Is drying with cold air better? (2023)

Is drying with cold air better?

Heat is damaging to hair, so blow drying with cold air is a healthier choice for your mane. It would take a long time to dry and style damp hair using only cold air, but cold air is great for touching up dry hair or setting a heat style.

It's hard to dry clothes if it's raining or snowing, however high levels of humidity in the air will also greatly extend the overall drying time, and in many cases, a cold, dry winter day causes clothes to dry faster than warm, humid summer days.

Yes! Drying on a line in winter is actually a form of freeze-drying thanks to sublimation – or ice evaporating from a solid state. Wet clothing may freeze, but the moisture evaporates into water vapor leaving behind dry clothing that just needs a little loosening.

The higher the temperature of the liquid water, the more molecules there are on the high end of the distribution with enough energy to evaporate. Therefore, the hotter an object, the quicker it dries, even if its temperature is below the boiling point of water.

First, let your hair dry naturally, about 70-80% of the way dry. Then, with your dryer on the coolest setting (don't touch that hot setting!), blow your hair dry, keeping the dryer about 6-inches away from hair at all times and moving it around continuously. Voilà: gorgeous, healthy hair, without the heat.

The reason it gets so much drier in the winter is because cold air isn't able to hold in as much moisture as warm air can. This makes it more likely for any moisture on your skin to quickly evaporate back into the air, which leaves your skin feeling drier during the winter months.

​​Tumble dry no heat means using the dryer without any heat. The dryer simply tosses your clothes using room temperature air. This setting is often used to fluff-up garments, and help remove dust, lint or hair. Tumble dry with no heat will take longer to complete than tumble dry with heat, as no heat is employed.

The short answer is yes. Although the temperatures may be lower, as long as it isn't raining, snowing or sleeting there will be fresh air and (hopefully) sunlight to help get your clothing dry. Depending on the conditions, it may take longer for your clothes to dry as opposed to keeping them inside.

Cold Weather

Cold air holds less moisture than warm air, causing the air to feel dry and uncomfortable. Whenever doors or windows are opened, or if you have air leaks somewhere within the home, cold winter air enters the home and reduces the overall humidity levels.

What is the best temperature for drying?

Foods can be dried in the sun, in an oven or in a food dehydrator by using the right combination of warm temperatures, low humidity and air current. The optimum temperature for drying food is 140 °F. If higher temperatures are used, the food will cook instead of drying.

The “permanent press” or “wrinkle-resistant” setting is a great choice for many of your everyday clothing items — from slacks and dresses to outerwear and jackets. This setting generates a medium heat. It will dry your clothes without inflicting the damage high heat can cause.

Temperatures under 150°F are gentle enough to get the clothes dry without causing harm. In recent years, we've measured dryer temperatures as low as 123°F and as high as 176°F. Dryers running at lower temperatures have proven themselves to be just as fast and effective at drying clothes as dryers that run hot.

People with fine, wavy, straight, thin, curly, and dyed hair are the most likely to benefit from air-drying. “It's healthier for people with this hair type because [air-drying] lacks heat, and it's not directly on the scalp,” Sturdivant-Drew says.

Air drying your hair is not inherently damaging, but if you want to do it properly, you'll likely want to talk to a stylist or do even more research on your hair type. Something as simple as drying your hair should be easy and stress-free.

So while direct, excessive heat can cause damage to the surface part of the hair strands, air-drying can cause trauma to that inner layer. When the cell membrane complex layer swells, it can weaken the hair over time, explains Dr. Longsworth. It can also cause something called hygral fatigue.

Increasing the temperature in your room, particularly overnight and in the winter, will prevent the build-up of condensation on your windows and walls. This is because condensation occurs when water condenses on a cold surface.

In winter, when the air is bone dry in the house, thin clothes hung on a rack are dry by morning, jeans and thicker sweaters within 24 hours.

Drying your clothes in ill-ventilated rooms during the winter months could lead to mould, fungus and bacteria growth, the experts have warned. According to Homecure Plumbers, hanging wet clothes is one of the most common reasons people experience condensation and mould issues in the home.

What room is best to dry clothes in?

It's advisable to avoid drying laundry in the rooms where you spend the most time: for example, the living room and bedroom. Instead, you should place the drying rack in the bathroom, the kitchen or hallway where you spend less time.

Open windows on opposite sides of the home for short periods to allow for cross ventilation. You should also take steps to reduce the amount of moisture in your home. Always use the hob extractor if you have one when steaming or boiling food. Ensure a window is open when you take a shower.

Towel-drying your hair is important to help remove water, so hair can dry faster. Yet, the wrong technique can result in extra frizz, tangles, and poufiness. The right ways to air dry hair include gentle drying techniques. It's best to use your towel to squeeze water out from your hair.