Does laundry dry much more slowly in winter?
Yes, it depends on the weather.
Consumer experts reveal when laundry dries best.
If you want to save energy these days, it's best to hang your wet laundry on a drying rack instead of putting it in the dryer.
But in the cold season, laundry often doesn't dry properly outdoors - or at least it takes much longer than in summer.
Even indoors, the drying process often takes several days.
Why is that?
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In winter, wet laundry often dries more slowly.
© Michael Gstettenbauer/Imago
This is why laundry dries slower in winter than in summer
There is a simple reason why laundry dries faster in summer than in winter: "Warm air can absorb more moisture than cold air," explains Joshua Jahn from the Brandenburg consumer center to the online portal of the
Berliner Zeitung
.
"It's cold outside at the moment, which is why the freshly washed laundry can't release its moisture quickly enough.
The drying sometimes takes a very long time," says the expert.
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Drying clothes in winter: when the temperature is below zero, the laundry can be left on the balcony
However, it cannot be said that laundry dries more slowly in winter.
How quickly it goes depends on the weather, which ranges from mild and wet to frosty and cold in winter.
The latter can even be an advantage.
"When it's below zero, laundry dries just as quickly outside as it does in summer, especially when there's a bit of wind," says Alexander Waltner, energy expert at the Bavarian consumer advice center, to the
IPPEN.MEDIA
portals .
And there is a plausible reason for this: "The colder the air, the drier it is in absolute terms, and can therefore still absorb moisture." So when it's frosty, the drying rack can go out on the balcony.
At temperatures just above zero degrees, on the other hand, it actually takes longer for clothes, towels, etc. to dry again.
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Drying rack in the apartment: Caution - risk of mold
If you prefer to hang up your laundry in your apartment, there are a few things you should consider.
Because: If the humidity in the room rises above 60%, the risk of mold also increases, especially if there is little heating anyway.
The drying rack has therefore no place in cool rooms.
A hygrometer can help keep an eye on the humidity.
In order to lower the humidity and prevent mold, Verbarucherschützer Waltner recommends regular airing - and that from 50% humidity.
The rule of thumb is three times a day for four to five minutes.
You should also immediately wipe off any condensation that forms on the inside of the windows with a dry cloth.
List of rubrics: © Michael Gstettenbauer/Imago
