If the laundry dries outside on the line, it doesn't cost any energy. And that is even possible in winter when the temperature is below zero - the laundry then dries particularly well.
Especially during the cold season, many people's clothes end up in the dryer after washing. But actually you can do without your expensive tumble dryer most days. Even when it's frosty, freshly washed laundry can be dried outside on the rotary dryer or line.
According to the German Association for Personal Care and Detergents (IKW), the interplay of minus degrees, low humidity and light wind allows laundry to dry particularly well.
Many people have the misconception that low temperatures are harmful to damp clothing. The wet substance freezes first and becomes correspondingly hard. However, the frozen water evaporates from the fabric after some time. And without moistening it again. Because the textiles are then dry, they are no longer hard.
But one thing has to be taken into account: If the textiles are removed too early, they can easily break. Therefore, you can only take them off the clothesline when they are really dry and soft again. If you bring your laundry back in too early, you risk damaging the textiles. In addition, IKW advises that the individual pieces should not touch each other. And the wind shouldn't be able to bang them against walls or railings.
Drying in the frosty, cold air is worth it: The tumble dryer draws plenty of expensive electricity. The IKW assumes a saving of around 150 euros per year if a four-person household dries half of the laundry outside.
Switching outside also saves costs if you would otherwise let the laundry dry on a drying rack in the house. Because then you sometimes have to heat more in winter. On the one hand, the air in the room cools down due to the evaporation of the moisture in the laundry. On the other hand, this increases the humidity in the room. It needs to be aired out.
