5 Best Clothes Drying Racks For Small Spaces [2024 Guide]

I may receive a commission if you make a purchase after clicking a link on this page. Read the full disclosure policy here

Drying Rack For Small Spaces

Traditional machine dryers can tend to stretch, shrink and generally be harsh on certain types of fabric. The drying rack, however, is gentle and safe when it comes to drying any type of fabric.

It also helps maintain the integrity and quality of clothes for a longer period of time.

More so, it requires none of the energy used by traditional dryers, which means lower overall costs when it comes to monthly energy bills.

Best Clothes Drying Racks For Small Spaces 2024

 Featured specsExtra featuresBuying advice
Pennsylvania Woodworks Clothes Drying Rack

Heavy-duty maple hardwood
Furniture grade constructionSuitable for use in a well-ventilated area
AmazonBasics Foldable Clothes Drying Laundry Rack

LightweightEpoxy coatedSuitable for light clothes
Home-it clothes drying rack

DurablePortableRecommended for use in a well-ventilated area
BINO 3-Tier Foldable Laundry Drying Rack

ExpandableFully assembledSuitable for small loads of laundry
brightmaison Clothes Laundry Drying Racks

Simple and versatileSaves floor spaceSuitable for making the best of small floor space

However, if you don’t have a garden area and your home is a bit on the small side, then it’s also a space stealer; however, there are lots of options out there designed to save space while doing an excellent job of drying your clothes.

In the following guide, we’re going to take a look at some of them and explain all the reasons why you should be investing in them.

1. Pennsylvania Woodworks Clothes Drying Rack

Pennsylvania Woodworks Clothes Drying Rack Review

The Pennsylvania Woodworks Clothes Drying Rack is made from heavy-duty maple hardwood. So this is not a flimsy metal drying rack by any means.

The solid maple makes it rock hard and durable. Therefore, you could easily hand full loads of soaking wet clothes without even wobbling.

It’s suitable for baby’s, clothes, hand towels and much more. Due to its depth, the small folding rack easily handles anything from onesies to crib sheets.

It also contains furniture-grade construction, hardwood slats, and wood dowels for strength and stability. When not in use, it easily folds away and opens in seconds when you need it.

As a bonus, it comes already assembled, and all you need to do is simply unfold and set it up. When you’re done simply fold it down and store it away conveniently.

Since it is sanded, it won’t snag on to your delicate lingerie or sheer hosiery.

Pros:

  • Heavy-duty maple hardwood
  • Furniture grade construction
  • Folds and unfolds in seconds

Cons:

  • It develops mold

Product specifications:

  • Size: 20 x 16 x 8 inches
  • Type: Floor mount wooden rack
  • Materials: Maple hardwood

2. AmazonBasics Foldable Clothes Drying Laundry Rack

AmazonBasics Foldable Clothes Drying Laundry Rack Review

Thanks to the AmazonBasics Foldable Clothes Drying Laundry Rack, you can continue to do delicate hand washables as well as everyday loads of laundry.

This is a simple solution to conveniently hang clothing conveniently and inexpensively.

The clothes will hang neatly together and remain out of sight on this drying rack, so there’s no longer a need to take over the bathroom with delicates.

The drying rack is made of lightweight metal and contains an epoxy coating.

The portable rack works well in any desired location, such as a laundry room, bedroom, balcony, or sunny deck.

The epoxy coating on the metal rack provides a clean appearance and also effectively eliminates odor, stains and mold, and mildew.

Thanks to the 11 horizontal rods, you have more than enough hanging space for an entire load of washing.

The horizontal rods create a flat space that works well for drying sweaters, and the seven remaining rods are placed strategically below to accommodate anything from T-shirts to underwear, socks, and towels. The bonus is that it easily sets up and also folds away for storage.

Pros:

  • Lightweight
  • Epoxy coated
  • Waterproof

Cons:

  • Poor build quality

Product specifications:

  • Size: 29.5 x 14.5 x 41.75 inches
  • Type: Floor mount metal rack
  • Materials: Metal and epoxy

3. Home-it clothes drying rack

Home-it clothes drying rack review

The Home-it clothes drying rack is a portable clothes drying rack that is lightweight and easy to get into position when you need to use it. It also folds away flat for convenient and easy storage.

It comes fully assembled, and the design is intended for durability and hanging up full loads of washing.

Pros:

  • Portable
  • Arrives fully assembled
  • Durable

Cons:

  • Prone to mold

Product specifications:

  • Size: 29 x 19.5 x 3.25 inches
  • Type: Floor mount portable rack
  • Materials: Bamboo

4. BINO 3-Tier Foldable Laundry Drying Rack

BINO 3-Tier Foldable Laundry Drying Rack review

The BINO 3-Tier Expandable Collapsing Foldable Laundry Drying Rack provides a large drying space for a full load of laundry. It is expandable and therefore allows you to dry bed sheets, towels, garments, and various types of clothing items.

The rack is also quite durable yet lightweight and sturdy enough to move from room to room. It’s designed to drop open and lock into position.

The collapsible design folds flat when not in use to easily store it under beds, couches, and any other area with limited space. 

Pros:

  • Expandable
  • Eco-friendly
  • Fully assembled

Cons:

  • Doesn’t hold a full load of laundry

Product specifications:

  • Size: 20 x 17 x 3 inches
  • Type: Floor mount steel rack
  • Materials: Steel

5. Brightmaison Clothes Laundry Drying Racks

brightmaison Clothes Laundry Drying Racks Review

 

The brightmaison Clothes Laundry Drying Rack has a sturdy construction. Built with good craftsmanship, this drying rack is extremely high-quality to ensure you are satisfied and get good use of it for years to come.

Although assembly is required, it’s fairly simple. The robust wall-mounted rack comes with mounting hardware, so you have everything you need to put it together.

Depending on your own wall materials, you may require some additional hardware.

If you’re looking for an affordable solution to drying your clothes in a limited space, then this drying rack is your answer.

The rack can be mounted on the wall to dry clothes, or alternatively, you can mount it in your closet to easily open and place your clothing inside to dry without having a mess in the middle of the room.

It’s perfectly suitable for air drying and avoiding wrinkles that usually occur when you use a machine dryer. It also keeps your clothes and towels neatly organized and is as durable as a bathroom towel rack.

Pros:

  • Saves floor space
  • Easy to assemble
  • Simple and versatile

Cons:

  • Contains sharp edges

Product specifications:

  • Size: 31 x 5.5 x 2.55 inches
  • Type: Wall mount drying rack
  • Materials: Stainless steel

Clothes Drying Rack For Small Spaces FAQ

How do you dry clothes in a small space?

drying rack in small apartment

Even with limited space, it’s fairly easy to dry your clothes. This is especially if you have a little creativity that can go a long way.

Drying racks are available in various shapes and sizes, and there are ones that will fit into even the tiniest of corners.

Although drying racks can take up a considerable amount of space, if they can function both horizontally and vertically, then it’s worth your while.

It’s hard to dry your clothes when they are too tightly packed. So each piece needs to have some space.

Try to make sure that you can see between each hanging item, but with the smaller items like socks and undies, you don’t need to worry as much about them touching, as long as they can’t overlap.

Maximize your space

Hanging up your clothes on hangers in doorways or any other surface is another way to increase the number of clothes you can dry at once.

Stagger loads

You can probably dry up to a week’s worth of clothing on a drying rack. You’ll at least be able to dry one person’s clothes and about half of your total monthly washing for two people.

Ultimately, you can count on at least 95% of the clothes drying properly. You could easily dry all of your clothes by doing two loads over the week and drying them at one time.

Use a fan or heater

If you live in a tiny apartment during the winter, your heater has the potential to blow directly on your clothes and dry them.

Not only will they dry faster, but the damp clothes will also put back some much-needed moisture into the air.

During the summer, you can open up the windows, and on very hot days, with the help of your ceiling fan, you’ll make light work of your drying.

Fold your clothes

You need to pack your clothes away as soon as they are dry. The sooner you fold and put them away, the better.

While it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and cluttered, you’ll breathe a sigh of relief every time you fold away your dry coats and put them away.

It will open up space and help you to enjoy it better. So once you’ve folded and placed your clothing into the drawers, hide the rack away.

Make sure that it’s completely out of sight, but you are able to set it up quickly when you need to use it again.

Where do you store a drying rack?

When using a drying rack, position it as close to a heat source as possible. However, take caution to avoid any fire hazards and risks.

So you should preferably place it on the upper floor or story, near a furnace, stove, heating duct, or radiator, and possibly even near a warm sunny window.

If you’re in a rush, use a fan to help speed up the drying time. You may also place it in the tub or shower if possible.

This provides your clothes with an ideal surface to drip and keeps the water out of the way. If you have pets, then once you’re clothes have dried, you should place them in the dryer for a few minutes to remove the unwanted fur and lint. Once you are done using your drying rack, fold it and pack it away.

This should preferably be in out of sight type of places such as underneath your bed or couch. You may also place it in your garage, shed, or any other space dedicated to storing things that should be out of sight.

Your drying rack should stay there until you are ready to use it again. Also, remember that when storing it, dust and debris may collect, so when you open it up, dust it and wipe it down with a damp cloth to ensure that there isn’t any dust or dirt that can get onto your clothes.

Can we dry clothes on the balcony?

Drying clothes on balcony

Drying clothes on the balcony was something that was very popular back in the day when dryers did not exist. However, even with the introduction of tumble dryers, lots of people still choose to dry their clothes outside for many reasons.

One of those reasons is that it can help you save money on your electricity bill over time. And if you have an outdoor balcony, it’s the perfect space to hang up your washing without using a ton of energy. Here are some tips on how you should go about drying clothes on your balcony.

Once you’re done with your washing, and if you haven’t used a washing machine, take your clothes out of the washer and make sure that it isn’t dripping wet anymore.

Gently squeeze them over the sink until they are no longer dripping. However, if you’re using a washing machine, it usually has a spin cycle that removes most of the water.

Set up your drying rack on the balcony. A metal or plastic clothes horse that fits on your balcony is recommended. Unfold it and ensure that it’s large enough to put all your clothes from one load of laundry.

Some people even choose to purchase mounted clothes racks that attach to the railing of the balcony.

Hang up your clothes in a single layer. Lay clothes in a single layer so that they are not all clustered together and they dry faster.

When it comes to heavier items such as clothing items such as sweaters, instead of hanging them over the drying rack, lay them flat on a mesh clothing rack. This will help avoid any creasing or stretching as they dry out.

Heavy clothing like sweaters and jackets are too heavy to hang on the drying rack.

You should also rotate your clothing to ensure that it dries properly. If your clothes are drying in one position the entire time, they’ll probably take longer.

So check on your clothes probably every two hours and rotate them to new spots and angles, so all sides of the clothes are exposed to sunlight and fresh air.

This is helpful especially for items that dry slowly. If you live in a humid area, your clothes may take even longer to dry.

Once your clothing is dry, take them in. Clothing usually takes anywhere between 2 to 4 hours to dry fully, depending on how warm it is outside and how thick the clothing is.

However, once you are satisfied that they are dry, take them inside to get them out of the sun. If you are concerned about certain items fading, try and keep the drying rack out of the sun.

Related: 15 Practical Tips for Line Drying Your Clothes

If you have concerns about your drying rack looking unsightly, then instead of pushing it up against the balcony railing, keep it near the door of your balcony, so it’s less noticeable.

This will also make taking the clothing in and out more convenient. You may also choose to place your drying rack inside the house near a window or fan.

Another idea to keep the rack out of sight is to use potted plants in front of the drying rack to hide it. Find tall plants and place them on the balcony edge so that they conceal the drying rack.

Also, it spruces up the appearance of your balcony, and it’s an affordable option.

One of the things that are not recommended when drying clothes on your balcony is drying them directly on the balcony railing.

This is because they can possibly blow off with the wind, fall in front of the street, and will make the railing moldy from the constant moisture. So investing in a drying rack is one of the best options for drying your clothing on the balcony.

Is it better to dry clothes inside or outside?

wall mounted drying rack

When it comes to deciding whether to dry your clothes indoors or outdoors, it will depend on several factors, including:

  • Whether you have adequate space on your balcony to place a drying rack
  • The type of climate you are living in
  • Whether you are handwashing clothes or using a washing machine
  • Your personal preference

Ultimately, there are pros and cons of both drying your clothes indoors and outdoors.

When it comes to drying clothing outside, if the climate is dry and you’ve also got a bit of wind and sun, then you can definitely depend on your clothes drying much quicker outdoors than indoors.

Alternatively, if you live in a tropical climate that generally tends to be humid, then your clothing is going to take a lot longer to dry outdoors than it will inside with a fan on.

So that said, drying your clothing inside using a fan or heater is perfectly acceptable from time to time, but it should not be a regular occurrence.

This is because it is believed that the moisture that escapes from your clothing when drying it indoors in front of the heater tends to build up and cause condensation on your windows, walls and ultimately leads to the buildup of mold.

So you are free to dry clothing indoors, provided the windows and doors are open, and there’s plenty of room for ventilation.

Conclusion

There are still lots of good reasons to dry your clothing on a clothing rack as opposed to using an electric tumble dry.

Although an electric dryer will dry clothes faster and more conveniently, they tend to stretch, shrink, and ultimately reduce the lifespan of your clothes.

By using a clothing rack to dry your clothes outside or indoors, you will increase the lifespan of your clothing, cut down on energy bills and the portability of the rack makes moving clothes from indoors to outdoors convenient and quick.

Related:

About Emma

Hey there! I'm Emma. When I'm not wrangling kids I like to walk aimlessly around hardware stores and watch HGTV for hours on end.

Leave a Comment