Chan says if you’re going to do this, you need to be mindful of the fabric content. He says you should not put anything flammable, like 100% nylon or 100% polyester fabrics, near a heater nor leave them drying near one unattended for a long time.

When you air-dry your clothes, the fibres of your garments hold up longer because your clothes dry over the whole day or via sunlight. Additionally, air-drying clothes is free. You won’t have any machines to maintain or an increased electricity bill. If you aren’t familiar with tumble drying or are trying it out for the first time, here are some useful tips: Both methods are efficient and are great for drying clothes but in the end, it will all come down to your convenience and what’s best for your needs. Perform regular maintenance on your dryer by cleaning its lint and fluff filter after every load. Doing so will guarantee its best performance for a longer period.

Air Drying Clothes vs. Tumble Drying

Additionally, tumble drying speeds up your laundry process by removing the need to iron your clothing. That’s because the heat from your dryer usually removes the fabric’s creases. Air-drying your clothes doesn’t use any electricity or gas at all. You may think this laundry tip saves you money on your electric bill, but it doesn’t always. The average cost of running your dryer ranges between 36 and 45 cents per load, depending on the dryer type and load size. But if you have a large family and have to do multiple laundry loads per day, that savings can add up over time. What we don’t like about the air-drying method A dryer takes up less space than spreading and air-drying your clothes around your house or yard. It sits in a corner, in a cabinet, or a basement—as long as there’s a vent and access to an outlet. If an item should be hand washed or run on the delicate cycle, you shouldn’t put it in the dryer, because it can shrink. Before you place wet clothes in the dryer, shake them out piece by piece to help separate items and eliminate wrinkles. You also don't want to jam your dryer full—leave some space for items to move around.

But if you don’t have the time or space to dry your clothes or the weather is bad, then tumble drying can be the perfect solution.Never drape clothing directly over the heater, as this poses a serious fire hazard. “You’re not only at risk of the fabric or the heater itself catching fire – the heater could potentially overheat and deform, falling on a child, pet, or something potentially highly flammable,” Iredale says. First, tumbler dryers can be pricy to buy and with continuous use, your energy bills will get higher. Also, dryers eventually require maintenance, so that’s another expense to consider. AirDry technology delivers up to three times better drying performance when compared to closed-door systems. The door automatically opens at the end of the drying phase and the air is circulated inside the machine. Dishes emerge perfectly dry. Every time. After washing your clothes in the washing machine, don’t forget to run a spin cycle. It’s worth noting that many standard washing machine cycles end with a spin cycle. You know that Latin phrase that means, "First, do no harm"? Well, it’s widely applicable. It’s always best practice to start with the gentlest method, and then build up to more extreme methods if the first one doesn’t work. Air-drying your clothes takes far less a toll on fabrics than machine drying does, not to mention it’s more energy efficient. Air-drying is easier on fabrics

It’s not a stellar choice for every type of clothing, but it allows busy people to do a load of laundry with a lot less effort. Plus, a dryer is a reliable constant when life and weather gets unpredictable.

Issue

For busy people and large families, a dryer’s efficiency can’t be beat. If you’re doing a load or more of laundry every day, having the time and space to hang and spread it all out to dry is pretty unrealistic. Like tumble drying, air drying has its cons too. Since it takes more time to dry clothes, you’ll need to consider this because it can be limiting. He also recommends Australians buy locally made clotheslines to ensure they have been designed with Australia’s weather conditions in mind. Given the unseasonal rain some parts of the country are experiencing and that sunlight can fade or age your clothes, he suggests getting a cover for your clothesline, like these ones from Clevacover. “This allows for year-round drying, as they are fully waterproof, plus make a great shade area in the hot summer months to protect your clothes.”