As the days get shorter and temperatures fall, it’s important to know the best times to hang your washing out to dry in order to avoid damp clothes – and experts have shared the exact hours you should be doing it
Families throughout Britain are being advised to hang their washing outdoors during particular hours in autumn to take advantage of sunshine and prevent moisture problems. With autumn now upon us, daylight hours are steadily diminishing and temperatures are beginning to drop, creating difficulties for getting laundry properly dried.
The summer period offers ideal drying conditions, featuring extended spells of bright weather and high temperatures, yet autumn’s climate can prove frustratingly unpredictable. Whilst it remains sufficiently mild to air-dry washing outdoors, laundry specialists recommend particular timeframes during the day to prevent garments becoming soggy and consequently taking much longer to dry.
According to professionals, the best window for outdoor clothes drying falls between 10am and 2pm, as this represents the day’s warmest period typically, reports the Express. The sun reaches its strongest intensity during these hours, enabling you to capitalise on both solar warmth and breezes – both essential elements for moisture evaporation that help garments dry more quickly and uniformly.
Our ChronicleLive Daily newsletter is free. You can sign up to receive it here. It will keep you up to date with all the latest breaking news and top stories from the North East.
Specialists from the Royal Meteorological Society explained: “Clothes take longer to dry in cooler winter temperatures than in summer. But as long as the air is dry enough, water will slowly evaporate (or ice will sublime) even if the temperature is below freezing. In fact, clothes will dry faster on a cold and dry day than on a warm and humid day, especially if they are in direct sunlight. Hang clothes out in the morning to make the most of the sun’s peak intensity, which usually occurs between 10am and 2pm.
“Keep an eye on the forecast and look for breaks in the weather. Even if there’s only a short window of opportunity, pop your laundry outside for a quick air dry.” Getting your washing on the line first thing in the morning gives your garments the longest possible window to dry by taking full advantage of crisp, warm and breezy conditions.
Your items should be completely dry, or nearly there, by mid-afternoon if you stick to this four-hour timeframe, though if your laundry remains slightly damp it’s recommended you bring it indoors to complete the drying process before evening moisture arrives, preventing any unwanted dampness.
Specialists at Planet Friendly Living explain: “Even in the UK it is still possible to dry your washing outside in winter. You don’t need a warm or sunny day to dry your washing (although that does speed up the process) you just need it to be dry.
“A breezy day is always best, but so long as the ground outside is dry, you should be able to get a load of washing dry. Aim to hang out your washing as early as possible to give it the maximum amount of time to dry before the sun goes down. Bring it in promptly at the end of the afternoon to avoid the dew.
“If it’s not quite dry you can finish it off inside on a clothes airer or even give it a short time in the tumble dryer.”
