As of: January 10, 2024 9:50 a.m
Even if it’s freezing in winter, laundry can be hung outside and dried. It even dries particularly well in low humidity and frost. How does this work?
Instead of throwing laundry into the dryer or hanging it up in the apartment, you can dry it outside on a line or clothes dryer when the temperature is below zero. This protects the environment and your wallet and, under the right conditions, is even faster than indoors. In addition, not all fabrics are suitable for the dryer. The prerequisite for drying in cold weather is that the air is frosty and relatively dry. This is made possible by a special property of water. If the laundry is frozen, the water skips the liquid state and dries straight away.
“If the temperatures are below zero degrees and, in the best case scenario, the sun is shining from the sky, then the frozen water in the laundry literally dissolves into air. This process is known as sublimation: Frozen water turns into gaseous water vapor,” says Björn Goldhausen from WetterOnline.
Frost allows laundry to dry quickest
It is ideal when there is a light wind and the sun is shining a bit. Then the laundry dries within about a day in frosty conditions. But freezing temperatures are not a must. Even very cold air with low humidity can absorb the moisture from the laundry very well.
Advantages for laundry too
Drying at temperatures below zero is also good for your laundry. It becomes nice and fresh and only smells of clear winter air. Frost drying also protects the fibers. Terry cloth towels can even absorb moisture better than before. Important: Only take the laundry off the line when it is no longer stiff but soft and completely dry. Otherwise delicate fabrics can break.
By the way, according to WetterOnline, the effect of sublimation can also be easily observed in snow. If it snows and then dry, cold weather sets in, the snow cover becomes thinner over time despite permanent frost because the snow becomes gaseous and thus dissolves.
Further information
30, 60 or 90 degrees? Washing powder, liquid detergent or washing capsules? This means laundry is cleaned thoroughly and economically. more
Heat pump dryers use little electricity. But they often contain climate-damaging greenhouse gases. more
After a while, many washing machines start to smell unpleasant. These tips will help prevent the smell. more