I've been down under for a while now and, given the unusually wet weather in my neck of the woods, would really appreciate some advice from those with more recent experience in drying clothes in a constantly wet climate. I know a clothes drier is an obvious answer but I don't think it's good for our clothes.

I couldnt manage without my clothes drier and to be honest, I only use it when its damp outside and I know there is no chance of drying them. Today for instance, I had loads of washing to do and have had the drier on all evening. If it is cold enough to have the gas heater on, then I put up the clothes airer.

I think it is probably just as bad for clothes to remain damp for too long as you attempt to dry them as it is using the drier. I often put the stuff in for 30 mins or so, bring it out so its a bit damp and let it air dry for the remaining.

Move your washing line somewhere undercover like the garage or entertainment area or just wear them anyway once the humidity gets up you wont know the difference.

Tumble dryer. There's no way you can get clothes dry around here any other way at the moment. Why are they not good for the clothes? I've always had one.

- true!

Was wondering the same thing. Where I'm from we only used a clothes dryer. I never had a clothes line until we moved to Perth and found one in our rental.

Wait!! I put one up when my daughter was a newborn for her diapers.

Don't you find that clothes shrink in the drier... or at least fibres harden and elastic loses its "ping"? Maybe it's just me But seriously, there are so many do not tumble dry labels on so many things... our place looks like a laundry! You have to duck to get through every door way in the house which is hung with wet clothes. If someone can tell me I can tumble dry good jeans without them shrinking, along with pure cotton shirts and semi elastane clothing... I'll be really pleased. (So long as it's true!) BTW, thanks everyone for your advice on this thread. I sense impending carbon guilt.

I've never had a problem and I ignore 'Do not tumble dry' and not had any issues. I put them on a gentle dry and check every 10/15 mins - works fine for silk, linen, elastane, wool etc. However I also wash 'dry clean only' clothes and they're all good.

Just use the drier!
I can hang stuff outdoors all day & it comes back in still damp during wet season as it just cannot dry properly.
Sadly we seem to have missed dry season this year so just need to get used to using the drier all year this year!

Who cares if the elastic has gone and it's all a funny shape, you live in Queensland!

True, a good pair of rubber thongs will take me anywhere.

I currently (during the deluge) have my drying rack in front of a pedestal fan in the spare room. I left it on overnight and everything was dry this morning - including some towels. I also hate clothes shrinking or being staticy. (Good word that.)

Don't use the hot setting. Everything I dry is on the low temp cycle and I don't ever have a problem with shrinkage or elastic losing its stretch. Like MP I also dry things in the dryer on low with my bras being the only exception. They hang up to dry so the wire doesn't get bent.

I once had a girlfriend who tried to dry her bra in the microwave. If I'd known she was going to do it, I would have warned her about the underwire...

She learned that lesson the hard way.

Mrs Wol got some new trainers wet on the Manly beach a couple of hours before we were due to fly back to the UK before we moved. I can vouch for the fact that microwaving trainers is (a) interesting and (b) doesn't work.