Winter has arrived, which means it’s time to get your laundry situation in order! With rising electricity prices, many of us are looking for alternatives to powered clothes dryers. The colder weather certainly makes it harder to air dry your washing, though.
So what’s the answer? Clothes airers that can be used throughout the year, and cost nothing to run!
Here are some tips to help you decide which clothes horse is best suited to you and your family.
1. Size Matters
Whether you have a big or small family, it’s important to think about the size and frequency of your washing loads to find the perfect airer to match. For singles and couples, look for a laundry airer with 10-20 metres of clothes drying space. For larger families, 20 metres of line space is ideal.
8 Rail Lightweight Freestanding Clothesline – White
2. Mobility makes everything easier
If weightlifting isn’t your strong suit (or if you just want to make life that little bit easier), look for an indoor clothesline with wheels. One great example of a wheeled airer is Foppapedretti’s Gulliver Clothes Airer. Even when folded up, this airer stands upright and can be moved using its wheels.
3. Leave rust problems in the past
Our #1 tip for a long-lasting clothes drying rack is anything made of aluminium! This is because unlike chrome and stainless steel airers, aluminium is guaranteed to never rust. If you’re in a coastal or humid climate, aluminium is your best bet. Not only do aluminium airers stand the test of time, but they are also super lightweight and easy to move around – even with a load of wet washing on them!
4. Different problems require different solutions
When air drying towels, doona covers and heavy blankets, not every airer is up to the task. For these washing tasks, look for a heavy-duty clothes airer (stainless steel or heavy-gauge bamboo are your best bets) with wide hanging rails.
Also, consider how much space an airer leaves between each drying rail; the more space between items, the faster they’ll dry. If space is an issue, try the Heavy Duty Airer in Matte Black or Bamboo. While they are super stylish, they also collapse flat for easy storage.
Limited Edition Heavy Duty Clothes Airer – Matte Black
5. Short on clothes drying space?
No problem! With the rise of apartment living around the country, wall mounted clothes airers have never been more popular due to their space-saving design. They are also a fantastic drying solution for laundries, garages and even bathrooms.
If you are blessed with a big space, the Brabantia WallFix acts as a full-sized wall-mounted clothesline that you can use indoors or outdoors.
Tip: An empty wall above the laundry trough is the perfect spot for a wall-mounted airer.
6. Don’t stress the small stuff
Small items like socks, underwear and hosiery often take up a lot of space on a clothes airer or clothesline. You can free up this valuable drying space by investing in a “baby” airer that hangs from the clothesline or airer. When not in use, storage is neat and easy as most of them fold flat.
Tip: These mini clothes airers can also be hung from shower curtain rods if your airer or clothesline is full to the brim!
