Useful Devices for Drying Clothes in the Off-Heating Season
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1. Main laundry drying devices
1.1 Tumble dryer
The most effective option is a tumble dryer. It isn’t exactly cheap, but it delivers fast, gentle drying all year round. Laundry is treated with hot air; its circulation removes moisture in a short time, and flexible settings let you choose the ideal mode: for example, programs for wool, silk, and synthetics, with reduced temperature, anti-crease to prevent wrinkles, as well as quick cycles lasting 30–40 minutes for a few items. Some models also offer steam refresh or airing functions that help remove odors without washing. Overall, the average drying time depends on the chosen mode, fabric type, and load level: typically from 40–60 minutes for light items to 2–3 hours for a full load using gentle programs. At the end you get completely dry clothes you can put on right away.
Plus, tumble dryers are designed to handle lots of items and bulky pieces like bedding, bath towels, and throws. Load capacity often ranges from 7 to 10 kg, and some models go up to 12 kg.
A more versatile solution is a washer dryer, which combines two processes (washing and drying) and takes up much less space than two separate appliances. But keep in mind that in these models the drying load is significantly smaller than the washing load, and their performance falls short of dedicated dryers.
1.2 Drying cabinet
A pricier alternative to typical tumble dryers is a drying cabinet. From the outside it looks like a tall cabinet with a door or even a refrigerator, while inside it has hangers, shelves, and hooks for clothing, footwear, and other textiles. Built-in heating elements warm the air, fans distribute it evenly throughout the chamber, and moisture is gradually vented out or collected in a condensate tank. Typical drying time is 1.5 to 4 hours. Unlike drum machines, items don’t tumble here—they dry while hanging or laid out: shirts and dresses neatly hang on hangers, shoes rest on shelves, and small items go on mesh trays. As a result, the process is gentler and safer for delicate fabrics, outerwear, and shoes.
1.3 Electric clothes airer
Most likely, a regular floor-standing airer is a familiar staple in almost any apartment, especially if there’s no balcony. But there’s also a more modern counterpart—an electric airer, which dries laundry not naturally, but by transmitting heat from heating elements built into the frame or rails. As a result, clothes dry several times faster than on a regular airer—on average, in a few hours, although it depends on fabric thickness and dampness. At the same time, energy consumption is quite modest—at least compared to tumble dryers and drying cabinets.
In addition to classic floor-standing models, there are also popular hanging electric airers. They look like a cover: you hang items inside, zip it up, and a built-in fan together with a heater circulates warm air. Thanks to this approach, clothes dry evenly without creases or bends.
inside which clothes dry thanks to circulating hot air.
1.4 Electric hanger
Another type of airer is the electric hanger— a device that looks like a regular clothes hanger but has a heating element inside. Once plugged in, the electric hanger blows warm air through special openings, so garments warm up from the inside and dry evenly. This drying method is especially convenient for items that need to keep their shape: shirts, blazers, dresses, and so on. In addition, many models come with special attachments for drying shoes, gloves, and hats. Some can handle heavier loads (up to 5–10 kg), making it possible to dry heavy coats, jackets, and other outerwear.
The main advantage of such devices is gentle handling and shape retention. Electric hangers are compact and lightweight; you can take them on trips or use them in small spaces where there’s no room for a bulky airer. The drawback is obvious—only one item fits on a hanger, so it’s not suitable for large amounts of laundry or bulky pieces.
1.5 Electric towel warmer
These devices were originally designed to dry and warm towels, but in practice they’re often used to air out clothing, underwear, and small textiles too. Installed in the bathroom, the unit is a metal frame of tubes with a heating element inside. The temperature is usually adjustable and averages from 40 to 70 °C, providing gentle drying. Many modern models also have timers and overheat protection for more convenient and safe operation.
Towel warmers also serve secondary purposes: they keep the bathroom comfortably warm, prevent dampness, and help stop mold growth. Nevertheless, they’re intended for small amounts of laundry and compact items.
but also clothing, underwear, and other textiles.
1.6 Shoe dryer
There are dryers not only for clothing, but for shoes as well. These specialized devices are often a pair of small heated modules placed inside a boot or sneaker. The temperature usually doesn’t exceed 50–60 °C, which helps avoid damage to leather, glue, and synthetics. Unlike natural drying, shoes don’t stay damp for long, so the risk of losing shape and developing odors drops to near zero. Drying time depends on the material and how wet the shoes are: lightweight sneakers or dress shoes can dry in 2–3 hours, while winter boots with dense uppers and insulation can take 6–8 hours.
deformation, and unpleasant odors.
1.7 Garment steamer mannequins
Primarily, these devices are designed for ironing, but they also dry garments by treating them with dry steam and using a fan to circulate hot air. Structurally, they are inflatable or rigid frames in the shape of a torso, legs, or full body, onto which you put a shirt, blouse, T-shirt, trousers, or a light jacket. Circulating air dries and smooths the fabric from the inside, and the process takes only 10–15 minutes without user involvement.
The main drawback of mannequins is that they work with one item per cycle, so they aren’t suitable for big loads of laundry. But for quick drying and getting clothes ready to wear, they’re one of the most convenient options.
using circulating hot air and dry steam.
2. Auxiliary devices
2.1 Dehumidifier
While this device isn’t meant specifically for drying clothes, it greatly eases and speeds up the process by creating optimal indoor conditions. During drying in an unheated apartment, the air becomes saturated with moisture, making clothes dry slowly, and you might notice a damp smell and risk of mold. A dehumidifier solves this problem: it removes excess humidity, speeds up moisture evaporation from fabrics, and maintains a comfortable indoor climate. Modern household models can remove on average 10 to 25 liters of moisture per day, which is enough for an apartment or a small house.
By the way, some models have a special laundry mode— an intensive dehumidification setting at maximum power that helps quickly get rid of excess moisture.
2.2 Heater
If you don’t have special drying devices, a heater can help—many homes and apartments already have one. It warms the room air, which speeds up moisture evaporation and helps damp clothes dry faster. You can use any type of heater for this: convector heaters, fan heaters, oil-filled radiators, and infrared heaters.
But remember that such devices can draw a lot of electricity and have their own caveats when used for drying: placing a heat source too close can overdry or damage fabric and even create a fire hazard. Keep a safe distance, don’t hang wet clothes right in front of the heater, and definitely don’t lay them on top of the unit. This method is better as a temporary solution or a supplement in cold weather, while for regular drying it’s more convenient and economical to use dedicated devices.
to avoid damaging clothes and reduce fire risk.
3. Emergency touch-up methods
3.1 Iron
Using an iron to dry clothes is more of a last resort, even if it’s familiar to many. It’s better to use a standard dry ironing mode—without steam—so the hot soleplate accelerates moisture evaporation from the fabric. But this method has its nuances. First, an iron dries unevenly: the top layers heat quickly, but the inside can remain damp. Second, high temperatures can damage delicate materials, leave shiny marks, or overdry fibers. So it’s best to use an iron to finish drying slightly damp clothes rather than for fully drying after washing—and preferably on not-too-thick materials. In urgent situations this works, but it’s definitely not suitable as a regular drying method.
but it isn’t convenient as a regular solution.
3.2 Hair dryer
The same goes for a hair dryer—this is an emergency, not a permanent solution, for when you need to dash out and your shirt or dress isn’t fully dry yet. A directed stream of hot air speeds up evaporation, and items do dry faster. But there are nuances. First, a hair dryer only dries the surface layers, so a garment can seem dry outside while staying damp inside. Second, used too close, hot airflow can damage and deform fabric. Third, a dryer covers a small area and works spot-by-spot, so it can dry a wet patch on otherwise dry clothes or small items like socks, T-shirts, and kids’ clothes—but not heavy, bulky pieces like outerwear. It also takes a long time, and prolonged close use can damage delicate materials and even break the dryer due to overheating.
wet spots, and small garments.
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