How to Dry Clothes in a Humid Climate

Co-authored by Ayad Mirjan and Hunter Rising

Last Updated: October 6, 2021 References

It can take a little longer to dry your clothes in a humid environment, but it doesn't have to be a struggle! We'll show you tips for getting your clothes to dry quickly, whether you're hanging them up or putting them in the dryer

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Hanging Your Clothes Indoors

1
Choose a large, well-ventilated room to hang your clothes. Try to pick the biggest room in your home since it will have the most airflow and make your clothes dry slightly faster.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Ayad Mirjan
Dry Cleaner & Laundry Specialist
Expert Interview. 11 August 2021.} If you can, avoid drying your clothes in your bedroom or living room since the moisture could build up and cause mold or mildew. Instead, try to use a dining room or office that doesn’t have a lot of furniture. Check the room for air vents so moist air can blow out and clean air can come in.^{[2]
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- If your home doesn’t have vents, then use a room that has a fan or radiator so air can still filter through the room.
2
Hang clothes on a rack so there’s 1 in (2.5 cm) between them. Choose a large drying rack that has multiple bars so you can hang your laundry without it getting too cramped.^{[3]
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Ayad Mirjan
Dry Cleaner & Laundry Specialist
Expert Interview. 11 August 2021.} You may also hang your clothes on a closet rod as long as you keep the closet doors open. Drape your clothes over the rack or use hangers to ensure there aren’t any wrinkles or creases in the fabric. Leave at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) between each garment so air can blow freely between them and speed up your drying times.^{[4]
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- You can buy drying racks online or from your local big-box store.
How to Hang Specific Garments

Put pants so the waistband faces down to stretch the fabric and prevent wrinkles. Clip them by the cuffs with clothespins if you need to.

Place knits upside down by the bottom hems since they’re less likely to sag or leave marks.

Use hangers on woven shirts so they don’t fold or crease.

Fold sheets and towels in half over the drying rack.

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3
Lay heavy clothes and sweaters flat on a mesh drying rack. Heavy clothes may fall off of a drying rack and are more likely to show marks from clothespins or hangers. Use a clothing rack that has horizontal pieces of mesh so you can place your laundry on top of them. Set 1 garment on each mesh section so it lays flat and leave it alone to dry.^{[5]
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- Buy a mesh clothing rack online or at your local big-box store.
- Avoid stacking your clothes on a mesh drying rack since it will limit the airflow and prolong your drying time.
4
Let natural light into the room. If you have windows in the room where you’re drying your clothes, open your curtains so the sun can speed up the process. Keep your clothes near the light to help the water evaporate more quickly. If you don’t have windows in the room, leave the lights on while your clothes dry so mold doesn’t develop.^{[6]
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- Wash your laundry in the morning so you can hang it to dry for the whole day so you can make the most out of the sunlight.
- The sun can make dark-colored fabrics fade, so position them in shade away from the light.
5
Turn a fan on to increase the airflow. You can use a box fan, oscillating fan, or ceiling fan to help improve your room’s ventilation.^{[7]
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Expert Source

Ayad Mirjan
Dry Cleaner & Laundry Specialist
Expert Interview. 11 August 2021.} Keep the fan pointed at your clothes to draw water out from them. Leave the door open to the room with your laundry so the moisture has somewhere to escape.^{[8]
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- Avoid opening the windows in your room since you could let in the outside humidity and make it more difficult to dry your clothes.
- A floor fan can also work well, as long as you rotate your clothes rack periodically.^{[9]
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  Expert Source
  
  Ayad Mirjan
  Dry Cleaner & Laundry Specialist
  Expert Interview. 11 August 2021.}
6
Run a dehumidifier in the same room as your clothes. Dehumidifiers absorb the moisture from the air so the air inside feels drier. After hanging up your laundry, turn your dehumidifier on the lowest setting to save energy and capture moisture. Empty the dehumidifier tank after your laundry dries completely so it doesn’t overflow or stop working.^{[10]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
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- You can buy dehumidifiers online or at your local home goods store.
- Dehumidifiers also use filters, so you may need to replace or clean them when they get dirty.
7
Allow your laundry to dry completely before putting it away. Even if you have the proper conditions inside, it may take up to 1 day for your laundry to dry completely. Periodically check on it throughout the day to see if your garments still feel damp to the touch. If they still feel wet, keep them on your rack. Otherwise, you can fold and put them away!^{[11]
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- Avoid putting laundry away if it’s still damp since you could trap moisture, which could grow mold or mildew.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using a Tumble Dryer

1
Clean out the lint filter if there’s anything inside it. Open the door for your dryer and check for a filter or screen with dryer lint near the front. Take the filter out and collect all of the lint that’s trapped inside. Throw the lint in with your regular trash before inserting the filter back into your machine.^{[12]
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- If you leave the dryer lint inside the filter, air won’t be able to travel as well through your dryer and it may take longer for your clothes to dry.
Warning: Dryer lint is extremely flammable, so keep it away from open flames.^{[13]
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US National Park Service
Agency responsible for the maintenance and promotion of national parks and monuments
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2
Sort your laundry into similar colors and fabrics. While it can be convenient to do all of your laundry in a single load, different heat levels can cause your garments to shrink, fade, or get damaged. Check the tags on each of your garments to find out the proper way to dry them. Organize your laundry into separate piles so you can care for all of your clothes properly.^{[14]
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- If your clothes don’t have a tag or you’re unsure if they’re dryer-safe, choose to air-dry them instead to avoid any damage.
3
Shake your clothes out before putting them in your dryer. Grab a piece of your freshly-washed laundry and give it 2–3 solid shakes so it doesn’t bunch up. Try to smooth the garment out by hand before setting it in your dryer. That way, your clothes will have fewer wrinkle and creases when you take them out of the machine.^{[15]
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- If your clothes still feel wet coming out of your washer, try twisting them to wring out the excess water. You may also try laying the garment flat on a large dry towel and wrapping it tightly for 5 minutes.
4
Load the dryer so it’s only filled halfway. Tumble dryers need space for air to flow around the clothes, so avoid filling your dryer to the top. Pay attention to how much space your laundry takes up inside your dryer and avoid adding more if it’s more than half-full. If you need to, split your larger loads into a few smaller loads so they’re more manageable.^{[16]
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- If you fill the dryer too full, it won’t be able to tumble properly and could leave your clothes wrinkled and damp.
5
Run the cycle made for the fabrics and colors you’re drying. Look at the cycle options available for your dryer and pick the one that best matches the type of laundry you’re doing. Turn the dial or press the button to select the cycle before starting the machine. Let the full cycle run without opening the door so heat doesn’t escape the machine.^{[17]
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- For example, if you’re washing thin fabrics or lingerie, try using the “Delicates” cycle.
- Some dryers have moisture sensors that automatically stop the dryer when it doesn’t detect any more water. Look up your dryer model to see if it has this feature.
- If you’re only drying a few items and need them quickly, try putting a dry towel in the dryer with your clothes to help absorb some moisture. Take the towel out after 15 minutes and run the items for another 5–10 minutes until they’re dry
6
Fold or hang your clothes immediately after taking them out. Take your clothes out of the dryer as soon as the cycle finishes so they aren’t sitting in a pile. Shake each garment as you take it out of the dryer so it doesn’t bunch up or wrinkle. Fold your clothes as soon as you can so they don’t develop any other creases.^{[18]
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- Set a laundry basket near your dryer so you can set your folded laundry inside and transport it easier.

Expert Q&A

Question

Will a ceiling fan dry clothes?

Ayad Mirjan
Dry Cleaner & Laundry Specialist
Ayad Mirjan is a Dry Cleaner and Laundry Specialist and the Founder of OrangeBag®, a toxin-free, sustainable, Los Angeles-based laundry and dry cleaning delivery service. Ayad has over four years of experience in the industry and he specializes in providing easy laundry and dry-cleaning solutions to professionals, families, and businesses. Ayad received his Bachelor's degree from The University of California, San Diego, and an MBA from Henley Business School. He is also a board member of the Entrepreneur's Organization Accelerator (EOA).

Ayad Mirjan

Dry Cleaner & Laundry Specialist

Expert Answer

Yes, as long as you place your clothes under the fan. Make sure all of the damp clothes are separated and not stacked on top of each other.

Warnings

Avoid putting clothes away if they still feel wet or damp since they could develop mold or mildew.^{[19]
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Don’t try to dry clothes in small, dark, or unventilated rooms since they’ll stay more damp and are more likely to create mold.^{[20]
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