The humid weather causes clothes to take longer to dry, develop odors, and promote mold growth. You should immediately apply the following methods to “rescue” your clothes during the humid season.
Tips for Quick Drying Clothes Without Odors in Humid Weather
The humid season brings many worries for homemakers. Not only does it cause damp floors and sweating items, but it also leads to difficulties in laundry. One of the most common issues is clothes that take forever to dry, accompanied by unpleasant odors. To combat this situation, here are six extremely simple laundry tips that you should apply immediately.
1. Choose the Right Time to Wash
During the humid season, you should avoid washing and hanging clothes at night, as this is when humidity levels are high. Even if you hang clothes under a covered area, they can still develop unpleasant odors. Additionally, hanging clothes at night makes them take even longer to dry, increasing the risk of bacteria and mold that can cause skin issues like fungal infections and itching. Therefore, the best time to wash and hang clothes is in the early morning.
2. Soak Before Washing
The humid weather is an ideal environment for bacteria to thrive, leading to unpleasant odors on clothes. However, many homemakers often hesitate to do laundry on humid days, opting to wait for sunny weather. This is a mistake, as letting dirty clothes pile up day after day creates a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and mold to develop faster than usual. If you’re overwhelmed by dirty clothes but the weather is humid, soaking them before washing can help remove stubborn dirt, making the washing process cleaner and quicker.
3. Wash with Warm Water
If you don’t have a washing machine, you can use warm water to wash your clothes before hanging them. If you’re using a washing machine without a drying feature, after washing, soak the clothes in warm water at about 60 degrees Celsius, then wring them out. The reason for this is that warm water has a higher evaporation rate, resulting in shorter drying times compared to washing with cold water.
4. Spin Twice
The washing cycle always ends with spinning. Thanks to the power of the spin cycle, clothes come out very dry, which helps them dry faster when hung. However, to enhance the drying speed, after the washing machine completes the spin cycle, you can loosen the clothes and start another spin cycle. This will help your clothes become even drier and quicker to dry.
5. Use Fabric Softener
In addition to damp clothes, unpleasant odors are a major concern for many people. Fabric softeners often come in a variety of scents for easy selection. Soaking clothes in fabric softener before hanging them will add fragrance, eliminate odors, and help clothes dry faster. If washing by hand, soak clothes in fabric softener for about 10-15 minutes to allow the scent to penetrate deeply into each fiber, preventing musty odors during the humid season.
6. Hang Clothes Inside Out
Another simple yet effective tip that anyone can apply during the humid season is to hang clothes inside out. Many hanging clips and hooks are available on the market that you can use for this method. After washing, strongly shake the clothes to prevent wrinkling while hanging. Then use clips or hangers to secure the clothes inside out on the line, allowing them to dry quicker and more effectively.
7. Roll in a Dry Towel
After wringing out thoroughly, spread a dry towel and roll the clothes inside. Then continue to wring to let the towel absorb excess water from the clothes. When you hang them up, you’ll notice the clothes dry surprisingly fast.
8. Maintain Space When Hanging Clothes
The ideal spacing for hanging clothes is 5-10 cm apart. This will prevent clothes from sticking together, which can cause mutual dampness. Additionally, you should never fold clothes in half when hanging during the humid season or stack clothes on top of each other.
9. Use a Dryer
For families with a large volume of laundry each day, the best solution is to invest in a washer-dryer combo or a dedicated dryer. During the rainy season, these appliances make laundry much simpler and more convenient. Moreover, modern dryers often come equipped with many antibacterial and deodorizing technologies to keep clothes fresh, clean, and free of bacteria.
