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Using a Dehumidifier to Dry Clothes Indoors: What Works

Indoor drying fills a room with water. Set up a rack and a small closed room, and a dehumidifier pulls it out so clothes dry without the musty smell.

By Jamilur Rahman Updated November 5, 2026 · 7 min read

Time
10 min setup
Cost
$150+
Difficulty
Easy
A drying rack with shirts and towels spaced apart in a small room beside a portable dehumidifier on the floor
In this guide
  1. Quick answer
  2. Free vs. permanent fix
  3. What you'll need
  4. Why it happens
  5. Try this first (free)
  6. When free fixes aren't enough
  7. Buy the fix
  8. How to read the pint rating
  9. Compressor or desiccant: pick by room temperature
  10. What to skip
  11. FAQ
  12. Related problems

Quick answer

A dehumidifier to dry clothes works best when you run it in a small closed room with the laundry spread out, so the machine pulls water out of the air as the clothes release it. Spin the load well, give each item space on a rack and run a 35-pint or larger unit nearby. Without it, damp air can sit in the room and cause musty smells and mold.

Free fix vs. permanent fix

Free fix · 10 minutes

Add airflow and give clothes space

  • Run an extra spin cycle in the washer
  • Hang items spaced apart, not bunched
  • Point a fan at the rack
  • Crack a window only when the air outside is drier than inside

How long it lasts: Works on dry, warm days. In cool, damp weather clothes stay damp for a day or more and the room fills with moisture.

Most readers choose Permanent fix
Compressor dehumidifier, 35 to 50 pint, with a drain hose connection (illustration)
Illustration

A dehumidifier sized for laundry drying

Drying clothes releases a lot of water into the air. A dehumidifier pulls that moisture into a bucket or drain, so the air stays dry enough to keep taking water from the clothes and the room does not turn damp.

What to get: Compressor dehumidifier, 35 to 50 pint, with a drain hose connection

How long it lasts: Every wash day for years. It makes indoor drying predictable instead of depending on the weather.

Check price on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

What you'll need

  • Clothes drying rack (illustration)
    Illustration

    Clothes drying rack

    A foldable one with plenty of bars, so items hang apart

    Check price

  • Fan

    Any small fan that moves air across the rack

    You have it
  • Digital hygrometer (illustration)
    Illustration

    Digital hygrometer

    Shows the room's humidity so you know when drying is done

    Check price
  • Our pick
    Dehumidifier for laundry (illustration)
    Illustration

    Dehumidifier for laundry

    Pulls the water out of the air as the clothes dry

    Check price

  • Garden hose

    For continuous drain, if the unit has a hose connection

    You have it

Why it happens

1

Damp air cannot take more water

Wet clothes only dry if the air around them can hold more moisture. In a closed, humid room it cannot, so clothes stay damp.

2

Clothes bunched on a rack

Items that touch block airflow. The inside layers of towels and jeans stay wet long after the outside feels dry.

3

A cold room

Cold air holds less moisture, so drying slows in a cool room. Compressor dehumidifiers also lose efficiency when the room is cold.

4

A unit too small for the load

Wet laundry releases a lot of water into the air. A small dehumidifier cannot keep up and may shut off with a full bucket.

Try this first (free)

Do these in order, starting with the simplest.

  1. 1. Spin the load longer

    Run an extra spin cycle at the highest speed the fabric allows. Less water in the cloth means less moisture in the room.

  2. 2. Hang clothes with space between them

    Tool used: Clothes drying rack

    Leave a few inches between items. Hang shirts by the hem, and do not layer thick pieces such as towels and jeans.

    Clothes drying rack (illustration)
    Illustration

    Tool for this step

    Clothes drying rack · A foldable one with plenty of bars, so items hang apart

    Check price on Amazon

  3. 3. Pick one small room and close the door

    A small bathroom or spare room is easiest to dry in. A bigger room needs a bigger dehumidifier.

  4. 4. Set up the dehumidifier near the rack

    Tool used: Dehumidifier for laundry

    Set it to its lowest humidity or laundry mode, and keep it a few feet from the clothes so air flows. Run the fan across the rack. If the unit has a hose outlet, connect a hose to a drain so you never empty the bucket.

    Dehumidifier for laundry (illustration)
    Illustration

    Tool for this step

    Dehumidifier for laundry · Pulls the water out of the air as the clothes dry

    Check price on Amazon

  5. 5. Watch the humidity and stop when it is done

    Tool used: Digital hygrometer

    A hygrometer shows when the room has dropped below about 50 percent. Turn the unit off when clothes feel dry, and empty the bucket.

    Digital hygrometer (illustration)
    Illustration

    Tool for this step

    Digital hygrometer · Shows the room's humidity so you know when drying is done

    Check price on Amazon

When free fixes aren't enough

If windows fog up, walls feel damp or clothes still smell musty after a full day, the room has more moisture than airflow can remove. That is common in cold, wet or humid seasons and in apartments with no vented dryer. A dehumidifier lowers the humidity and dries clothes at a steady rate whatever the weather. If you see mold in the drying room, stop drying there and fix the moisture first. Patches bigger than about 10 square feet are a job for a professional.

Buy the fix

Still stuck after the free fixes? These are the products we would look at.

Our picks compared
PickProductFixesWho it's forBuy
Best pick
Compressor dehumidifier, 35 to 50 pint, with a drain hose connection (illustration)
Illustration
Compressor dehumidifier, 35 to 50 pint, with a drain hose connection
clothes staying damp and a musty drying room Anyone drying indoors in a room that is 60 degrees F or warmer, which covers most homes. Check price
Budget pick
Compact dehumidifier, about 22 pint, for a small room (illustration)
Illustration
Compact dehumidifier, about 22 pint, for a small room
damp air from a small rack in a small closed room People in small apartments drying one small rack at a time. Check price
Upgrade pick
Desiccant dehumidifier for cool rooms (illustration)
Illustration
Desiccant dehumidifier for cool rooms
slow drying in a cold garage, laundry nook or unheated room People drying in a cold room, where compressor units ice up or slow down. Check price
Best pick
Compressor dehumidifier, 35 to 50 pint, with a drain hose connection (illustration)
Illustration

Compressor dehumidifier, 35 to 50 pint, with a drain hose connection

Fixes: clothes staying damp and a musty drying room

Look for: A rated capacity of about 35 to 50 pints on the current rating scale; A humidity setting that goes down to about 30 to 35 percent, or a laundry mode; A hose connection for continuous drain; A full-bucket shutoff and auto-restart.

Who it's for
Anyone drying indoors in a room that is 60 degrees F or warmer, which covers most homes.
Honest downside
The room is a cold garage or basement under about 60 degrees F, where compressor units lose power. See the desiccant pick.
Check price on Amazon
Budget pick
Compact dehumidifier, about 22 pint, for a small room (illustration)
Illustration

Compact dehumidifier, about 22 pint, for a small room

Fixes: damp air from a small rack in a small closed room

Look for: A coverage rating that fits a small bathroom or spare room; A full-bucket shutoff; A humidity dial or laundry mode; Wheels or a handle.

Who it's for
People in small apartments drying one small rack at a time.
Honest downside
You dry more than one load at a time, or use a big room. It will run all day and still lag.
Check price on Amazon
Upgrade pick
Desiccant dehumidifier for cool rooms (illustration)
Illustration

Desiccant dehumidifier for cool rooms

Fixes: slow drying in a cold garage, laundry nook or unheated room

Look for: A listed operating range that includes your room's lowest temperature; A laundry or dry mode; A hose outlet for drainage.

Who it's for
People drying in a cold room, where compressor units ice up or slow down.
Honest downside
Your room is already warm. Desiccant units typically use more power than compressor units.
Check price on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. We don't show prices because they change, so use the button to see today's price.

How we picked: How we picked: this page is based on dehumidifier maker guides, Energy Star and Department of Energy rating information, and what owners report in reviews about drying laundry indoors. We do not test products by hand.

How to read the pint rating

Since 2019, the Department of Energy rates dehumidifiers at a cooler test temperature, so newer pint numbers are lower. A unit once labeled 50 pints may now say 30 to 35. Compare ratings from the same year, and treat 35 pints as a good starting point for a spare room or bathroom.

Compressor or desiccant: pick by room temperature

  • Compressor: best in rooms about 60 degrees F or warmer. It uses less power and is the usual choice.
  • Desiccant: works in cooler rooms and blows warm, dry air. It uses more power.

What to skip

Tiny moisture-absorber boxes and mini dehumidifiers

Crystal tubs and mini thermoelectric units are built for closets and bathrooms, not a wet load of laundry. They fill up or shut off far too soon. Use a real compressor or desiccant dehumidifier instead.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a dehumidifier take to dry clothes?
Often several hours to overnight, depending on the fabric, the size of the room, the unit's capacity and how much space the clothes have. Towels and jeans take longest. A hygrometer shows when the humidity stops falling.
Is a dehumidifier cheaper than a tumble dryer?
A dehumidifier typically draws a fraction of the power of an electric dryer each hour, but it runs for longer. Multiply its wattage by the hours and your price per kilowatt-hour to compare.
Where should I put the dehumidifier to dry laundry?
In the same small room as the rack, a few feet away, with the door closed. Keep the air intake and output clear of clothes, and point a fan at the rack if you can.
Will drying clothes indoors cause mold?
It can, if the moisture has nowhere to go. A dehumidifier, an exhaust fan or an open window when the outside air is drier keeps humidity down. Aim to keep indoor humidity below about 50 percent and clean off any mold you find.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure

Compressor dehumidifier, 35 to 50 pint, with a drain hose connection (illustration)
Illustration

Our pick: Compressor dehumidifier, 35 to 50 pint, with a drain hose connection

Check price