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dehumidifier for drying clothes

Does a dehumidifier help for drying clothes?

In cold, wet weather, we're often forced to dry clothes inside. Without the comfort of a tumble drier, radiators and wires are the only way to get clothes dry. This can take quite a while and contribute to the buildup of moist and excess moisture in your home.

If there is no option for the moisture to escape (mostly when windows are closed tight in freezing weather), you can see a damp buildup. Do you realize that your windows are running with condensation after you do your washing machine?

A buildup of moisture in this way may lead to damage to soft furnishing, mould growth on walls, and health issues.

So are dehumidifiers great for drying clothes? That's the question we'll answer and help you be sure that your home is damp-free and those winter laundry days become less of a bother to your home and health.

A dehumidifier works by drawing moisture from the air. It pulls in the air from the space through a port and passing it over a pair of chilled metal coils. Once the air hits the cold metal, the water from the air condenses and creates droplets that fall right into a collection bucket or is drained off.

There are several diverse kinds of dehumidifier, which we'll cover below. However, they may be portable and fixed, so if you frequently move wherever your laundry is put out to dry, you can move your dehumidifier with it.


DOES A DEHUMIDIFIER SPEED UP DRYING THE WET CLOTHES?

A dehumidifier will significantly decrease the amount of time it takes for your washing to dry. The dehumidifier will fight the extra moisture in the air, which will prevent any mould or damp building up in your home. This is quite important as prolonged use of an area or clothes horse to dry your wet washing inside will lead to additional air moisture.

Besides combating the additional moisture, a dehumidifier will draw wetness from the clothes themselves and help them dry faster. Some dehumidifiers also have a "boost" button that makes them work harder and can be very useful to use as your wet clothes come from the machine.


HOW A DEHUMIDIFIER DRY CLOTHES?

dehumidifier for drying clothes

Having a dehumidifier to dry wet clothes is truly simple. In case you've got a mobile unit, this is even easier since it is possible to move the device to whichever area your wet laundry is hanging in.

If you have a fixed dehumidifier, it will function the same it just means you will always need to hang your laundry in the area with the dehumidifier. This is fine, though it may affect your plans if you must use that area for entertaining, etc. Usually, wet washing should not be placed in rooms with a great deal of soft furnishings, despite the support of a dehumidifier, which means you should avoid hanging bathing in your bedroom if possible.

A fantastic tip to ensure that your dehumidifier is functioning as efficiently as possible and will dry your wet clothes in no time would be to sit in a reasonably small area; dehumidifiers are put to operate in various regions based on their capacity. Those who have a dehumidifier that works around 1,300 square feet, for instance, and you place it in a room that's 600 square feet. Then it'll be working very efficiently and may draw moisture from the wet clothing quicker.

You should additionally seal off the room you're drying your laundry in. Close windows and doors to stop your dehumidifier from working overtime to pull air from all around the house. In this manner, it will merely be dehumidifying the air in the area where the washing is drying.

DO I HAVE TO KEEP EMPTYING A BUCKET OR WATER RESERVOIR?

dehumidifier for drying clothes

In most of the portable dehumidifiers, you'll find a water collection bucket. This can hold fairly considerable water quantities and usually have to be emptied once per day in normal operating conditions. But if you are using the dehumidifier system to extract moisture from wet clothing in a room, you might get that this water collection reservoir fills up fast.

If you're going to select a model with a water collection bucket to help dry your laundry, it's well worth getting one with a vast reservoir. You also need to make sure it has an automatic shut off function if the water bucket becomes full to avoid leaking and provide you peace of mind.

There is another option. You can purchase a dehumidifier unit that has a draining hose connected. These units drain away from the water continuously -- eliminating the need to empty a bucket. The only disadvantage with these systems is that they need to be near a drain so that you'd need to hang your washing in a room with a sink or drain.


DEHUMIDIFIER VS TUMBLE DRIER

dehumidifier for drying clothes

A tumble drier is the most crucial way people would think to wash their clothes. But these can be quite expensive to purchase and even more costly to operate. Energy consumption for the typical drier is relatively high, and you can quickly see a difference in your electricity bills. As many people will have to use their dryer through the winter, when electricity bills are already high because of more heating and light, the price can be prohibitive.

Another difference between a tumble drier and a dehumidifier is the way the clothes dry. As the dryer utilizes heat, clothes can come out feeling rough and stiff to the touch. This is because they've been "baked" dry. With air and a dehumidifier means that your clothes won't have this stiffness.


CONCLUSION

So, using a dehumidifier to dry your clothes isn't just simple, but it will save you time and energy. Setting up your dehumidifier in the same area as your garments will help them dry faster, and closing windows and doors means your unit's power is focused and will work better.

About the Author Tom Hanson

I’ve worked as an HVAC tech in Phoenix, AZ for the past 10 years. I created CoolAndPortable.com to help home owners select the right portable air conditioner, cooler or air purifier for their needs & budget in just a few minutes.

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