Drying laundry indoors
Not everyone has an electric tumble dryer to dry washed clothes quickly and easily. So often the only option is to hang up the freshly washed laundry. A rotary dryer in the garden is ideal for this, as it allows the air to circulate optimally around the laundry. If it's too cold outside or you don't have a garden, a classic clothes horse for indoors is a good option. In this article, we have listed the points to bear in mind when drying laundry indoors.
Are you allowed to dry laundry in your home?
The law is on your side here: laundry may be dried in the apartment. Some landlords try to prevent this because they fear the formation of mold due to the moisture in the air. Some landlords even try to regulate this through corresponding additions to the rental agreement. However, these are invalid, as drying laundry in the apartment is a contractual use and therefore the tenant may not be prohibited from doing so.
Be careful when drying laundry in the home
Even if drying laundry in the home is permitted, you need to pay attention to a few things to avoid damage such as mold growth. Drying increases the humidity in the respective rooms. A basket of laundry contains around 2 liters of water, which enters the room via the air during the drying process and settles on the walls. This moisture is an ideal breeding ground for mold. If you already suffer from asthma, allergies or a weakened immune system, this can lead to more complaints in the long term. In this case, drying laundry indoors is not a permanent solution. It is better to use a balcony or drying room or purchase a tumble dryer.
If the moisture causes mold to form in the house, remediation is unavoidable and can quickly become expensive. Tip: If your windows mist up, it is because the humidity in the room is too high. A dehumidifier or a permanently installed ventilation system can counteract this - and of course regular ventilation, even at low temperatures!
The obvious thing to do might be to put your wet clothes in direct sunlight. But you should also avoid this: If colored laundry is exposed to UV light for too long, it will fade in places and end up with unsightly stains. Sufficient air circulation through open windows or regular airing is usually sufficient to dry the laundry after washing.
Which rooms are suitable for drying laundry?
Especially in the cold winter, it is often unpleasant to go out into the cold on the balcony or in the garden to hang up wet laundry. The weather can also throw a spanner in the works and a rain shower can quickly return the originally dry laundry to its original damp state. In your home, there are a number of space-saving and inconspicuous alternatives for setting up the clothes horse. We have listed these for you.
Bathroom
Depending on the size of your bathroom, you may be able to find a place in your home where the clothes horse won't get in the way and disturb you when you walk past it. A more elegant solution is available if you have a bathtub. There are special racks for this that can simply be placed inside. This means that nothing stands in the way and dripping water does not get the floor of a room wet, but ends up directly in the bath. A practical solution from HAILO for your bathroom or utility room could be the add-on tumble dryer. This is foldable and can be attached to the outside of a cabinet or to a wall.
Living room
In small apartments, the living room is usually the only suitable place to dry laundry. Although you can set up a conventional clothes horse here, it quickly becomes a nuisance. That's why there are extra racks for the heating. You simply hook this into the heater and can start hanging your laundry immediately. As soon as the laundry is dry, the clothes horse can simply be stored in the cupboard. Another advantage: If it is cold in winter and the heating is switched on, this results in dry air. Drying the washed laundry counteracts this and ensures slightly damp air due to the evaporated water. However, as the clothes horse for the heater only has space for a small amount of clothing, there is also the alternative of a rack. This takes up just as little space, as it is more tall than wide. You can hang your laundry easily and space-savingly on the four or five different shelves. Of course, this also applies to other rooms such as children's rooms or bedrooms.
Cellar
It is ideal if your home has an additional room in the basement. There is easy space there for a clothes horse and it won't get in the way. However, you can also easily build a clothesline with a few ropes. To attach your clothesline securely, we recommend using a stepladder such as the K100 TopLine. Thanks to the non-slip ladder feet and extra wide steps, you can easily hang up the line with this stepladder.
To do this, cut your ropes about 30 cm longer than the size of your room. Then attach hooks to two opposite walls at an easily accessible height to which you can tie your ropes. And your clothesline is ready! However, remember to air the room regularly to reduce the humidity from the open windows.
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