Q&A for How to Hang Clothes to Dry

Hang the blanket up on a rod so it's spread out and dries evenly.

Hangers can leave imprints near a garment's shoulders, so try to avoid using a hanger if you can.

Start by shaking out the clothes after you take them out of the wash to remove excess water, but don't wring them out or you'll stretch and wrinkle them. Hang shirts from a clothesline by pinning the bottom hem to the line. Pin pants to a clothesline by the bottom leg seams to help them dry properly. Smaller items like socks and underwear can be pined at the corners so they dry evenly. If you don't have a clothesline, drape your clothes over a curtain rod or put them on hangers and hang the hangers from a curtain rod until they're dry.

No, not if you air dry them properly. It's important that the area is well-ventilated so moisture and humidity don't collect on the clothes, which can cause mold. Either hang them up outside or open up windows and use fans to increase circulation in the room. The clothes will dry faster and won't develop mold. Try to choose a cool location with good airflow.

For some materials, yes hang drying can be better. The heat of a machine dryer can shrink or damage some fabric such as cotton. Check the tag on your clothes for specific drying instructions. Air drying will keep clothes from shrinking or being damaged. It's also better for the environment because machine dryers use a lot of electricity to generate the heat they use to dry clothes.