective as the method of hanging clothes vertically on a wire. The only difference is that you first put the clothes on a hanger before placing them on a wire. Here’s how to do it with the following these steps below
- Pick up an already washed, rinsed, and squeezed cloth
- Select a clothing hanger from your rack and put the cloth on the hanger vertically
- Now put the hanger with the clothes on the wire. Do this for multiple clothing and create a space between each hunger on the wire
To be extra secure and prevent your clothing hangers from falling off the wire, you can use clothing clips on the head of the hangers.
6. Using a Hair Dryer
The hair dryer is really used in hair salons or by hair stylists to get rid of moisture in the hair. The heat from a hairdryer can help soak up or absorb moisture from wet clothes hence it is mentioned in one of the methods for drying clothes without a dryer. The ability of the heat of a hair dryer to be regulated to fit your preference is another reason why it is mentioned as a method to dry your clothes.
- You can choose to put your clothes on a hanger or lay it on a flat surface
- After this, plug the hair dryer into an electric source and turn it on
- Decide how much heat you want from the hair dryer by regulating it
- When you have chosen a desired heat level, start by using the heat from the hair dryer, which comes as a hot breeze or air on different parts of the cloth
- Continue the process onto your cloth is dry enough
7. Use a Drying Rack
A drying rack, also known as a clothing rack, is a wooden or metal framework famous for drying clothes indoors. It has a series of horizontal cylindrical rings from one end to the other used for hanging clothes.
To use a drying rack, follow the steps below:
- Place your drying or clothing rack indoors near the sun(by the window), or outdoors in the sun
- Pick up the cloth you want to spread
- Shake the cloth to remove excess water
- Proceed to spread the cloth on the rack
8. Use the Washing Machine
The washing machine, known for just washing, as the name suggests, can also be used to dry clothes. How can a washing machine dry clothes? Follow the steps below and find out.
- Plug in your washing machine and ensure that the inside is without water and dry
- Put at least two clothes in the washing machine for better productivity
- Turn on the washing machine and allow the spin cycle to run for as long as you want
This method helps extract moisture from the cloth so that it is damp and easier to dry when transferred to a wire than it would be if it were dripping wet.
9. Maximize the Winter Season
Winter, the coldest season of the year, is a good time to wash, spread clothes, and watch them dry up fast. This season has a high humidity level in the air, which causes moisture to be quickly absorbed from clothes.
You can maximize the winter season by following these steps:
- Taking freshly washed clothes and shaking them up to remove excess water and make them damp
- Spreading on a drying rack on clothing hangers or directly under the sun outside
In the winter, you can spread your clothes indoors using a drying rack and still expect them to dry by at most 32 hours.
What You Should Not Use to Dry Clothes
While we have mentioned useful and practical methods in the preceding section, it can also be tempting to try other tips on the internet. These tips may include using a fire, a microwave, or even an oven. These are all no-no methods to use and this section of the article will tell you why.
Fire
Placing a damp cloth over a fire may seem like a good idea because, you know, fire produces heat, and heat can cause clothes to dry. While it is true that the heat from the fire can dry your clothes, we strongly advise against it for two reasons.
- It can burn your clothes and result in a fire outbreak.
- Your freshly washed clothes may carry a smell after placing them over the fire for hours.
Microwave
It is widely known that the microwave is used to heat food for consumption. It is also a fact that using the microphone for drying clothes can cause a fire outbreak in the kitchen which will end in a disaster because the microwave was not produced to function as a dryer since it cannot hold water. We recommend that you do not use the microwave at all in a bid to dry your clothes.
Oven
This is a commonly suggested means to dry clothes, but it is still a no-no for us. The disadvantages are similar to that of using microwaves.
Putting clothes inside an oven and setting the oven to a certain degree can cause the clothes to dry up too fast and possibly lead to a fire outbreak. So, simple and short to not use an oven to dry your clothes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Dryers Necessary?
Although they are a good addition to home appliances as they provide more efficient ways to dry clothes, they aren’t necessary. They were only manufactured in the early 20th century to protect clothes from freezing.
Is it Okay to Dry Clothes Indoors?
It is okay to dry clothes indoors, especially if the space is properly ventilated. If the space isn’t properly ventilated, it is advised against it as mold and fungus can begin to grow.
What is the Fastest Way to Air-dry Clothes?
The fastest way to air dry clothes is by placing them on a clothing line under the sun or spreading the clothes on a line in the winter season. These two modes are the fastest way to air dry clothes.
Final Words
Dryers are quicker drying clothes, but who says they are necessary? Drying clothes can be done without dryers, and we hope that this step-by-step guide showing different methods to dry your clothes without a dryer has been helpful. Now, make sure to use or try these methods and feel free to let us know how they turned out in the comment section.
