[11-Year Usage Review] Are Dehumidifiers Effective? | How to Dramatically Simplify Workout Gear Management

Hello! I'm Torimune, and I've been doing home workouts for 8 years.

Everyone, when do you wash your workout gear after training?

After a workout, have you ever tossed your sweaty clothes into the laundry basket and thought, 'I'm tired today, I'll just do the laundry tomorrow...'?

Then, when the next day comes, you regret it because there's a faint, unpleasant odor. Especially during the rainy season or when it rains for days on end, laundry doesn't dry, and the smell of damp clothes becomes a frequent concern.

The thing that almost completely solved this problem for me is a clothes drying dehumidifier.

Just by having one dehumidifier for drying clothes, the issue of washing workout gear is almost entirely resolved.

I wash my sweat-soaked workout gear on the same day, and the dehumidifier dries it while I sleep. By morning, it's dry, and I can train in clean gear every day.

I've been using it in my home for over 11 years now, and it's one of those appliances I've never regretted buying.

In fact, if it broke today, I would buy a replacement the same day.

If you want to make managing your workout gear easier, or if you're struggling with indoor drying or damp odors, please take this as a reference.

The dehumidifier I use at home is no longer sold, but as of 2026, looking at the current lineup of dehumidifiers, here is the one I would most recommend👇

If you read to the end, your perspective on daily laundry will surely change.

The risks of leaving workout gear unattended

Workout gear after training absorbs more sweat than you might imagine.

Training in the summer is especially brutal.

My hands get clammy gripping the dumbbells, and I sweat enough to soak my clothes. The training itself feels great, but the problem is what happens afterward.

'I'll just put it in the basket for now'
'I'll just put it in the washing machine for now'

Once this happens, bacteria easily multiply on the sweat-soaked clothes left unattended. This also becomes the cause of damp odors.

And what's quietly tough is the reaction from my family.

"Doesn't it smell a bit?"
You don't want your wife saying that to you, right?

Even if you want to keep up with your strength training, it's hard to stay motivated if you feel like you're being a nuisance to your family.

That is precisely why I feel that managing workout gear is important for continuing strength training.

It's even tougher on rainy days | The indoor drying problem

When the rainy season or the long autumn rains arrive, it adds even more pressure.

You can't dry clothes outside.

You have no choice but to dry them indoors, but then they don't dry. They get that damp, musty smell. They're still wet even after a day.

"My workout gear isn't dry, so maybe I'll skip it today."

Once it gets to this point, it's a big problem.

You have the equipment. You have the time. Your body is ready to move. Yet, you end up using the fact that your gear isn't dry as an excuse to skip your workout.

Once you get into the habit of skipping, it becomes really difficult to keep going.
That's how significant the issue of washing and drying is.

What I have been using for over 11 years is a "dehumidifier for drying clothes."

We started using a dehumidifier in our home even before I began working out at home.

It all started when my wife bought one because she "hated that the laundry wouldn't dry."

When I checked the purchase history, it was bought in June 2015.

This model is already out of production, but the fact that it has continued to work for 11 years without breaking is, I think, quite excellent for a dehumidifier's durability.

And even now, I can use it without any problems at all.

Since I started strength training 8 years ago, the dehumidifier is my senior. It has now become a completely integral part of my life.

Introducing a dehumidifier changed my laundry routine.

Actually, my current routine after training looks like this.

I wash it at night, and it's dry by morning. Problems like "my gear smells," "it's not dry," or "my family is complaining" never happen.

It's simple to use, too: just place the dehumidifier near the clothes you've hung up to dry indoors and turn it on.
If it has a clothes drying mode, turn that on. Then, just go to sleep.

Of course, I'm not just washing my workout gear; I'm also washing my family's laundry for the day at the same time.

Differences from a Washer-Dryer Combo

"If you have a washer-dryer combo, don't you not need a dehumidifier?"

I think some people might feel that way. Washer-dryers are certainly convenient.
However, when I compare them, I feel that a dehumidifier suits me better.

Washer-Dryer Combo

• Fully automatic from washing to drying

• Less effort

• Expensive (around 200,000 to 300,000 yen)

• High-temperature drying can damage clothes

Clothes Drying Dehumidifier

• Washing must be done separately

• Inexpensive (around 10,000 to 30,000 yen)

• Less damage to clothing

• Can be used for all indoor drying

• Lower electricity costs

Workout gear is often made of stretch material, isn't it? Many items are sensitive to high-temperature drying, and I often hear that they get damaged after being dried in a washer-dryer repeatedly.

I don't own a washer-dryer myself, but in 11 years, I have never once had gear dried with a dehumidifier get damaged. I think this is a quietly significant advantage.

The actual benefits of a dehumidifier

Dries thoroughly overnight

This is the biggest benefit. Regardless of the weather, it's dry by morning. Even during the rainy season, it doesn't matter. This peace of mind is significant.

Almost no musty odor

The cause of musty odors is bacteria multiplying because drying takes too long. Since I started using a dehumidifier to dry everything thoroughly overnight, I've barely noticed any musty smells.

No more procrastinating on laundry

Having the peace of mind that 'if I wash it today, I can use it tomorrow' lowers the hurdle for doing laundry even when I'm tired. Because it's guaranteed to be dry the next day, there's no reason to put it off.

Low electricity costs

We use it almost every day, but I've never felt that the electricity bill was a problem. The cost per hour is about 6.5 yen. I feel it's cheaper than frequently using a laundromat or bathroom dryer.

No more complaints from family

This is a huge mental relief. To have your family support your strength training, it's important to reduce stress in your daily life.

Training gear is always ready

Situations where your gear isn't dry or ready disappear. When you think, 'I'll keep going today,' you're in a state where you can move immediately. That leads to consistency.

There are also disadvantages

Requires space for drying

I use an empty room in my house as a laundry drying space. However, this is difficult if you don't have an extra room. In that case, there is also a method of
bringing the dehumidifier into the bathroom instead of using the bathroom dryer because the bathroom is an enclosed space, it can dry things efficiently.

There is some vibration and operating noise

Compressor-type dehumidifiers have a fair amount of vibration and operating noise. If your bedroom is next door, some people might find it bothersome. In our home, the drying room and bedroom are far apart, so it's not an issue, but you need to be careful about placement. Also, those in wooden rental apartments need to be careful. If the people downstairs or next door find it annoying, it will become difficult to use.

Drying speed drops in winter

Compressor-type dehumidifiers have reduced dehumidifying capacity in low-temperature environments.

Be careful when using it in a cold room during winter. On days with a large amount of laundry, there are times when it takes until near noon, rather than just the morning, to dry everything.

Using a fan in combination makes it dry even faster

This is a little trick. It is a dehumidifier + a fan.

Compared to using just a dehumidifier, using it while blowing air with a fansignificantly increases the drying speed.

A dehumidifier lowers the humidity in the air, but blowing air around the laundry promotes the evaporation of moisture.
This combination is unexpectedly effective, and on fast days, it can dry in just a few hours.

The electricity cost isn't that high when using a combination of a dehumidifier and a fan, so please try it when you need to dry things quickly.

If I were to buy one again now, I would choose Sharp

The dehumidifier I use

The model I use is old and is no longer being sold.

When I checked on Amazon, only used items were listed.
The product page had detailed specifications written out, so I hope you can use it as a reference when comparing it with other products👇

If you are choosing a dehumidifier now, this is what I recommend

If I were choosing, I would prioritize the following conditions.

• Compressor type

• Includes a clothes drying mode

• Easy-to-move size

• Reliable manufacturer

As of 2026, personally, Sharp's clothes drying dehumidifier is my top candidate.

There are four reasons for this choice.

• Easy to keep electricity costs down

• Compact

• Excellent for drying clothes

• Peace of mind from a Japanese manufacturer

While drum-type washing machines cost 200,000 to 300,000 yen, dehumidifiers cost around 20,000 to 40,000 yen. The difference in cost-performance is obvious.

A clothes-drying dehumidifier is a 'tool for maintaining your workout routine'.

When I look at people who have been training at home for many years, I notice they all share a knack for 'creating systems'.

Preparing workout gear, keeping equipment accessible, and making laundry easier.

People who consciously create this kind of environment that makes it easy to continue training are the ones who stick with it for a long time.

A clothes-drying dehumidifier is not a tool that directly builds muscle.
However, it is a tool that helps create the environment needed to keep training.

'My gear isn't dry,' 'I'm worried about the smell,' 'I feel like I'm bothering my family.'

When these small stresses pile up, they affect your motivation to continue. I believe there is real value in something that removes them.

I have been using a dehumidifier for over 11 years, and I have never once regretted buying it. In fact, it is now one of the appliances I would be lost without.

I strongly recommend it as an option for those who want to keep up with home training.

Thank you for reading until the end!

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※ This article contains Amazon Associate links. As an Amazon Associate, Torimune earns income from qualifying purchases. The products introduced are ones I have actually used myself or ones I truly feel I can recommend after many years of continuing home training. 🙏