Conversation

How much electricity do clothes dryers consume around the world? In the US 75% are electric, 25% gas. Not able to find a ready estimate. Seems like one of the dumbest emissions sources. Air drying works fine, and the function seems mostly aesthetic (eliminating clotheslines)
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Fwiw, we’ve been 60-80% air drying basically forever… indoors, in small 1 bedroom apartments most of that time, and in cold/cloudy climates too. Just takes a bit of planning. Small racks don’t take up much room. And heated indoors are basically dryers.
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Not an absolutist about it and didn’t realize this is so religious for so many people. We still use dryers, just for a minority of loads.
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And tbh we started doing it to preserve quality clothes longer, not environmental reasons. Most clothes seem to last longer washed cold and air-dried.
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Also to be clear, the aesthetics in question are self-regulatory (rental and HSA rules against visible clotheslines in the US). I suspect most people care much if clothes are visible in yards or balconies, but a few care enough to make rules.
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Yeah, it's really pretty easy, I don't have a dryer and don't miss it - did grow up with one but then I have a lot of siblings
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Don't even need a rack. Things still dry if you hang them in a closet spread out. May take a few days depending on climate. In very humid climates with no A/C, it's really bad. Things never dry. I hate that.
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For me it’s been 80% dryer, 20% clothes rack. I’m defending the use of dryers in small apartments. The space taken up by a clothes rack is just too much since it needs open space. Cotton clothes (if I’m not mistaken) take too long to air dry. I’m wary of the humidity effect too.