Can You Air Clothes Instead Of Washing Them?
Doing laundry isn’t exactly the most exciting chore to do. Often, it could be very tempting to re-wear clothes or delay washing them for weeks.
But did you know that you always have the option to air clothes instead of putting them in the washer immediately? In fact, there are many benefits to doing so, and by the time you finish reading this article, you may very well start airing your clothes, too!
So let’s take a look at airing clothes and what the advantages of hanging your garments are.
Airing clothes instead of washing them after every wear – is it okay?
Airing clothes, or exposing your garments to, you guessed it right, air, is an alternative many people do for washing their clothing.
Many people do this by hanging their fabrics on the clothesline outdoors after wearing them. When this is not possible, a clothing rack or even using a simple hanger indoors to hang them would work.
But why not wash your clothes immediately after every wear instead?
Doesn’t airing clothes instead of washing them make your fabrics stink? Will it mean that you’ll have to walk around with garments that look dingy?
In actuality, airing clothes is good practice as it can freshen your garments up significantly.
As practitioners ourselves, we notice that leaving clothes outside removes any musty odour they may have after wearing them. This is especially the case for garments that have only been worn a few times.
Hence, airing clothes instead of washing them is certainly a great alternative that offers so many long-term benefits which we’ll talk more about below.
The benefits of airing clothes
We get it: wearing clothes that you have already used once can be quite icky. But leaving them hanging to air out could remove the odours and even make them wrinkle-free!
If you’re not yet convinced that airing your garments is a great decision, here are the advantages you’ll be able to enjoy if you just give it a try:
Airing clothes saves your time
The less you re-wear your clothing, the more laundry you’ll have to do! If you have a big household, it’s normal for you to have to dedicate a whole day just to have clean garments.
Fortunately, when you air clothes instead of washing them every wear, you’ll save so much time in having to do your laundry every week.
TIP: Hang your clothes immediately after wearing them, especially if they’re sweaty. Leaving them on a chair or the floor for too long develops a musty smell that will just lead you to have to put them in the washer immediately.
- Take a load off your shoulders with this Lift-O-Matic Rotary Dryer, Adjust the rotary clothesline seamlessly to your ideal working height (from 129 to 187 cm)
- The dryer arms turn effortlessly, even when fully loaded with wet washing, With 60 m/197 ft of superb Uv-resistant drying line the rotary dryer can hold up to four machine loads of laundry
Airing clothes keeps your clothes in good condition
Overwashing your clothes is a thing. Don’t believe us?
Even big clothing brands such as Uniqlo do not recommend washing your clothes too frequently[1]. In fact, the company even promotes washing alternatives such as steaming and of course, airing your clothes!
Why, you ask? Because although washing your garments is a need to keep them fresh and clean, doing so, especially using washing machines and dryers, can be too harsh for your fabrics. If you wash your clothing after just one use, don’t be too surprised if you see them fade or have holes soon.
If you want to make your clothes’ lifespan even longer, air them out!
SEE ALSO: Do You Have To Wash Clothes After Wearing Once?
Airing clothes saves electricity
Airing clothes does not 100% mean that you won’t need your washer anymore. However, doing so will definitely allow you to cut back on your energy use!
As conducted in the study by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, the average cost of electricity use in the UK was almost 19p/kWh[2]. That number also includes the average use of washing machines and dryers.
By lessening the frequency of laundry you do, you’ll surely be able to save a couple of pounds every month once that electricity bill arrives!
SEE ALSO: What Are The Benefits Of Drying Clothes In The Sun?
Airing clothes helps save money
We’ll say it again: you don’t have to wash clothes just after you wear them.
Of course, this does not apply to all kinds of garments, such as underwear and activewear. However, if you just donned that jacket for one shopping trip, there’s no need to throw it in the wash.
All you have to do is get that coat hanger, air your jacket, and keep it for the next use. By doing so, you don’t use as much laundry soap, fabric conditioner, water, and electricity!
Think about how much money you’ll be able to save over time!
- Set of 50 Hangers: Non-colour-transferring, black clothes hangers; with notched shoulders & rotatable metal hooks
- Non-Slipping: Velvet coated surface keeps shirts, suits, T-shirts, clothes, coats, jackets, pants & skirts in place
Airing clothes is good for the environment
Appliances like fridges, stoves, washers, and dryers undoubtedly make our day-to-day living so much easier.
We don’t have to wait for great weather to dry our clothes because we already have dryers in the convenience of our home. Gone are the days when food can quickly spoil before refrigerators came into the picture.
Unfortunately, these pieces of technology can be very convenient but will have a bad effect on our environment. For example, using washers emits carbon dioxide or CO2 which increases the global temperature and eventually causes climate change.
DID YOU KNOW? There are an estimated number of 40 million washing machines in the UK alone[3]. Can you imagine how many tons of carbon dioxide they emit every year?
Airing clothes out is an environmentally friendly option many of us can choose to do instead of washing our garments immediately. By doing so, not only are we minimising CO2 emissions, but also the use of commercial soaps, fabric conditioners, and other laundry chemicals.
Save time and energy – start airing out your laundry
Although it’s a habit that may not seem significant for now, the simple act of airing your clothes instead of washing them immediately can save you so much time and resources later on.
Just imagine – you’re conserving electricity, you don’t have to buy detergents and fabric conditioners as often, and you’ll even make your clothes last longer!
What are you waiting for? Get that laundry rack out and start airing your garments ASAP.
Do you also air your clothing and have some tips to share? Feel free to comment them below!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the breeze can definitely remove bad smells from your garments. If the smell is quite strong, airing your clothing while it’s sunny outside can work wonders and make them smell fresh again.
Airing clothes out for 3 to 4 hours is usually enough to make them smell like they’ve just been washed.
The amount of money you’ll save when air drying your clothes depend on several factors such as how much load you do, the wattage of your machine, and the laundry chemicals you use in each cycle.
If your clothes still smell of body odour even after washing them, chances are you may not be using a good laundry detergent. Try switching up your current soap or adding a cup of white vinegar to your cycle to neutralize the smell. If this does not work, try to sort if you’re only having issues with one clothing. If all your clothes are smelly, then you may need to have your washer or dryer cleaned.
Airing out clothes outdoors is better as they will be able to catch the breeze and also the sun’s rays. However, if airing them indoors is your only option, use a fan to dry your garments faster.
