There’s a better alternative to Dermot Bannon’s drying cabinet, says DCU professor

Dublin

Dermot shows off the drying cabinet in the latest episode of Room To Improve. Pic: RTÉ

Viewers were left jealous of the hidden heat pump drying cabinet. Pic: RTÉ

A drying cabinet recommended by architect Dermot Bannon left many viewers scrambling for Google after the latest episode of RTÉ’s Room to Improve.

The Gray family, from Castleknock in Dublin, installed a heat pump drying cabinet which is designed to dry your clothes quickly and gently in any weather.

“Every single house I went to in Sweden had one of these. I don’t know why we don’t have them in Ireland,” Dermot said on Sunday night’s programme.

However, one Dublin City University professor isn’t convinced and said there are better and more sustainable alternatives.

Professor Barry McMullin, from the School of Electronic Engineering, says that there are two other things you can do when washing your clothes.

Both of these options are more energy efficient and cheaper than a drying cabinet.

Dermot Bannon with Andy and Ann-Marie Gray outside their home in Castleknock

“Drying cabinets are less bad than conventional tumble dryers, but if you have the option to hang your clothes out on the washing line, that’s less bad again.

“But there are people living in apartments who don’t have access to a washing line. If they’re using a tumble dryer, a drying cabinet may be better, but it’s still not good.

“We’ve come to a stage where we’re washing clothes more than necessary for sensible hygiene. We may have gotten into a habit of overdoing laundry.

“I’m not suggesting we walk around in dirty clothes, but there’s a happy medium somewhere. There’s an argument that we’re excessively washing our clothes.

“That might be more important in the bigger picture compared to switching from a tumble dryer to a drying cabinet.”

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