As the weather gets wetter and colder, there's less opportunity for us to dry our freshly washed clothes outside and with the cost of energy bills still worryingly high, many of us will be looking for ways to resist using our energy-guzzling tumble dryers for as long as possible.
Big items such as towels and bedsheets can be a nightmare to try and get dry inside the home, but thanks to one interiors expert, you no longer need to give in to the temptation of using your tumble dryer just so that you can put fresh sheets on your bed at the weekend.
Georgia Metcalfe, founder of online bedroom retailer French Bedroom, has said that instead of putting your bedsheets in the dryer, you can make use of surfaces around your home to dry sheets quickly - including the bannisters in your hallway.
She said: "Bedding needs a large surface area to dry quickly so drape wet sheets around the bannister to maximise indoor space and allow the fabric to breathe.
"Many will use an airer, but these can be too small to work efficiently for large sheets. You could also create a beautiful scent by using lavender fabric softener in the washing machine as this will act as a diffuser whilst the sheets dry."
And the expert said you can even use your doors to help dry your sheets - although you should never directly hang your washing from your doors, as this could damage the fabric.
Instead, use a room that you're not currently utilising - such as a guest bedroom if you have one, or your own room during the day if you're not going to be in it - and place stick-on hooks on the back of the door to create a makeshift indoor washing line.
Georgia added: "Place hooks on the backs of doors and even walls to create an internal washing line as this will provide an open space above the floor, then hang up washing to dry. This is best to do in spare or unused rooms as there is usually more space or it is easy to move furniture around to fit the line.
"I strongly advise against anyone hanging their linen on doors directly, as often decorators can’t reach the top of doors, which leaves the bare wood exposed and may mean that the wood ‘bleeds’ onto your washing as it dries. There’s also a risk that splinters from raw wood could snag the linen."
If you're trying to avoid using your tumble dryer then you might feel tempted to put your linen on the radiator when you've got the heating on - but Georgia says this is something you should always avoid.
She explained: "Be careful of the rust particles which can transfer onto bed linen from radiators, creating blemishes on the sheets that are hard to remove, and appears worse on plain designs. A layer of clothes over a radiator will also reduce its efficiency in heating up the room and raise bills."
And the expert also stressed the importance of ensuring your home is well-ventilated when drying clothes and linen indoors, as moisture can cause mould to grow if it isn't tackled quickly.
She said: "Your house will need to be well ventilated, which may be tricky during autumn and winter but can lead to issues such as black mould forming if it isn't. To dry sheets safely, it is essential to open windows a slither even in cold weather as the evaporation needs somewhere to escape and prevents problems further down the line."
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