Shannen often tries out different energy saving hacks, and she recently attempted a trick that’s recommended by Martin Lewis. She ditched her tumble dryer, and used something different to dry clothes in a bid to save money
With bills always seeming to be on the up, lots of people look for ways to save money and slash their energy bills, and one woman recently turned to a trick that was previously shared by Martin Lewis. Shannen, known as _greengal on TikTok, is celebrated for sharing different sorts of energy saving tips and tricks, and she recently learnt just how expensive it can be to use a tumble dryer.
In a recent video, she examined an alternative way to dry clothes, and she was surprised by how good the results are. In the winter, it turns out you don’t have to heavily rely on a tumble dryer to dry clothes after all.
It comes after Martin Lewis opened up about how good the hack is. In fact, the money saving expert previously claimed tumble dryers are a “demon appliance” when it comes to hiking your bills.
Shannen started by explaining how she washed her clothes and dried them. She also detailed the settings she used when using her clever gadget, a dehumidifer.
She explained: “In the interest of keeping things comparable, I said I would check the price after an hour and 45 minutes, the same time as I did yesterday for the tumble dryer, and it’s coming in at 25 cents (27p), which is literally so much cheaper than the tumble dryer.
“I’m wondering now if I actually need to re-do the tumble dryer test, as that difference just seems off the wall. Maybe that’s correct, maybe you can tell me in the comments, but that just seems absolutely madness.
“I know that the clothes aren’t 100% dry, they are still a tiny bit damp, but I would say, with the dehumidifer on for another few hours and leaving the clothes out overnight, they will be dry.”
The video has been viewed over 1,000 times since it’s been shared, and several people commented too. They shared all sorts of different stories.
One said: “I use a dehumidifier to dry straight from the washing machine. [From] start to finish it’s approximately £2.80.” Another wrote: “Cover the clothes rack with a dry sheet and it will dry quicker.”
A third replied: “I invested in a dehumidifer last year. Great investment. Clothes dry very quickly.” Meanwhile, another also commented: “I run mine at night to dry clothes – it’s amazing.”
Someone else had a different opinion though, writing: “I put my dehumidifer on for seven hours at night, and they are still damp. Am I doing something wrong?”
During a previous BBC Radio 5 podcast, Martin Lewis offered advice on coping with skyrocketing energy bills as the colder months loom. He pinpointed one major appliance to use as sparingly as possible, and this is the tumble dryer, which costs around £1 per load.
He shared: “Do you know what the real ‘demon appliance’ is in most people’s houses? The one that you don’t want to use because it’s really expensive. Tumble dryers. You’re typically paying up to a quid per load.”
In a bid to help homeowners cut back on bills, he advised: “Dry your clothes on an airer outside, to shorten the amount of time you’re using your tumble dryer, or avoid using it completely. Those who have dehumidifiers can take some of the moisture out of the air. It’s less wattage than a tumble dryer, so it can be more cost effective.”
One listener tuned in to share that he had noticed his flat was becoming damp since he started drying his washing indoors. He asked: “If I were to buy a dehumidifier, would it be cheaper than using the heating to keep the place dry?”
To this, Lewis said: “Dehumidifiers take water out of the air rather than use the heating and they’re much lower wattage appliances than standard heating. So if the dehumidifier works for you, it will definitely have lower electricity bills.”