Mum shares hack to 'drying washing in 3 hours’ without tumble dryer or heating

This clever suggestion is also said to help eliminate damp smells

Keeping on top of the laundry is always more of a headache when it's damp and drizzling outside. Constantly running the tumble dryer can be expensive on energy bills and drying clothing on the radiators just leads to a build up of condensation on the window.

In a bid to find a solution, Natalie Jones posted a question on the popular Mrs Hinch Made Me Do It Facebook page, simply asking 'Best way to dry clothes in winter with no tumble dryer?' And she received more than 210 suggestions from group members.

In fact, they had tips on how to dry 'two loads' of washing in 'less than three hours' without the need for costly appliances, according to a .

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One member Emma Gardiner posted: “Heated airer and a dehumidifier work perfectly, they are a godsend", according to an Express report. Stephanie Roberts, agreed: “Airer and a dehumidifier - it is a game changer! Dries so quick and the clothes smell so fresh.”

Stacey Brown also vouched for this method: “Dehumidifier and airer is absolutely the best way, I can 90 percent dry two full loads in around three hours and there are no nasty damp smells left on the clothes.” Leanne Bedford wrote: “Agreed! I always do this. Can’t beat the combination. It's saved me loads of money.”

While dehumidifiers might seem pricey at first glance, they're actually cheaper compared to the running costs of tumble dryers or cranking up the heating. It costs around £184 a year to run a vented tumble dryer, with condenser types coming in slightly less at £178.93, according to Haier.

It turns out that opting for a dehumidifier over a tumble dryer is a real money-saver. On average, a dehumidifier set to laundry mode chews through about 650 watts a fraction of the hefty 4,000 watts you’d expect from a tumble dryer.

Amazon has a limited time deal on a CAIKEZI 2200ml Dehumidifier which is marketed 'for drying clothes. Normally £59.99, it has been reduced to £50.99 and is said to be 'portable and ultra quiet'. And Dunelm has a Three-tier Heated Airer for £95 that is said to cost around 7p per hour to run.

Argos also has a Challenge D015B 10 Litre Dehumidifier which costs £135 and gets an overall full five star review.

Katherine Ruth added her hack: “Always put your clothes on an extra spin after washing to remove excess water and put it on an airer to dry. It's dry quicker if you use a dehumidifier too.”

Karen Bowerman revealed her family's savvy trick: “Clothes horse and dehumidifier in a closed room, works a treat! Family of seven and we manage like this through the winter.”

Chloe Miller shared her household win: “We got rid of our tumble dryer and bought an airer and dehumidifier. Best thing we've done, so much cheaper and can be packed away when we aren't using them.”