@Laura1899, I always air dry for the following reasons:
- Climate change: why wouldn't you use the sun and the wind to dry sheets if you can? Zero carbon footprint.
- Cost: tumble drying is just going to add to your expenses.
- Wrinkles: air drying the sheets and quilt covers leaves them relatively wrinkle-free as opposed to tumble drying them which means they end up looking like they've been scrunched into the bottom of the linen cupboard for years
- Freshness: air dried sheets just seem 'fresher' to me
I live in a pretty rainy place so I can't always get the sheets dried fully, especially in winter. However, I always hang them up until they are almost dry, then finish them off in the tumble drier only if necessary to get that last little bit of dampness out of them. I have both an outdoor line and under shelter line in case of rain.
@Rachel0, thanks for the tip about fabric softener - I've been using it ever since an (older) guest said my sheets smelled 'interesting'. As I only use natural products, I'm assuming she meant they didn't have the perfumed (and to me, horrible and fake) smell of highly fragranced laundry products. Since then, I've been using a natural fabric softener to ensure the sheets and towels smell 'nice'. But, you may be right about absorbency - I think I'll stop using it and maybe just add a few drops of essential oils to the wash instead.