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An Ideal Home report outlines six habits for indoor laundry drying: remove more water in the wash, space clothes out, consider a heated airer and dehumidifier, choose a well-positioned spot, and ventilate the room. These are practical recommendations, not a guarantee against damp or mould; results depend on the home, weather and equipment.
Ideal Home has published six recommendations for drying laundry indoors in cold or wet weather, advising households to reduce the water in clothes, leave room for air to circulate and manage moisture in the drying room. The guidance matters because water released from wet laundry can add to indoor humidity, though the report does not claim these steps will prevent damp or mould in every home.
The report recommends running an extra spin cycle before hanging clothes, provided the selected spin speed is suitable for the items. Removing more water in the washing machine can shorten drying time and reduce the amount of moisture released as garments dry. The advice may be especially useful for heavier washing such as towels, jeans and bedding, which can retain more water.
It also advises leaving space between garments on a rack rather than packing it tightly. Brabantia laundry expert Lauren Roelofs says air circulation helps clothes dry more evenly. The report recommends spreading sleeves and opening shirts, avoiding folded-over trouser legs, and turning heavier items partway through drying to reduce the chance of damp patches.
The other recommendations concern equipment and placement: use a heated clothes airer if appropriate, pair the airer with a dehumidifier, position it where air can circulate rather than tight against a wall, and ventilate the room. Lakeland buying lead Catrin Parry says a dehumidifier can remove excess moisture from the air, while a cover for a heated airer may help retain warmth and shorten drying time. The report gives no single drying-time estimate that applies to every load or home.
Managing Moisture While Clothes Dry
Indoor drying shifts water from clothing into the air unless it is removed through ventilation or captured by equipment. In a room with limited airflow, that extra moisture can contribute to higher humidity and condensation, the report says. This makes the advice relevant to households that cannot dry clothes outside or do not use a tumble dryer, particularly during colder, wetter weather.
The recommendations combine changes that cost little, such as spacing clothes out and using an extra spin, with optional purchases such as a heated airer or dehumidifier. Those appliances serve different purposes: a heated rack warms laundry, while a dehumidifier removes moisture from the room. The report does not compare their running costs or establish which combination is best for a particular household, so readers may need to weigh cost, space and existing ventilation.
The guidance is about reducing avoidable moisture during laundry drying, not diagnosing or treating an existing damp problem. Persistent condensation or mould may have causes beyond laundry, and the article does not provide a building assessment or a guarantee of prevention.
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Why Indoor Laundry Adds Moisture
The report frames the advice around the cold and wet season, when outdoor drying may be less practical. Wet garments release water as they dry, and the moisture needs a route out of the home or a way to be collected. Without adequate ventilation or moisture removal, indoor humidity and condensation may increase.
Its recommendations draw on comments from laundry specialists at Brabantia and Lakeland. Roelofs discusses airflow around clothes, while Parry describes pairing an airer with a dehumidifier and positioning equipment to allow circulation. The source is a household advice report, rather than a controlled study comparing drying methods or measuring mould outcomes.
“One of the simplest ways to speed things up is to avoid overcrowding your drying rack. Leaving space between garments allows air to circulate, helping clothes dry more evenly.”
— Lauren Roelofs, laundry expert at Brabantia
Results Depend on Home Conditions
The supplied report does not give test results or a measured reduction in indoor humidity, condensation or mould from following the six recommendations. It also does not specify how much faster laundry will dry in typical conditions; the effect will vary with the load, room temperature, airflow, humidity and equipment.
The article says an airer cover can reduce drying time by a couple of hours, depending on the load and conditions, but this is attributed to the product representative and is not presented as a result for every household. The supplied source excerpt ends during its ventilation section, so it does not include further detail on how long to ventilate, which windows to open or how to balance ventilation with heat loss. It is also unclear whether the suggestions have been independently tested for mould prevention.
Applying the Advice at Home
The recommendations point to a practical sequence: remove as much water as the garment care label allows, hang items with space around them, and place the rack where air can move. Households considering equipment can compare the cost and space requirements of a heated airer with a dehumidifier; the report does not identify one setup as suitable for everyone.
Readers should follow appliance instructions and garment care labels, and use ventilation appropriate to their home. The supplied material announces no follow-up study, official guidance or further publication date. Any stronger claim about preventing mould would require evidence beyond the advice presented in the report.
Key Questions
What are the six indoor laundry-drying recommendations?
The report recommends an extra spin cycle, spacing clothes out, using a heated airer, pairing the airer with a dehumidifier, choosing a well-positioned drying spot and ventilating the room.
Does a heated airer remove moisture from the room?
Not by itself, according to the report. A heated airer warms the laundry, while a dehumidifier is intended to remove moisture from the air.
Why should clothes be spaced out on a rack?
Brabantia expert Lauren Roelofs says space between garments allows air to circulate, helping clothes dry more evenly. The report also advises spreading sleeves and turning heavier items during drying.
Will these steps prevent damp and mould?
The report offers them as ways to limit moisture build-up, but it provides no test results or guarantee that they will prevent damp or mould. Outcomes depend on the home and drying conditions.
Source: idealhome.co.uk
