As the weather gets colder it can become pointless to dry clothes outdoors, but there is a simple way to hang your laundry indoors correctly without having to deal with a musty smell. 

It may seem obvious to put clothes in a dryer in autumn but they consume a lot of electricity, and running it frequently can lead to higher energy bills when people may be worried about the cost of heating their home. 

However, Wendy Graham, a sustainability expert and creator of Moral Fibres, has shared there is a laundry method to hanging clothes indoors without worrying about them smelling. 

She said: “Clothes start to smell damp when they take too long to dry. Adequately ventilating the room you are drying your clothes in, by opening a window, can help. 

“Running a dehumidifier can also help, by removing moisture from your clothes, without the high running costs associated with tumble driers.”

How to wash clothes so they dry quickly 

Clothes often begin to smell if there is a lack of airflow in a home as there will be more moisture in a room that takes longer to evaporate so clothes take longer to dry. 

However, making sure you are washing clothes properly and using the correct spin cycle will also ensure clothes dry quickly. 

Wendy said: “My other top tip is to spin your clothes at the maximum spin cycle your washing machine allows. 

“Some washing cycles don’t spin on the maximum spin cycle, so a final spin cycle on the maximum setting removes any excess moisture. This makes it quicker to dry your clothes, meaning they are less likely to smell musty.”

Make sure to also only fill a washing machine three quarters in the drum as overloading will also make it difficult for clothes to dry indoors. 

Wendy said: “It can be incredibly tempting to ram as many clothes into our machine as it can possibly hold. However, I know that this is counterintuitive to having clean laundry and also the drying process.

“This is because if you do that, then there is not enough space for your laundry to agitate in the machine. 

“There will also be less water available for the detergent to dissolve in, as the clothes will soak up too much water. This means your clothes don’t come out as clean as you would like, meaning you may have to wash them again.”

How to hang clothes up properly 

Clothes often begin to smell if there is a lack of airflow in a home as there will be more moisture in a room that takes longer to evaporate so clothes take longer to dry. 

Make sure to always have a window open or have a dehumidifier in a room where you are drying laundry. 

You can speed up the drying process by making sure there is adequate spacing between clothes and ensuring everything is hung up as nearly as possible. 

Hang clothes on a clothes horse and do not place wet laundry on the radiator as this will waste energy and cost more money. 

Wendy said: "Standard clothes horses aren’t your only option. If you lack floor space but have the ceiling height, then one option to try would be a ceiling-mounted clothes airer. Growing up, I knew these as a pulley, but you might know them as a kitchen maid.” 

She added: “Meanwhile, some people swear by using an electric clothes horse to dry their clothes indoors. From what I have read, they are very energy efficient, and much cheaper to run than a tumble dryer.”

Keeping a few of these techniques in mind the next time you do laundry will help you save some money on your energy bills while keeping your clothes smelling fresh this autumn.