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Comment by Aaaaahhhh | Hacker News Reader

I am European. I don't have a drier and I don't know why I should buy one. For me diers are just a waste of space and energy.

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I'm curious: How do you handle clothes washing and drying?

I'm not the OP, but share his views.

I wash my clothes in the washing machine, then hang them to dry, that's all there is to it. It takes time (about a day) and some space for the clothes hanger in a rather small apartment, but that doesn't bother me.

Thank you.

But how do you hang wet clothes and not ruin your floors?

Sorry if I sound stupid. American apartments aren't set up for this and I would rather handle it this way and I've had challenges.

Most washing machines have the spin cycle which removes almost all water that could drip out. So I haven't noticed any water that drips out as such. Also, you have a specific place in some apartments for this with different type of floor.

Yeah, okay, to be fair, I was hand washing clothes, not machine washing. And I do recall living in Germany and there were places to hang wet things that we don't have in American apartments.

But I've seen some hang-to-dry things that could be used over a bathtub.

Thank you!

I at least have a place to start doing research.

>But I've seen some hang-to-dry things that could be used over a bathtub.

I have this in my apartment (Sweden). After I've done laundry I hang my clothes to dry over the bathtub, then move them onto a separate drying rack in the morning (so I have space to shower), and by that time the clothes have dried enough so there's no risk of dripping on the floor.

If there’s a specific place with a different floor (and maybe dedicated ventilation), I find a little odd the argument that a dryer (which sometimes even stacks on top of the washer) is a waste of space.

Unless I put too much in the washing machine that it can't spin properly, most things don't drip when they are hung up. And for thick wool jumpers that do drip we have a mesh thing to lay them on over the bathtub, and anyway the floor is tiled.

Thanks.

Most US apartments have wall-to-wall carpeting, not wood or tile floors. God, how I hate it.

If you put a towel underneath you can dry them flat on top of the drying rack. No dripping observed so far.

All modern washing machines spin >1000 RPM in the end. Clothes are pretty dry already after that, there's no dripping.

> Clothes are pretty dry already after that

Dry and very wrinkled

Washing machines spin the clothes, so most of the water is already gone.

But it is true that you need space and a fitting room as the drying can create damp rooms that need a good ventilation.

I think many people actually have driers but don't use them if they can dry them otherwise. A disadvantage of drying by air is that the clothes can get pretty hard. Some use fabric softener for that.

Its not too much wet, you get rid of most of the water by spin drying. I have stone floors so I wouldnt be bothered anyway

Also it helps if you live somewhere with reasonable humidity.

If your washing machine spins your clothing at 900-1400 RPMS, it should be simply wet, but not dripping wet. Never saw a drop on my floor.

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