Clothes will dry outside in winter if hung out at these times of the day | UK | News
UK households are being urged to dry their clothes outside at certain times of the day this winter to maximize sunlight and prevent dampness.
It’s winter now, and although the weather is still relatively mild for this time of year, temperatures are a bit chilly and combined with short, dark days, this doesn’t exactly make for ideal laundry drying conditions. This means damp clothes often sit cluttered on drying racks in your home for days; This can cause the air inside, including your laundry, to smell a bit stale and musty. Fresh air helps prevent these unpleasant odors, so it’s worth hanging your laundry to dry outdoors, even for a short time in winter.
While the weather is often rainy and cold, drying your clothes outside isn’t entirely out of the question this time of year, and according to laundry experts, this is the best time of day to hang it up.
Experts say the ideal time to hang your laundry to dry in winter is between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., as this four-hour window is usually the hottest part of the day.
The intensity of the sun occurs during these hours, allowing you to make the most of both sunlight and warmth from the wind; both are crucial for moisture evaporation to help your clothes dry faster and more evenly.
Experts from the Royal Meteorological Society said: “Clothes take longer to dry in winter than in summer. But as long as the air is dry enough, water will gradually evaporate (or ice will rise) even if the temperature is below freezing.”
“In fact, clothes dry faster on a cold, dry day than on a hot, humid day, especially if they’re in direct sunlight. Hang clothes in the morning to make the most of the sun’s peak intensity, which typically occurs between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
“Follow the forecast and look for breaks in the air. Even if there’s a brief window of opportunity, throw your laundry outside to dry quickly.”
By hanging your laundry early in the morning, you give your laundry a longer time to dry, maximizing exposure to dry, hot and windy weather.
If you follow this four hour window your clothes should be dry or very close to dry by the afternoon, but if your laundry is still a little wet it is advisable to bring it back inside to finish drying before the evening dew settles as this will help avoid dampness.
Planet Friendly Living experts add: “Even in the UK it’s still possible to dry your laundry outside in winter. You don’t need a hot or sunny day to dry your laundry (although this speeds up the process), it just needs to be dry.”
“A cool day is always best, but as long as the ground outside is dry, you should be able to dry plenty of laundry. Aim to hang your laundry as early as possible to give it maximum time to dry before the sun sets. Bring it in as soon as afternoon to avoid dew.
“If it’s not quite dry, you can finish it inside in the dryer or even leave it in the tumble dryer for a short time.”
