Drying clothes correctly is paramount if you want to keep them healthy and looking good.

Today, we’ll show you the tips you need for drying clothes regardless of whether you use a dryer or a line outside or inside.

China

Chinese people are very big on hygiene when it comes to laundry. They will NEVER wash both their socks and underwear together, even preferring to handwash their underwear separately. They don’t have the option to take their underwear to the laundromat either, if they do, it’d only be rejected by the staff!

Germany

While Germany’s washing methods are very similar to many other regions of the world, the time at which they do the laundry may not be. That’s because there is a law called Ruhezeit, which means ‘quiet time.’ Anything that creates a noise such as drilling, music, and yes laundry - cannot occur during the hours of 10 pm - 6 am daily, and all day Sunday.

That means unless you have a noise-free washing or live in a detached house, Sunday cannot be your assigned laundry day!

Guatemala

Many traditional households in Guatemala have a washbasin called a “pila.” This is a sink with 3 sections - one for laundry, one for dishes, and the other for usable, clean water. These washbasins date back to the Mayan Civilization, and although some households now have their own washing machine, many still adopt this original method.

In addition, many towns still have public pilas where the ladies of the households go to wash their clothes and linens.

Mumbai, India

In Mumbai, you’ll find the most prominent outdoor laundry place in the world. Dhobis (washermen) take laundry to beat against a rock to release the dirt. Once the dirt has gone, they rinse the items in the river and leave them to air dry. It is estimated that there are around 5000+ Dhobis (both men and women) who work here for 18+ hours a day.

Philippines

Many Filipinos tend to wash their laundry by hand. The routine involves filling a basin from a filtered water source and scrubbing the clothes by hand. Clothes are then airdried. Although for the majority, washing machines are unaffordable, top-loader machines are the type available to purchase.

For those who can afford a machine, you’ll find that detergent is sold in sachets as a cheaper alternative to bottles.

Sweden

Swedes use a “mangle iron” to flatten sheets and table clothes. It consists of two rollers in a frame connected by cogs and is powered by a hand crank or electricity. Not only does it remove water faster than your standard dryer, but it also helps to prevent the collection of dust.

Furthermore, about 40% of the population in Sweden lives in apartment buildings. As a way to save on electricity, water, and the number of machines, there is normally a common laundry room for all to use.

Interesting, hey?

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