How long does a heated airer take to dry clothes? This is how long it should really take to dry T-shirts, knitwear, and bed sheets

How long does a heated airer take to dry clothes? It's important to know, whether you're toying with the idea of buying a heated airer or struggling to get to grips with one you’ve just purchased. After all, most people buy a heated airer in the hope that it will cut down drying time.

Although the best heated airers are becoming a popular choice for those looking to dry their clothes in winter, there’s an art to using this appliance. It’s incredibly easy to make heated clothes airer mistakes, which can make you question whether a heated airer is worth the investment - especially when it takes hours for your clothes to try.

That’s why it’s crucial to understand how long a heated airer should actually take to dry clothes. This way, you can check that you are using your airer effectively and determine whether you need to switch up your technique to help your clothes dry faster.

How long does a heated airer take to dry clothes?

The answer to this question isn’t a simple one, as drying time using a heated airer depends on different factors. Nicholas Auckland from Trade Radiators, says, ‘On average it takes around 4 hours to dry a regular load of washing using a heated clothes airer. However, this can vary depending on multiple factors such as the capacity of the airer, the type of clothing drying and the room size.’

The type of clothing greatly impacts how long a heated airer takes to dry clothes, as different materials have different compositions that ultimately affect how well they hold water. Some are highly absorbent, while others aren’t.

Stuart Middleton, consumer energy expert at So Energy explains further. ‘As a general rule, cotton and linen will dry the fastest (4-5 hours), whereas larger items like jumpers that are made from thicker materials could take up to ten hours,’ he says.

‘So, it’s worth factoring this in if you’re hoping to wear a certain garment for a set occasion. One of the fastest items to dry on a heated airer is bedsheets, which can be ready to fold away in as little as 90 minutes.’

You’ll also find that underwear and smaller garments dry quicker on a heated airer - especially if they are hung on the top racks. After all, heat rises, and the clothes on the top of your heated airer will ultimately dry quicker than those on the bottom.

Because of this, Stuart advises, ‘Once these are ready to be put away, move your other garments up to fill their place. This will help to ensure that everything dries as quickly as possible, also reducing the amount of power you need to use.’

If you’re conscious of how much it costs to run a heated airer, understanding how long a heated airer takes to dry clothes is key to planning your laundry schedule - and for keeping your energy bills under control.

How can I make my heated airer dry faster?

To use a heated airer effectively, you want to reduce the amount of time it takes to dry your clothes. And while this is largely dependent on the type of clothing you’re drying, there are other factors that can affect how long a heated airer takes to dry clothes.

1. Choose a bigger heated airer

One of the biggest heated clothes airer buying mistakes you can make is not buying the right size for your laundry loads and your home as a whole. And if you choose the wrong size, you'll actually increase the time it takes for your airer to dry clothes.

Nicholas says, ‘If an airer has a larger capacity, it will provide more space for clothing and this can help to speed up the drying process. Smaller heated airers may result in the overlapping of clothing items, this can prevent the circulation of air and extend the time it takes to dry clothes.’

And while we understand that space can be an issue if you live in a small home, bigger is always better when it comes to heated airer drying time.

2. Place it in a smaller room

There’s a high chance that you'll place your heated airer in a location that won’t encroach on your general day-to-day life. But if that’s a large room, you could be doubling your drying time without realising it.

Nicholas says, ‘Surprisingly, the drying time of your heated airer will change depending on the size of the room it’s used in. If it’s placed in a small room the heat will remain more concentrated and dry the clothes quicker. It’s also important to ensure that the room is well insulated to prevent heat escaping.’

So, this is something to consider if you want your laundry to dry quicker.

3. Give your washing an extra spin

Ultimately, a heated airer dries clothes by removing the moisture from them - and if you have less moisture in them to start with, they’ll take less time to dry.

That’s why experts swear by giving your washing an extra spin to cut down drying time. Nicholas agrees, stating, ‘This will remove as much excess water as possible to ensure that they dry faster.’

And while we understand that the cost to run a washing machine isn’t as cheap as it once was, running an extra 10-minute spin cycle should be cheaper than keeping your heated airer on for an extra hour or two.

4. Use a heated airer cover

If you want to help your heated airer dry your clothes faster, it’s well worth investing in a heated airer cover - or using a budget alternative - if you haven't already.

Stuart says, ‘If using a heated airer, one of my favourite ways to cut drying times and costs is to hang a bedsheet on top of other clothes – this helps to create a pocket of air so that everything dries more quickly. You could also invest in a fitted cover for this purpose too.’

FAQs

Can you dry bedding on a heated airer?

Yes, you can dry bedding on a heated airer. This is generally more effective if you have a larger heated airer and can spread the bedding out.

If you only want to dry bedding, you can also lay sheets over the top of the airer, as the heat from underneath will rise and dry it over the course of a few hours.

However, it’s important to find a way of drying bedding on a heated airer that works for you and your airer. In some cases, you may want to flip down the rails to make more space.

How should you hang clothes on a heated airer?

You should hang your clothes on a heated airer strategically, as this will allow all of your items to dry as quickly as possible. But as certain clothes dry quicker than others, you should hang certain items on certain rails.

Hang lighter fabrics on the bottom rails, and then stick the heavier, wetter fabrics on the top rails. As the lighter fabrics will dry quicker, you can then remove them and spread the heavier fabrics out across the rails so they have more space to dry.

You could also hang T-shirts and jumpers on hangers and hang them from the heated airer rails as this can also save on ironing time.