As winter approaches the dreaded energy bill will no doubt be looming over you, especially with the sudden use of the tumble dryer. So what can you do to make those bills a little smaller? This cleaning expert has just the thing.
When it comes to drying your clothes indoors there's nothing quite as effective and timely as the drying power of a tumble dryer. However, there's no denying that the dryer uses a daunting amount of energy, which is not exactly ideal when you're trying to adopt essential energy-saving tips in the home to save you some money.
Luckily there are several savvy things you can do to speed up your tumble dryer process to dry clothes quickly without using as much electricity.
Expert tips for speeding up your tumble drying process
Aside from avoiding laundry drying mistakes this winter, it's important to know some helpful tips and tricks to get the most out of your energy-draining appliances. This means optimising your tumble dryer's power for a quicker and more thorough drying process.
Professional cleaner Lynsey Crombie shares her three top tips and hacks for doing just this on her Instagram @lynsey_queenofclean. She says, "Want to save time (and energy) when drying your laundry? Here are a few simple tricks to help speed up the drying process!"
Her first trick might not surprise you, in fact, you may already have them but their effectiveness for reducing drying time is often forgotten.
Lynsey says, "Use three dryer balls for a small load and 6 for a larger one. I recommend New Zealand lambswool, and they’re good for up to 1,000 uses! They work by soaking up moisture and bouncing around to separate clothes, reducing drying time."
In the same way, you can use salt or baking soda to help reduce the humidity in your home, wool's moisture-absorbing properties will make a huge difference in your tumble dryer.
For her second tip, Lynsey explains the benefits of a Boss It Ball. She says, "This one’s a game-changer! You only need one, and it redistributes heat around the drum, speeding up drying by up to 40%!"
The Boss It Ball uses HeatBounce technology to distribute the heat around your tumble dryer quickly and evenly. It's also weighted and sized to work on all dryers helping you reduce the length of your dryer cycle, saving you money on your energy bills.
Shop Lynsey's drying recommendations
RRP: £9.89 | Whether you want to try out the drying hack or need to replace your beloved wool balls these ones from Amazon are made of New Zealand premium wool and come highly recommended. They're also a great alternative for drying sheets and will help seperate your clothes in the dryer.
RRP: £7.99 | There's good reason that Lynsey speaks so highly of this product, it slashes the drying time and cost when used in your tumble dryer. It's also completely reusable so you won't need to worry about having to replace it after so many uses.
RRP: £7.99 | Whilst these certainly won't help decrease your drying time, they will help keep your clothes smelling fresh. They can also help with static in your tumble dryer and add even more softness.
Aside from purchasing new drying aids, Lynsey also explains how throwing in a dry towel to your drying load will absorb the excess moisture and help your clothes dry faster. Just make sure you clean the towel regularly and dry it properly after each use.
She finishes her post by saying, "These little changes can make a BIG difference to your drying time and your energy bills!"
Should you still need extra help with drying clothes during winter then we'd also recommend investing in one of the best dehumidifiers. Because dehumidifiers are good for drying clothes and on average will use less energy overall.
Along with using tips to make your tumble dryer more effective you might want to try some hacks to keep your house warm for less too. Central heating like your tumble dryer will probably make up the most of your energy bill as winter arrives so it's smart to know how to optimise that heat.
