Heated Clothes Airers (tumble dryer alternative)

Heated clothes airers again are expensive to buy, but then cost less than 10p an hour to run. Modern quality versions have built-in timers, and switch off automatically. They are easy to move, and fold down for storage.

They work by gently warming the air around your washing, to cut drying time and ward off musty smells. Their low-level heat is safe on most fabrics.

Read our laundry posts to choose a good biodegradable laundry detergent (unscented for pregnancy/nursing, babies and pet bedding). 

Keeping Safe with Tumble Driers

Tumble dryers cost a fortune to run. But if you like them (or have no other way of drying clothes):

• Register appliances, to be notified of recalls.
• Never leave tumble dryers unattended. 
• Remove and bin lint after each cycle (don’t leave in gardens, it could choke birds).
• Don’t overload sockets, and be aware of scorch/burn marks and visible wires. Ensure dryers are well-ventilated, and use the ‘cool down’ cycle, before removing clothes.
• If buying new dryers, shops by law must recycle the old ones.