7 Budget-Friendly Hacks for Drying Your Bedding Fast
As the colder months set in, drying bedding indoors can feel like an uphill battle. When the weather rules out outdoor drying and you do not have a tumble dryer, it can take hours for sheets to lose that last bit of dampness. To help, Martin Seeley, sleep expert and CEO at MattressNextDay, shares his expert advice on how to dry your bedding more quickly without running up your energy bills.
1. Wash your bedding in the morning
“Try to wash your bed sheets in the morning,” Martin advises. “It gives them the whole day to dry naturally. When you wash later in the evening, the cooler air slows everything down. If you can, start your wash before midday so your bedding benefits from daytime warmth and air flow.”
2. Use the extra spin cycle to remove up to 30% more water
“The spin cycle is the easiest way to cut drying time before you even take your bedding out of the machine,” Martin explains. “Running an extra spin can remove up to 30% more water from your sheets. That means they will dry much faster once hung up, especially if you have limited space indoors.”
3. Give your sheets a good shake before hanging
“Before hanging them up, give your sheets a quick shake,” Martin advises. “It helps loosen the fibres so air can move through more easily. This prevents the fabric from clumping together, which can trap moisture and leave sheets feeling slightly musty.”
4. Dry your sheets in your bedroom after you shower
“Your bathroom can actually be one of the best rooms for drying sheets,” Martin says. “It might sound unusual, but bathrooms are designed to handle moisture. The extractor fan helps remove humid air, and if you open a window, it creates a gentle airflow that speeds up evaporation. The warmth from recent showers also helps to raise the temperature slightly, which encourages water to evaporate more quickly from fabrics. Place your airer near the fan or window, and you will notice your bedding dries faster and smells fresher.”
5. Try the towel trick
“Using a towel to draw out moisture from your sheets is one of the oldest laundry hacks there is, and it really does work,” Martin explains. “Cotton towels are naturally absorbent, so when you roll your damp sheets up inside one, the towel pulls away a surprising amount of leftover water.”
“To do it properly, lay a clean, dry towel flat on a large surface, spread your damp sheet on top, and roll them up tightly together like a Swiss roll. Press down firmly, or even stand on it carefully, to help the towel soak up the moisture. Once unrolled, hang your sheet near a warm spot or in a room with good airflow. You will find it dries noticeably faster, especially on cooler days when the air feels heavy and humid.”
6. Buy bedding that dries quickly
“The material you choose can make a real difference to how long your sheets take to dry,” Martin explains. “Cotton is soft, breathable and great for summer, but it holds onto moisture for much longer because the fibres are dense and absorbent. In autumn and winter, when homes are cooler and less ventilated, that extra moisture means cotton bedding can take a full day to dry indoors.”
“Fabrics such as bamboo, microfibre and polycotton blends are lighter and less absorbent, which means they dry much faster. They are ideal for the colder months when you cannot rely on outdoor drying and need to get bedding washed, dried and back on the bed the same day.”
7. Use a hair dryer for stubborn damp spots
“If certain parts of your sheet are still damp, a hair dryer works surprisingly well,” Martin suggests. “Keep it moving so you do not overheat the fabric and focus on the thicker sections, like the middle. It is a quick way to finish drying before making the bed.”