How to Dry Clothing Indoors Without a Dryer

A clothes dryer is a major energy consumer in the home. For many years, a clothes dryer was a luxury, not a have to have appliance. With the rising cost of energy, drying clothes without a clothes dryer is one way to save money on your electric or gas bill.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Clothes rack
• Hangers

1. Purchase a clothes rack at your local super center. One should cost less than $10.

2. Wash your clothes as usual.

3. Set up your clothes rack near, but not touching, a heat source. The clothes will dry faster that way.

4. Distribute clothing over the clothes rack. Put the smaller items, such as socks and wash clothes, on the lower levels and jeans, pants and other long items on the top levels.

5. Hang shirts on hangers and hang over the shower rod in your bathroom. If you don’t have a shower rod, attach string from one wall to another to hang items on over the tub.

Tips & Warnings

• Allow clothes dried inside at least a day to become completely dried. Depending on your heat source, it may take a few hours either way.
• Drying clothing on racks takes no extra energy. A clothes dryer can run your bill up by a third or more.
• It will probably take you a time or two of doing laundry to determine how much clothing your drying rack can handle. Having more than one allows you to do larger loads.
• Nothing beats clothes dried on a clothesline. If your community allows the use of a clothesline, it can save you many dollars in energy costs. And the clothes always smell fresh without using artificial means.