Laundry Hacks for Faster Drying Without a Dryer

Whether you live in a small space, want to cut energy costs, or are waiting for your turn at the laundry vending machine, knowing these clever hacks will help you get your clothes dry fast. From rigging up a DIY clothesline to using your salad spinner, these ideas will save you time and effort while keeping your laundry fresh.

1. Hang it up

A laundry machine is handy, but it’s not always an option—especially if you live in a small space, want to cut energy costs, or have a broken dryer. Fortunately, there are plenty of clever hacks that help you get your washing dry quickly and easily, no electric dryer required.

One of the most effective laundry hacks is to hang your clothes up. This method is best for thinner fabrics, like t-shirts and pyjamas, and works by allowing air to circulate, which speeds up evaporation. “Just make sure to leave enough space between items and smooth out any bunched areas so that air can circulate properly,” Danny Leung, founder of Detoorp, a marketplace for sustainable household products, says. It’s also a good idea to position the rack or hangers in warmer areas of your home, as drafty spaces can slow down drying time.

You can also maximize the efficiency of your hanging rack by positioning it between two open windows or near a doorway to create a natural indoor ‘wind tunnel,’ Hannah Yokoji, head of marketing for The Laundress, suggests. You can even boost drying with a standing fan, provided it’s not blowing directly on the clothing.

If you don’t have the room for a clothesline in your laundry room or apartment, try over-the-door drying hangers: These space-savers hook onto any standard door and offer several rungs to support sweaters or delicates. You can even nail a spare piece of wood to the joists in your basement for a temporary clothesline when the weather’s warm and sunny.

It’s also helpful to keep a laundry message center in your bathroom or laundry nook, where you can write down notes on when you washed each outfit and who took care of it. This way, you’ll know exactly what to do with each load when it’s finished and avoid a potential mess.

2. Put it in the oven

Name a day when parents aren’t hustling to get everything done. Between school drop-offs, grocery runs, soccer practice, and a dozen other to-dos, laundry often gets put on the back burner—and then there’s the pile of clothes that never seem to dry.

The trick to drying faster without a dryer is all about speeding up evaporation and moving moisture away from the fabric. A good spin cycle (1,000-1,600 rpm) is the single biggest time saver; if you can’t use the machine, gently twist your clothes as you wring them and then press or roll them in a towel to further suck out excess water.

You can also use a salad spinner to spin out extra moisture from your laundry—though it’s best used for delicate items like socks and underwear. Once your washing machine is finished, preheat your oven to 100 degrees and lay your clothes flat on a baking sheet. The heat from the oven will move the moisture in your clothes quickly, drying them in less than an hour for many fabrics.

Another way to maximize your kitchen’s heating potential is to place your drying rack in the middle of two open windows or a doorway that creates a natural indoor wind tunnel. This will help to cut your drying time down even more. And if you want to scent your laundry without chemicals, try a few drops of essential oils on wool dryer balls before you start the cycle. They’ll smell great and keep your clothes smelling fresh as they dry.

3. Put it in the salad spinner

A salad spinner may seem like a kitchen gadget best used for removing excess moisture from leafy greens, but this laundry hack can be quite useful too. Simply plop the item of clothing into the basket and pump it a few times to remove excess water from your hand washed clothes. Just be sure not to overstuff the spinner — excessive wringing can damage fabrics and create a lot of wrinkles.

A laundry spinner is also ideal for small items like socks or underwear that can be tricky to air dry. It’s a simple way to cut down on drying time and help prevent odors in between washings.

If you have a large laundry room and plenty of space, try setting up clotheslines. It’s a great way to hang your clothes up and still allow for some sun exposure to speed up the process. Just be sure to use a heavy-duty line and strong hooks so your clothes don’t fall off.

If you don’t have room for a clothesline, consider setting up an area of your basement where you can hang items that aren’t meant to be in the dryer. This could be an old clothes rack or a repurposed dresser drawer that’s been nailed to the joists. If your basement is dark, you can even add some bright lights to make the space feel more inviting.

4. Put it in the freezer

Name a day when parents aren’t cramming to get things done—school drop-offs, grocery runs, soccer practice, cleaning and a dozen other to-do items on the family schedule. It’s no wonder laundry day feels like a never-ending chore.

But if you’re stuck without a dryer this summer, there are some smart hacks to make the process a whole lot faster. Here’s one that James Higgins, eucalyptus bedding expert, shared with us:

If you don’t have room in your laundry room for a drying rack (or even if you do), hang your clothes in the kitchen instead. ‘The heat from your oven can help your sheets dry faster,’ says James. ‘And it will keep your linens fresh and clean until you can air them out again,’ he adds. Another handy tip is to presort your laundry so that you can easily pull out the soiled clothes on laundry day and toss them in the washing machine. Then, mark already-worn clothes with a signifier—use a brightly colored hanger, a bread tag or safety pins to label them, for example. This way you won’t accidentally grab them again next time it’s laundry day. It’ll also save you from the guilt of wasting an item of clothing.