Clothes airer for space saving drying

Sheila Maid Victorian Airer

Although I doubt many Victorian homes could afford the ceiling mounted, pulley operated clothes airer that many retailers sell as "traditional Victorian", I certainly remember my mother having one hanging over the sink in the kitchen.

I've often thought they were more utilitarian than today's modern plastic clothes airers that take up space and the raised arier makes use of the heat that has risen to the ceiling. It's certainly a lot more practical than having wet clothes hanging over radiators and cheaper and more carbon-friendly than constantly using the tumble dryer.

If you want to make your laundry even more eco-friendly then switch to Soap Nuts. Now readily available, Soap nuts are the fruit of a family of trees that contain saponin, nature's detergent. Simple to use, you just need to pop a few half shells in with your clothes into the washing machine, no fabric conditioner required.

The Sheila Maid clothes airer from the The Domestic Paraphernalia Company, comes complete with 4 wooden rails, single pulley, double pulley, cleat hook and 10m jute rope.The cast iron rack ends are a grey metal colour with a clear coating. Prices start from £56 for 1.45m long clothes airer.