Clothes will dry outside in February if hung out at these times of the day | UK | News

Households across the UK are being urged to dry their clothes outside during specific hours of the day in February to maximise sunshine and avoid dampness.

The winter months are blighted by cold temperatures, frequent rain and even snow at times, which can make doing the laundry a bit of a pain. The chilly conditions, coupled with the short and darker winter days, don’t exactly make for ideal clothes drying conditions, which means damp clothes often end up cluttered around your home on drying racks for days on end. Having wet laundry lying around not only leaves a lingering damp smell around your home, but it can also give your clothes a slightly stale and musty smell, too, despite being freshly washed.

Fresh air helps prevent those unpleasant smells, so it’s worth hanging your washing out to dry outside, even for just a short period, during the winter months, where possible. Despite the predominantly cold and wet conditions, drying clothes outdoors isn’t completely out of the question in February, and according to laundry experts, there is an optimal time of the day to hang them out.

Experts say the ideal time to hang your washing out to dry in winter is between 10am and 2pm, as this four-hour window is typically the warmest part of the day.

The sun’s peak intensity occurs during these hours so it allows you to make the most of both the warmth from the sunlight and the wind, both of which are crucial for evaporating moisture to help your clothes dry faster and more evenly.

Experts at the Royal Meteorological Society said: “Clothes take longer to dry in cooler winter temperatures than in summer. But as long as the air is dry enough, water will slowly evaporate (or ice will sublime) even if the temperature is below freezing.

“In fact, clothes will dry faster on a cold and dry day than on a warm and humid day, especially if they are in direct sunlight. Hang clothes out in the morning to make the most of the sun’s peak intensity, which usually occurs between 10am and 2pm. 

“Keep an eye on the forecast and look for breaks in the weather. Even if there’s only a short window of opportunity, pop your laundry outside for a quick air dry.”

By hanging your clothes out early in the morning, you give your washing a longer window to dry by maximising exposure to dry, warm and windy air.

Your clothes should be dry, or very close to dry, by mid-afternoon if you follow this four-hour time frame, but if your laundry is still a bit wet it’s advised that you bring it back inside to finish off drying before the evening dew sets in, as this will help avoid dampness. 

Experts at Planet Friendly Living add: “Even in the UK it is still possible to dry your washing outside in winter. You don’t need a warm or sunny day to dry your washing (although that does speed up the process) you just need it to be dry. 

“A breezy day is always best, but so long as the ground outside is dry, you should be able to get a load of washing dry. Aim to hang out your washing as early as possible to give it the maximum amount of time to dry before the sun goes down. Bring it in promptly at the end of the afternoon to avoid the dew. 

“If it’s not quite dry you can finish it off inside on a clothes airer or even give it a short time in the tumble dryer.”