Households across the UK are being urged to dry their clothes outside during specific hours of the day this winter to maximise sunshine and avoid dampness.
The winter season has now arrived and while it is still relatively mild for this time of the year, temperatures are a bit on the chilly side and when coupled with the shorter, darker days, it doesn’t exactly make for ideal clothes drying conditions. As such, it means damp clothes often end up cluttered around your home on drying racks for days on end, which can cause the air inside to smell a bit stale and musty – including your laundry. Fresh air helps to prevent those unpleasant smells so it’s worth trying to hang your washing out to dry outdoors, even for a short period, in winter.
Even though the weather is often rainy and cold, drying your clothes outside at this time of the year isn’t completely out of the question and according to laundry experts, there is an optimal time of the day to hang it out.
Experts say the ideal time to hang your washing out to dry in winter is between between 10am and 2pm, as this four-hour window is typically the warmest part of the day.
The sun’s peak intensity occurs during these hours so it allows you to make the most of both the warmth from the sunlight and the wind, both of which are crucial for evaporating moisture to help your clothes dry faster and more evenly.
Experts at the Royal Meteorological Society said: “Clothes take longer to dry in cooler winter temperatures than in summer. But as long as the air is dry enough, water will slowly evaporate (or ice will sublime) even if the temperature is below freezing.
“In fact, clothes will dry faster on a cold and dry day than on a warm and humid day, especially if they are in direct sunlight. Hang clothes out in the morning to make the most of the sun’s peak intensity, which usually occurs between 10am and 2pm.
“Keep an eye on the forecast and look for breaks in the weather. Even if there’s only a short window of opportunity, pop your laundry outside for a quick air dry.”
By hanging your clothes out early in the morning, you give your washing a longer window to dry by maximising exposure to dry, warm and windy air.
Your clothes should be dry, or very close to dry, by mid-afternoon if you follow this four-hour time frame, but if your laundry is still a bit wet it’s advised that you bring it back inside to finish off drying before the evening dew sets in, as this will help avoid dampness.
Experts at Planet Friendly Living add: “Even in the UK it is still possible to dry your washing outside in winter. You don’t need a warm or sunny day to dry your washing (although that does speed up the process) you just need it to be dry.
“A breezy day is always best, but so long as the ground outside is dry, you should be able to get a load of washing dry. Aim to hang out your washing as early as possible to give it the maximum amount of time to dry before the sun goes down. Bring it in promptly at the end of the afternoon to avoid the dew.
“If it’s not quite dry you can finish it off inside on a clothes airer or even give it a short time in the tumble dryer.”