Dehumidifier for Drying Clothes: Dry Laundry Indoors in Winter and Monsoon

Do you know that you can use a dehumidifier for drying clothes in the rainy season? Yes, a dehumidifier for drying clothes works really well. That too inside your room. As it reduces the extra moisture from the air and helps your laundry to dry faster without damp smell. In one test, a 20 litre dehumidifier dried a load of clothes in less than 5 hours, which took 20 hours on a normal stand. And, with one fan, it was done in about 2 hours.

Drying clothes in Kolkata during monsoon and winter is never easy. You must have seen your clothes hanging on the stand for days with a bad smell. That happens because of high humidity of the city. As per IMD climate data, the average humidity in Kolkata goes up to 82 to 83 percent in July and August. And, in December and January, it stays around 62 to 65 percent in the evenings. Thus, the air already holds a lot of water. So, your wet clothes can not let out their moisture easily.

Why Do Clothes Take So Long to Dry Indoors?

Clothes dry when the water in the fabric goes out into the air. That depends on two things mainly. How much moisture the air is already holding. And, whether the air in your room is moving or not.

In a closed room, both these things work against you. As the air hardly moves and your wet clothes keep on adding more water to the same air. Researchers at the Glasgow School of Art have found that one load of washing releases around 2 litres of water in the room while drying indoors. In the homes they studied, laundry drying was the reason for up to one third of the moisture inside the house.

Thus, the room becomes more damp and the drying becomes slower and slower. When the fabric stays wet for long, it gives a sour and musty smell. That you must have noticed in the rainy season. If it continues for some weeks, then black spots of mould can come on the wall behind your clothes stand. The US EPA suggests to keep indoor humidity below 60 percent, ideally between 30 and 50 percent, for controlling mould. But, a closed room full of wet clothes in monsoon can easily cross this level.

How Does a Dehumidifier Help Dry Clothes?

A compressor dehumidifier, like our Aavta London and White Westinghouse dehumidifiers, takes in the room air and passes it over a cold coil. The moisture in the air turns to water on this coil. That collects in the water tank. After that, the dry air goes back in your room.

So now, your clothes are hanging in dry air. That is why, the water leaves the fabric much faster. The fan of the dehumidifier also keeps the air moving around the clothes. Which helps in drying as well.

But, how much faster is it? A UK dehumidifier company did one simple test with 13 t-shirts, washed and spun in the same way. On a normal clothes stand, the t-shirts took 20 hours for drying. With a 20 litre compressor dehumidifier, it took 4 hours 45 minutes. And, with a dehumidifier and a pedestal fan together, only about 2 hours. Which?, the UK consumer magazine, also did their own test and found the dehumidifier almost cut the drying time to half.

Now, do you need a laundry mode for this? Some dehumidifiers come with a laundry mode. That simply runs the machine at full power for a fixed time. Our Aavta London dehumidifiers do not list any separate laundry mode. And honestly, you do not need one. As per Which?, any dehumidifier can be used for drying laundry. If your dehumidifier lets you set the humidity level, then keep it low, around 30 to 40 percent, while the clothes are drying.

What Capacity Dehumidifier Do You Need for Drying Clothes?

Capacity of a dehumidifier means how many litres of water it can remove from the air in one day. For drying clothes, you need to think about two things. The size of your room. And, how much laundry you do every day.

• Aavta 12 Litre Dehumidifier: Removes up to: 12 litres per day; Good for: Small room of around 120 sq ft; Tank: 1.8 litre; Power: 205 W; Price: Rs 24,000
• Aavta 20 Litre Dehumidifier: Removes up to: 20 litres per day; Good for: Around 200 sq ft; Tank: 4 litre; Power: 320 W; Price: Rs 35,000
• Aavta 30 Litre Dehumidifier: Removes up to: 30 litres per day; Good for: Around 300 sq ft; Tank: 7.7 litre; Power: 560 W; Price: Rs 49,000
• Aavta 50 Litre Dehumidifier: Removes up to: 50 litres per day; Good for: Around 500 sq ft; Tank: 7.7 litre; Power: 690 W; Price: Rs 59,000

We have worked out the room size from the coverage of each model in cubic feet, taking a 10 ft ceiling.

So, which one should you choose? If you wash one load a day and dry it in a small bedroom or store room. Then, the 12 litre dehumidifier is enough for you. But, keep one thing in mind. The tank of this model holds 1.8 litres, while one load of washing can release around 2 litres of water. So, you need to empty the tank once in between. Or else, connect the drain pipe to your bathroom outlet.

For a family of four with daily laundry in a medium sized room, the 20 litre dehumidifier is a good place to start. If you dry bedsheets, towels or big loads, or your room is bigger than 250 sq ft. Then, go for the 30 litre model. For hostels, PGs, guest houses and salons, the 50 litre model is the better choice. You can also ask us about our White Westinghouse commercial dehumidifiers.

There is one more thing that most buying guides will not tell you. The capacity written on the box is measured at 30 degrees and 80 percent humidity. In cooler and less humid air, the capacity comes down. For example, the Aavta 20 litre dehumidifier removes 16 litres per day at 26.7 degrees and 60 percent humidity. So, in a Kolkata winter room at around 20 degrees, it will remove less than the number on the box. That is why, if you are confused between two sizes and need it mainly for winter, go for the bigger one. You can also read our blog on how to choose the right size dehumidifier to know more.

How to Set Up a Room for Drying Clothes with a Dehumidifier

1. Choose a small room and close it. Keep the door and windows shut. As a dehumidifier dries only the room it is in. If the door is open, it will try to dry your whole flat. And in monsoon, the outside air as well.
2. Spin your clothes well. Use an extra spin, or the highest spin speed that is safe for your clothes. Less water in the clothes means less work for your dehumidifier.
3. Keep some gap between the clothes. Leave at least one finger gap between each piece. Shirts dry faster on hangers than folded over the stand. And, keep jeans and towels on the side facing the air flow.
4. Keep the dehumidifier close, but not too close. Keep it around 20 cm away from the wall and furniture. So that, the air vents are not blocked. Make sure that water from the clothes does not drip on it. And, never hang clothes on the dehumidifier itself. You can read our dehumidifier placement guide for more tips.
5. Use a fan. In the test above, the fan made the biggest difference. Which? suggests to keep the fan on the opposite side of the room from the dehumidifier.
6. Check the water tank. Aavta dehumidifiers show a full water warning when the tank is full. If you want to dry clothes overnight, then connect the continuous drain pipe.
7. Turn the thick clothes in between. As collars, waistbands and the edges of towels always take the longest time for drying.

Dehumidifier vs Dryer vs Drying Stand: Which One Is Better?

• Time per load: Drying stand only: Around 12 to 20 hours or more in humid weather; Dehumidifier with a stand: Around 2 to 6 hours; Electric tumble dryer: Around 1 to 3 hours
• Running cost: Drying stand only: Nothing; Dehumidifier with a stand: Around Rs 10 to 27 for 6 hours (Aavta 12 to 30 litre, at Rs 8 per unit); Electric tumble dryer: Around Rs 19 for an 8 kg load, if it uses 2.4 units
• Fabric care: Drying stand only: Gentle on clothes; Dehumidifier with a stand: Gentle on clothes, as there is no heat or tumbling; Electric tumble dryer: Heat and tumbling can shrink some cotton and woollen clothes
• Effect on room: Drying stand only: Adds around 2 litres of water to the room with every load. That can cause smell and mould.; Dehumidifier with a stand: Your room becomes drier instead of damper; Electric tumble dryer: Needs a fixed place. Vented dryers need an outlet to the outside.
• Installation: Drying stand only: None; Dehumidifier with a stand: No installation, moves easily on wheels; Electric tumble dryer: Fixed

To be fair, a modern heat pump dryer is faster than a dehumidifier. And, Which? found it can be cheaper per load as well. So, if you only want dry clothes in an hour and you have the space, then a dryer is a good choice. But, a dehumidifier is better when you also want your room to stay dry, when you have delicate clothes, or when there is no space for one more fixed machine. Also, you can use a dehumidifier all year round. That keeps your almirah, bedroom and store room free from damp and smell in the monsoon.

Does a Dehumidifier Cost a Lot to Run?

Many people think that a dehumidifier will make their electricity bill very high. But, it costs much less than what most people think. The rated power of a dehumidifier shows the maximum electricity it can take. As per Business Today, the average domestic electricity rate of CESC in Kolkata is around Rs 7 to 8 per unit. So, we have taken Rs 8 per unit for calculating the cost below.

• Aavta 12 litre: Power: 205 W; Per hour: Around Rs 1.64; 6 hours of drying: Rs 10
• Aavta 20 litre: Power: 320 W; Per hour: Around Rs 2.56; 6 hours of drying: Rs 15
• Aavta 30 litre: Power: 560 W; Per hour: Around Rs 4.48; 6 hours of drying: Rs 27
• Aavta 50 litre: Power: 690 W; Per hour: Around Rs 5.52; 6 hours of drying: Rs 33

Please note, these are the maximum costs. As once your room reaches the set humidity, the compressor of the dehumidifier turns off and on by itself. That is why, the actual cost will be lower most of the time. Your rate will also depend on the slab of your monthly bill. For more tips on saving electricity, you can read our blog on energy efficiency of dehumidifiers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use any dehumidifier to dry clothes?

Yes, you can. Laundry mode is good to have, but it is not a must. Any compressor dehumidifier will dry your clothes if you run it on full power in a closed room. With a fan, it will work even better.

How long does a dehumidifier take to dry clothes?

Normally one load of clothes takes 4 to 6 hours for drying in a closed room. With a fan, it can be done in only 2 to 3 hours. But, towels, jeans and those very humid monsoon days can take some more time.

Is it safe to run a dehumidifier overnight?

Yes, generally it is safe. Just plug it directly in a proper wall socket and keep the air vents open. Aavta dehumidifiers come with full water warning and auto frost control. For running it for long hours, connect the drain pipe.

Should I keep the window open while drying clothes with a dehumidifier?

No, keep your door and windows closed. If not, the dehumidifier will keep on pulling the humid air from outside. And, your clothes will take more time to dry.

Does a dehumidifier work in Kolkata winter?

Yes, it does. Aavta dehumidifiers can run between 5 and 32 degrees, and in Kolkata the winter temperature rarely goes below 9 to 11 degrees. In cool air, it removes a little less water. So, take one size bigger if you need it mainly for winter laundry.

Not sure which dehumidifier is right for your room? Then, call or WhatsApp us at +91 8981224400. Just tell us your room size and how much laundry you do, and we will help you in choosing the right model. All our products come with 12 month warranty. Plus, our Kridovia Care team gives service and support within 48 hours.

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