Affordable drying racks for laundry??

[natb2347]

I've been wanting to do more flat and hang drying. I have a nice rack that I got from IKEA so far. It was cheap enough but I would need like 4 of them to cover both my husbands and my laundry and towels etc etc. I'd just get more of those but IKEA isn't at all close to my house and their shipping is ridiculously expensive. Looked on Amazon but the cheap ones only hold like 3 items of clothing and the bigger ones are 20$ or much more. It seems counterintuitive to spend that much money on racks just to save money drying.

What do you use for drying clothing? How much did you spend? Where did you get it? Better yet does anyone have any DIY or clever ideas for making your own system?  Someone please talk me out of spending too much on these racks!!

[ElleFiji]

I have a mid range IKEA one.... but if you can find older folding wooden ones you're in luck. I can fit 2 loads on mine with a bit of creativity.

I also have a tension shower curtain rod that I installed above the tub for extra space, and I've seen pictures of people who've done several of them

[merula]

I have three drying racks:
1. http://p.globalsources.com/IMAGES/PDT/BIG/115/B1049450115.jpg
2. https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61e6pr9yxtL._AC_UL320_SR220,320_.jpg
3. Like a mini version of #2, 2 feet tall

#1 I found by a dumpster, #2 I bought at Target or something for $15, and #3 I bought at a salvage store for $5.

#1 typically will fit an entire large-to-extra-large washer load. I use #2 and #3 when I have two loads to do at once or I'm washing a lot of sweaters that need to lay flat.

We do a lot of laundry. Family of four and one in cloth diapers, plus kids are just messy in general. We also use cloth napkins and handkerchiefs. My typical approach is to stagger the laundry so that we're not drying more than one load at a time. For example: do a load of clothes on Sunday, those will be dry by Tuesday morning. Load of diapers on Tuesday, dry by Thursday. Another load of clothes on Thursday, dry by Saturday. Load of sheets/towels on Saturday, those dry quick so should be done by Sunday. And so on.

(I live in a fairly humid climate. Your mileage may vary in terms of dry times.)

If it's just you and your husband, I would try to work on fitting the laundry to what you have instead of buying more. You can also hang clothes on hangers and then hang the hangers on the ends of the drying rack for slightly more space. Or hang the hangers on the bar in your shower.

[solon]

I own two of these, and they work great. Currently $21 on Amazon.

http://a.co/3ixmkQO

[Cranky]

I have a wooden rack that I bought at the thrift store, a metal rack that I bought at Target (college dorm stuff section that comes out in the summer) and a rack that you hang stuff on hangers from (aldi). Plus one of those sock hanging octopi things from IKEA. I actually like the Target one the best - it really holds a lot.

[natb2347]

Thanks everybody! I think I will keep a look out for some at thrift stores - I didn't think of that - and try staggering and see if that helps. Otherwise I may just cave and get the Amazon version for $20.

My dad is pretty handy. Maybe I can ask him to make me something if I get the supplies. Lots of options here.

Do you guys ever double stack clothing on top of one another? I think I might try this. It might take longer but that would double the use of my existing rack.

[merula]

Do you guys ever double stack clothing on top of one another? I think I might try this. It might take longer but that would double the use of my existing rack.

I routinely do this with napkins and handkerchiefs. My logic is that most clothing is two-layered, and that dries, so two single-layer pieces of cloth will be fine.

[Elle 8]

I use this clothesline: https://www.amazon.com/iSuperb-Clotheslines-Portable-Windproof-Clothesline/dp/B00WAVDO78/ref=lp_695487011_1_6?s=storageorganization&ie=UTF8&qid=1491388962&sr=1-6

I strung it across the bedroom and use hangers to hang things from it.  The separations prevent all the hangers from sagging down to the middle and bunching together as a plain line would.  I usually just leave it up all the time but if I'm having guests who might see the room, I'll take it down.

I have some of the foldable racks recommended here as well.  However, they take up so much floor space and don't hold much, in my opinion.  I'm always very surprised when people say they can fit a lot on them because I can't; a few items and it's full.

[Goldielocks]

Near the laundry I use a folding rack, that I dislike...  but if you have a tiny space, then maybe the second rack I use is for you...

Last year we bought a towel warmer / rack for our bathroom.  The towels were on the verge of getting moldy instead of drying in a couple of days, and the bathroom was very cold.   We put it on a timer.

I have found it amazing for quickly drying many items.  I just hang them under the towel.  Delivered by Amazon.  Needs a wall plug.   Expensive compared to what you are looking for, but the space savings because everything dries so quickly is very nice.

[ElleFiji]

I will hang things doubled, but only the things that I know dry quickly. And I make sure that I check and flip the doubled items.

Clothes lines hold way more then racks, all the time.

[alison_peta]

I want to build this one for myself: http://www.ana-white.com/2016/07/DIY_furniture/18-star-shaped-clothes-drying-rack

I use a small rack indoors and leave it by my wood stove. I have a line outside for sheets and towels, and use it year-round. I try to do a small load every couple of days to stagger my small wardrobe and keep the chore time to a minimum.

[natb2347]

Wow that DIY rack looks amazing! I would be a total disaster at attempting that sadly.

I REALLY like this clothesline idea one of you suggested below. It seems super easy to setup/take down and fast easy drying and it's CHEAP. I might try this out and report back on my experience!!

https://www.amazon.com/iSuperb-Clotheslines-Portable-Windproof-Clothesline/dp/B00WAVDO78/ref=lp_695487011_1_6?s=storageorganization&ie=UTF8&qid=1491388962&sr=1-6

Kee the ideas coming!!

PS - I have heard good things about dryer  balls. Thoughts there??  They seem a bit pricey but if it makes things dry faster it might be a little investment. Again I wouldn't try a DIY in this it looks like a disaster if done wrong.

[Cranky]

I have plastic dryer balls that I bought at aldi's at some point. I don't think they make stuff dry faster, but they are good for fluffing stuff up and keeping down the static.

[Goldielocks]

I have plastic dryer balls that I bought at aldi's at some point. I don't think they make stuff dry faster, but they are good for fluffing stuff up and keeping down the static.

I use tennis balls for this -- great for pillows and down items.

[JoshuaSpodek]

I got one like this from Craig's List for $10. I probably could have negotiated the price down but didn't see the point.

Actually, it still feels like an indulgence since I dried my clothes on chairs and other furniture, which worked fine.

[MarioMario]

I have a cloths rack in my basement and I hang all shirts on hangers to  dry.  Iuse two lines in my basement for everything that doesn't go on a hanger. Like was a couple a bucks and cloths pins were $2 

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[LindseyC]

I have a larger finished basement with lots of space.

I have a simple Ikea rack from about 15 years ago, a Costco rack which has two areas for laying items flat like sweaters, as well as lots of bars for hanging. I also have a flimsy rack from the dollar store (yes really) this rack I use only for socks and underoos and it works perfect for those light items.

I also have 4 lines strung between two columns in my basement. Perfect for hanging sheets and duvet covers. I keep meaning to replace these string lines with actual thick laudry lines, but I just haven't got around to it yet.

Finally I have another dollar store item which is a circle with lots of clothes pegs hanging off of it. I use it to hang very light laundry when everything else is full. This only comes into play when I am very behind on laundry.

Sounds like a lot but I have collected them all over the past two decades. I went full on line drying about 3-4 years ago and would never go back to using the dryer. One day when I have a fenced yard I can't wait to have an outdoor line.

[VeggieTable]

I got one like this from Craig's List for $10. I probably could have negotiated the price down but didn't see the point.

Actually, it still feels like an indulgence since I dried my clothes on chairs and other furniture, which worked fine.

I have one like this but a little flimsier (wooden) that I got from someone on Craigslist for $7. I have another metal one from Bed, Bath, and Beyond that was about $20. Depending on what's in the load (socks and underwear, or shirts and pants) I can get everything from one load on those two racks. Also, our laundry area has a rod like in you'd find in a closet, so I'll hang wet shirts on hanger in there, unless it's something that will likely get stretched out. Works great for my son's clothes b/c we have a million extra baby hangers.

[JLR]

We are a family of 5. I stagger the washing through the week. We have two of these:
http://www.kmart.com.au/product/12-rail-clothes-airer/114080

I love them because they don't take up much space. They are very narrow. I can set two of them up along the wall in our laundry and still get to the machine.

I have another rack that is our original one. It is much like the one above, but the top section extends out from the sides, giving an extra two rails on each side. It is quite like this one, but with a few extra rails across the top:
https://www.bunnings.com.au/morgan-20-rail-coated-wire-clothes-airer_p4510093

I also have an over-the-door hanger. I don't remember why we bought it. Perhaps back when our kids were in cloth nappies/diapers?? Anyway, it's been broken for a few years now, but I pull it out occasionally to dry sheets. Otherwise, I set up two of the first rail I linked to and drape the sheets between two racks:
https://www.bunnings.com.au/ltw-5-rail-over-door-clothes-airer_p4512253

It is rare that I have all racks going at the one time, as I hang outside when I can, but over winter I do sometimes end up with all racks up at once. I don't like to double up, but I do use pegs to hang pants from the back waist at times, rather than draping them in half over the rail. This speeds up drying time and uses less space. I also often hang socks and underpants from the little gaps between each of the rails, using pegs. If pressed, sometimes I will peg socks to the side gaps that go down to the ground, again between the rails. If I get terribly desperate I will lay things over the very top of the rack, with items hanging on the rails below. This helps stop the wet clothes from getting smelly, but I make sure I shift things around as soon as some items below dry.

[Kashmani]

You can buy cheap, or you can buy convenient. Here is what I would recommend:

https://www.amazon.com/Leifheit-81570-Pegasus-Laundry-Dryer/dp/B005IMZ7WG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1491829994&sr=8-2&keywords=leifheit+drying+rack

I have two Leifheit drying racks. One I bought new in 2002 and it is still going strong. The other I inherited from my grandmother who bought it in 1993. Also still going strong.

Admittedly, I threw out the one my grandmother had bought in 1977, as after 30 years, the plastic was getting brittle and I did not need a third rack.

[HipGnosis]

I have plastic dryer balls that I bought at aldi's at some point. I don't think they make stuff dry faster, but they are good for fluffing stuff up and keeping down the static.

I have wool dryer balls.  I'm not sure if they make stuff dry faster - my dryer has a sensor.  They don't do squat for static - I guess I need to add a cpl plastic dryer balls.

[sleepyjen]

Can I piggyback on this thread? I've got a laundry question. We have one of those wooden racks--tall--shown above, and it fits, at best, a medium-sized load.

Is it more economical to a) wash small loads and air dry on rack (necessitating more loads) or b) wash huge--and thus fewer--loads, but have to use the dryer?

[merula]

Can I piggyback on this thread? I've got a laundry question. We have one of those wooden racks--tall--shown above, and it fits, at best, a medium-sized load.

Is it more economical to a) wash small loads and air dry on rack (necessitating more loads) or b) wash huge--and thus fewer--loads, but have to use the dryer?

Almost certainly more economical to do smaller loads, because the dryer is the big energy hog, but you can try putting in your information here (http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/laundry.html) and see what you get.

[sleepyjen]

Thanks!

[Goldielocks]

Um,  why can't you buy a second rack or a retractable clothes line?

[sleepyjen]

Are you asking me? I plan to. I was just curious in the meantime.

[Goldielocks]

Are you asking me? I plan to. I was just curious in the meantime.

Ah, got it.  Most people just do small loads of laundry (you can do them by hand, too, if you need to), and buy a second rack as soon as they are able, or suck it up and spend the $1 a load for using the dryer until an alternative, such as a second rack or a sunny day, come around.

[warmastoast]

+1  for the Leifheit one. 

As a European, I have always hung my laundry up to dry.  The original Leifheit one I bought lasted 13 years being put out inside and outside in hot south of France and 2 years in Texas.  I have 3 kids so it handled a lot of washing.
The plastic bits gave up 18 months ago and I immediately bought another Leifheit = the one in the amazon link above.  It's great. I'm expecting it to last 13 years again.

[taiwwa]

I've been considering this too.

Has anyone done the math on how much electricity you save this way?

Also, it would seem a relatively easy thing to build a drying rack that is enclosed at the top in clear plastic so it doesn't get wet in rain.

[Goldielocks]

I've been considering this too.

Has anyone done the math on how much electricity you save this way?

Also, it would seem a relatively easy thing to build a drying rack that is enclosed at the top in clear plastic so it doesn't get wet in rain.

At 11 cents / kw.h:  Load in the dryer costs as much as $0.50/load (plus capital cost of dryer).  See below.
But clothing hung up lasts a lot longer, that is the real savings.  I tend to put any cheap clothing in the dryer and things with stretch or a bit more expensive on the line.

Also, clothes don't dry in the rain, even when covered, unless it is very windy (when they dry after the rain stops, typically).  Maybe others have it differently, but that has been my experience.   I have a line set up under the elevated  deck.

The “Saving Electricity” website reports that the average dryer uses 3.3 kilowatt hours of energy and estimates an average of 11 cents per kilowatt hour. A small load of clothes takes about 45 minutes in the dryer, so the cost of that load is $0.36.Dec 10, 2013

[Mtngrl]

I have a Perilla I paid $40 for maybe a decade ago. No, it wasn't an inexpensive purchase, but it has saved me far above its cost in that time -- not only in electricity/gas saved, but as someone else noted, clothes last longer if they are air dried.

I use mine all winter -- which is 6 months here -- and on rainy days the rest of the year.

So -- great if you can find a less expensive version that works for you, but don't be afraid to invest in a good rack you can use for years.

[Lis]

I have this baby: https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/minky-homecare-multi-dryer-indoor-drying-rack/1045835377?Keyword=drying+rack

So, I went out and bought myself a cheap ass drying rack from Kmart for maybe $7. After two uses, it broke completely. I'm sure I could have finagled it, but I already had to use tape and string to keep it together in the first place. I would have kept using it for a while, begrudgingly, until I found a nicer one at a thrift store, but my mom got tired of listening to me complain, so she used some credits she had a coupons and had the above shipped to my apartment. I love it - folds up nicely and is super thin when you put it away, and can hold a lot of clothes. My fat cat decided to use the bottom section of it as a hammock and promptly pulled one of the rods out, but after some struggle, I got it back together and now fat cat is afraid of it, so win-win. (The hammock part is great for just dumping socks and other small things on... I'll be damned if I'm going to hang up each individual tiny sock.)

[taiwwa]

I've been considering this too.

Has anyone done the math on how much electricity you save this way?

Also, it would seem a relatively easy thing to build a drying rack that is enclosed at the top in clear plastic so it doesn't get wet in rain.

At 11 cents / kw.h:  Load in the dryer costs as much as $0.50/load (plus capital cost of dryer).  See below.
But clothing hung up lasts a lot longer, that is the real savings.  I tend to put any cheap clothing in the dryer and things with stretch or a bit more expensive on the line.

Also, clothes don't dry in the rain, even when covered, unless it is very windy (when they dry after the rain stops, typically).  Maybe others have it differently, but that has been my experience.   I have a line set up under the elevated  deck.

The “Saving Electricity” website reports that the average dryer uses 3.3 kilowatt hours of energy and estimates an average of 11 cents per kilowatt hour. A small load of clothes takes about 45 minutes in the dryer, so the cost of that load is $0.36.Dec 10, 2013

Thanks.

Yeah, the rain cover thing really is for the occasion that I forget to take them down before a rainstorm. Or I'm away or whatever.

[rockeTree]

May be less common now than a few years ago but I've used the old moveable crib sides folks seem to always be throwing out to diy wall mounted racks in the basement at a couple of houses. Sturdy, roomy. The one I liked best I had hinges on the top side and a hook on a rope mounted higher to hold it up in use. Next kid moves out I will have room to do it again, have to start watching the trash piles for another frame...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Grem]

I have one of these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Minky-Tower-Airer-40-Silver/dp/B003KNG18O

It's amazing, I can easily fit a whole 9kg load of washing on it with room to spare. Its small enough to sit in a shower cubicle if you're short of space. We have a tiny balcony and it lives out there where it gets the sun in the mornings and a breeze all day. My washing can dry quicker out there than it can in our washer/dryer when the sun is out :)