Air Dry vs Dryer: Pros, Cons & Which Way Is The Best

Drying Rack - Doing laundry is one of the chores that you need to do almost every day. 

Each day, you will wear and wash different garments for hygienic purposes. The number will get higher if you live with roommates or family members. 

But, when drying it, would it be better to air dry vs dryer? 

This is a question that many people have, and it has become a dilemma for them. 

This is understandable because both techniques have their own advantages and disadvantages. So, in this article, you will find out whether it is better to air dry or dryer clothes and the reasons!

Dryer Machine

You might already be familiar with dryer machines to dry or dehumidify garments. Actually, it is not a new thing in society. 

We have already known the machine for hundreds of years. To be exact, in 1799, Pochons, an inventor from France, created a ventilator like a drum to dehumidify garments.

The technique was heat-dry, where he kept the machine in front of an oven. 

So, the garments dehumidify easily, but they smell of smoke and are covered by ashes. That is why George Sampson, an inventor from America in 1892, advanced the machine. He was the one who called it a "clothes dryer."
 
People can only buy the machines at the beginning of the 20th century, precisely in 1915. However, the price is so expensive that only a few can afford it. That is why J. Another inventor, Ross Moore, made a machine in 1938 called "June Day" that was cheaper and more cost-effective.
 
As time goes by, this machine's technology gets more advanced, and the price keeps getting more affordable. For now, you might know the machine by the name "tumble drying". The usage is already common in today's society. 

But, is tumble drying better than air drying or not?
 
Here are its pros and cons! 

Pros

If you are wondering about the advantages of tumble dry, here is the answer for you!
 
1. More Efficient 

The reason why people invented a dehumidifier machine is to make their work easier. So, that is why a tumble dry is born. Using this machine is clearly more efficient than dehumidifying the garments using air. Especially in today's society when you can use only one tube.
 
All you need to do is put water and garments into the machine, apply detergents and softeners, and then let the machine run automatically. You will use the same tube to wash and dehumidify it so that it will save you time and effort.
 
2. Working More Quickly 

Apart from that, the machine also can work more quickly. Usually, it only takes around 5-10 minutes to dehumidify it all. For thin garments, you can dehumidify them for 5 minutes, and for thick ones like sweaters, you usually take around 10 minutes by using the sweater drying mode or an extra drying mode. 

3. Perfect for Small Spaces

Another pro of this kind of dehumidifier is that it is perfect for small spaces. There are many machines that you could shove under the cabinets. You can also stack them above a washing machine to save more space. So, this machine is perfect for you if you have a small home or apartment. 

4. Have Various Features

Then, having various features is also one of the pros of tumble dry. So, you can dehumidify various garments, from the thin to the thick one. So, apart from dehumidifying clothes, underwear, and sweaters, you can also dehumidify bed sheets, dolls, pillows, blankets, bolsters, etc.
 
Cons

However, wearing a dryer is not always good. There are also some disadvantages of tumble dryers that you need to know. Here are the lists regarding that!
 
1. Making Annoying Sounds

The first and most common reason why people tend to avoid a tumble dehumidifier is because of its sound. When you use them early in the morning, you might disturb your family, housemates, and neighbors who are still sleeping or relaxing. But washing garments is indeed better in the morning.
 
In the afternoon, you might feel too lazy and not in the mood to do chores anymore. During the night, everyone surely wants to get a rest without being disturbed by the sound of a dehumidifier machine. This is one of the cons of tumble dryers because it will make you feel awry. 

2. Damaging Some of The Garments' Materials

When using a dehumidifier machine, your garments will be pulled here and there inside the tube, making the material spoil quickly. Some garments' tags even have instructions that you should not use the machine to dehumidify them. For example, if it is made of leather or feathers.
 
So, read the tag before inserting the garment into the machine, especially if you want more durable garments that do not spoil easily. It will save you from buying more garments if you carefully dehumidify them. 

3. There will Be Wrinkles in The Garments 

Then, one of the disadvantages of dryers is that there will be wrinkles in the garments. This is because those garments will be pulled and squeezed too hard in the machine. So, you are obliged to iron it after the garments are completely dry. It obviously requires you to do more chores. 

4. The Garments will Not Entirely Dehumidify 

Apart from that, you also need to do more chores because those garments will not entirely dehumidify after drying them in the machine. There is still humidity left in those garments even though they are not wet anymore. If you store them in the cupboard immediately, it could have bad consequences. 

First of all, a strange smell may appear in those garments. Usually, the smell is musty, and you are definitely obliged to rewash them. If the case is more severe, those garments can become a nest of fungi and bacteria. So, even though you already use a machine, a dryer rack is still a basic need for doing laundry.
 
5. Not Exactly Friendly for The Environment 

This dehumidifier is not for you if you care enough about global warming. This is because this machine is not exactly environment friendly. 

You'll need too much energy because this machine can only function with electricity. So, you can just air dry them instead of using a dryer. 

 

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Related Content : Useful Guides on How to Keep Laundry Room Clean Thoroughly

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Air Dry

Basically, air drying is one of the oldest techniques that people use to dehumidify their own garments. 

In ancient times, around the 14th - 17th century, people used to do it by laying them on the grass and letting the air and sunlight dehumidify them. Some of them also hang the garments on the tree.

Even up until now, people still use this technique because it is effective for dehumidifying garments. If you are wondering why air drying is better, it is because the garments will dehumidify thoroughly and won't leave a funny and musty smell. 

Fungi and bacteria will also die because there is heat from sunlight.
 
Aside from that, there are also more advantages of air drying. 

Even though you will surely find its disadvantages as well, here are more explanations! 

Pros

For more information about the pros of air drying, here are all the things that you are required to know!
 
1. The Garments will Dehumidify More Thoroughly 

As mentioned earlier, you can get drier laundry results from dehumidifying them by using air than a machine. However, you should dehumidify them outside of your home because you also need heat as well. Avoid dehumidifying them indoors if there is no heat nearby. 

So, if you are curious about whether it is bad to air dry clothes inside vs. using a dryer, the answer is undoubtedly yes. On condition that there is no heat like sunlight.

2. No Wrinkles and No Damage

If a machine needs to pull and squeeze your garments, then a dehumidifier rack will have no problem with that. So you do not have to worry about the garments being damaged or wrinkled. Because of that, you can choose which garment to iron and which one is not. That would definitely save you time and effort.
 
3. There Are No Annoying Noises

Another reason why you should use drying racks is because there are no annoying noises. So, you will be free to dehumidify the garments anytime, even in the early morning. Your family, housemates, and neighbors obviously won't be bothered by the noises because there is none to begin with.

4. No Need to Use Electricity and More Environment Friendly 

Then, you could also choose to dehumidify garments by using air because electricity is unnecessary. You can just hang those garments on the racks, and that's it. Furthermore, when there is an outage in your home or apartment, you can still use this type of dehumidifier. 

Apart from that, this dehumidification method is also more environmentally friendly. You can freely use it without worrying about global warming because air drying is usually energy-free vs. using a dryer. 

 

Cons 

Even though dehumidifying those garments by using air is good, this method also has its own weaknesses. Here are the disadvantages of air drying that you need to know!
 
1. Need More Effort to Dehumidify It Manually
 
If everything is done automatically by using a machine, then if you want to air dry it, you are required to do all the dehumidification processes manually. You have to tighten and squeeze the garments by hand and move them to the racks one by one. It will surely require more effort and energy. 

2. The Dehumidification Process will Take More Time

Another reason why people tend to avoid air drying is because the dehumidification process will take more time than using a machine. Usually, it will take around 3-6 hours if the weather is sunny. However, when it is cloudy, you must wait all day for the garments to dehumidify completely.
 
3. Not Suitable for All Weather 

As it is mentioned before, you will be required to wait all day long if the weather is cloudy. It also happens on winter or rainy days. At that time, you will hardly get sunlight to help those garments through dehumidification. Whereas, the existence of the sun is fundamental in this method. 

Without it, everything will definitely feel in vain because your garments will still smell musty and have those bacteria or mold living rent-free there. You can dehumidify them inside, but make sure that your rack has a heat-dry feature on them, such as the digital one that will surely have them. 

4. Taking Too Much Space

Most dehumidifying racks, especially the winged-style ones, will surely take up a lot of space in your room. So, if you have a small space in your home or apartment, this kind of rack is unsuitable. Using a machine will be perfect for you.

However, if you don't want to use machines, try the wall-mounted or digital drying racks. Those rack types will take less space and be more convenient to use.

 
Air Dry vs Dryer

 

Then, if you have to choose between an air dryer or a dryer, which one should you use? Which one would be the best choice for you? In fact, both are very necessary because each has pros and cons that complement each other. To compare between them, you can see the table below! 

 

	Air Dry	Dryer
Time Effectiveness	✖️	✔️
Space Effectiveness	✖️	✔️
Environment Friendly	✔️	✖️
Sound Pollution	✖️	✔️
Manual Labor	✔️	✖️
Damaging & Make The Garments Wrinkles	✖️	✔️
More Effective to Dehumidify The Garments Completely	✔️	✖️
Suit All The Weather	✖️	✔️

 

If you are still hesitant to choose between air dry vs. dryer, the middle ground is to use a

Digital Drying Rack. 

 

This tool is more effective in all aspects, with no damage & wrinkles, needs less space, and suits all the weather because you can use it indoors. 

So, what are you waiting for? 

Get the best deals on Hoz right now! It is more effective in all aspects, no damage & wrinkles, and suits all the weather because you can use it indoors. 

Cheers,

Hoz,

Your Best Digital Lock Provider.