Washer, dryer, fridge, heating, cooling, lighting … when it comes to energy, the truth is the average Australian home uses a lot. But while saving energy on some things, like lighting for instance (no one wants to be stumbling around in the dark) can be tough, changing the way we dry our clothes by using an air dryer like the Pink Hills Aluminium A-Frame Airer is an easy way to make a change that’s good for the environment and saves you money at the same time.
Worried about cluttering up your living space with clothes? Australian KonMarie Method expert, Sally Flower recommends running your washing overnight and hanging it up in the morning so your clothes can dry while you’re at work. That way, your washing is done mid-week and you have a clothes-free living room for the weekend.
With a stylish pink rustproof design, the Hills Pink Aluminium A-Frame Airer is made of a durable yet lightweight aluminium frame with 16m of drying space and height adjustable wings and can easily be stored away when not in use. Australian KonMarie Method expert, Sally Flower says her go-to spots for storing air dryers are, “Under the bed, under the couch, behind the couch, tucked in beside the fridge, or behind an internal door that is generally left open. If none of those work try placing it inside the pantry, standing up on a balcony, lying flat on a top shelf, coat cupboard or against a wall with a plant in front.”
“Clothes need two simple natural ingredients to dry well,” says Sally. “Heat and air. Heat from the sun forces the water molecules in the fabric to speed up and evaporate, leaving clothes toasty dry and smelling great.” The best places to dry your clothes are under an open window, on a balcony, over an air vent or by an open door.
3 reasons why air drying is better for your clothes and the environment
1. Tumble dryers use a lot of resources
Tumble dryers are more costly to purchase than air dryers, and contain more plastic, zinc, aluminum, and paint than air dryers. Sally says, “These raw materials require mining, manufacturing, transportation, and disposal at end of life, all of which create emissions. A tumble dryer will arrive at your home having made more emissions than an airer even before you even turn it on.”
Sally points out that a-frames can also offer a flat space for folding clothes. “Speed up your laundry time and fold clothes on the airer, move to the laundry basket and return folded clothes straight into drawers and cupboards,” says Sally. “This reduces wrinkles, folding time and saves your back! A-frames could be the most underutilised tidy tools out there!”
2. Tumble dryers are harsh on fabric
“Dryers are like mincers for clothes,” says Sally. “Tumbling and extreme heat is not friendly to fabric. Dryers increase wear and tear and reduce clothing lifetime. We all know the impacts of overconsumption, especially in the textile world. More clothes bought, add to your carbon footprint.”
3. Renewable energy is best, but not best when it comes to drying your washing
“Switching to renewable energy is important, and those of us with solar panels are on the right path,” Says Sally. “But renewable energy should be used for household activities that cannot be satisfied without electricity. But drying clothes however can be done naturally – with sun and air. Let’s save the green power for where it’s needed, lower household energy use and remove fossil fuel power from the grid completely!”
Find the Hills Pink Aluminium A-Frame Clothes Airer at Bunnings.
